A crib for the first baby...

[mreza Salav]

Our first child is due in two months. Here is the crib I built for her that extends to a full size bed. It's out of Cherry with curly maple inlay.
The joinery is M/T for the spindles and loose tenon for the posts to frame.
The tops and moldings are using bent lamination.
Finish is a mix I learned from Don Kondra. It took about a month to complete.

The design is my own but wanted it to be similar to our own bed (the picture of my avatar) that I posted here a while ago.
Now off to the chest of drawers, hopefully to be finished before the baby arrives :D

I've some progress pics that can post upon request.

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More pics in the next post.

[mreza Salav]

more pics:

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[Mark Engel]

That is stunning! A real work of art.

Congratulations on the soon to be birth of your first child. Everything you knew in life will change once your child is born.

[John Keeton]

Exceptionally nice!! Very good styling, and the details really make this piece. Makes me want to have another kid just to build a crib!!:eek:;) Not really!!

[John Thompson]

Outstanding design and build Mreza. That is probably the nicest crib I have ever seen personally... fluted columns no less. It just grabbed me from the start. Excellent!

[Joe A Faulkner]

I'd love to see more pictures, especially how you built the laminated top.

[Brian Effinger]

Beautiful crib Mreza, and congratulations on the little one. :)

[Van Huskey]

Beautiful!

[gary Zimmel]

A crib from a true craftsman Mo.
From the fluted columns to the arched back and curved sides Everything is first rate.
The inlay adds that finishing touch....
Excellent work again.
How about some progress pics if you have them..

And an early congrats on your first child.

[mreza Salav]

Thanks for the nice comments.
Here are some progress pics:

Building the forms for the laminations:

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To get a consistent width on the curved piece:

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The curved cap in the form:

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One of the posts turned and here is the setup to create the reeds:

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The posts are two halves made together. To do that I glued to pieces with a paper in between so that I can separate them once I'm done:

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More in the next post...

[mreza Salav]

Here I am making a series of mortises using the mortising jig I made:

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my homemade drum sander works great for those glued up panels:

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Gluing the curved molding:

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Dry fitting:

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final glue-up:

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[Jeremy Brant]

Looks great! Did you build the side rails for it so they are ready to go when you convert to a full size bed? I've got a 2 year old that was teething on the top rails prior to us removing the front to convert to a toddler bed. We bought an inexpensive bed and it doesn't bother me on ours since we plan on only having one more child, but I highly suggest figuring out how you're going to protect the top rails from little teeth as I'd hate to see your work of art get chewed up.

[Sam Layton]

Hi Mreza,

Your crib is beautiful. Your design and craftsmanship is outstanding. I like the idea that it will convert into a large bed latter on. I enjoyed looking at the construction photo's, do you have any more? Also, what finish did you use?

Great job, Sam

[mreza Salav]

Looks great! Did you build the side rails for it so they are ready to go when you convert to a full size bed? I've got a 2 year old that was teething on the top rails prior to us removing the front to convert to a toddler bed. We bought an inexpensive bed and it doesn't bother me on ours since we plan on only having one more child, but I highly suggest figuring out how you're going to protect the top rails from little teeth as I'd hate to see your work of art get chewed up.

I have the rails ready but will have to attache a new hardware to use them.
That will wait until when they are needed.
As for chewing up: I haven't thought about that and don't know what to do ...



Hi Mreza,

Your crib is beautiful. Your design and craftsmanship is outstanding. I like the idea that it will convert into a large bed latter on. I enjoyed looking at the construction photo's, do you have any more? Also, what finish did you use?

Great job, Sam

Thanks Sam. The finish is Don Kondra's mix which is: 25% pure Tung oil, 25% spar varnish, 50% varnish thinner, plus one full cap of Japan drier per cup of finish (to speed up drying time). Applied 3 coats (4 to the panels).
I have more progress pics and will post them when I get to my home computer.

[Joe Berry]

Mreza,

Go to Amazon.com and type in Gummi rails. I just built a crib out of walnut for my first born last summer and purchased them. She hasn't started teething yet, but when she does I will slap them on. They just use two sided tape. Looks good!

Joe

[Don Jarvie]

Mreza,

Very nice work. How does it convert to a bed?

[John Towns]

Wow! That has to be the nicest crib I have ever seen. Very elegant. Extremely well designed and crafted.

[David Gendron]

Realy realy nice work. A real classic piece! you have to be proud of your work!

[Chris Fairbanks]

Mreza, Great looking crib. I am just starting to plan out the furniture for our first baby's room (wife is due end of March) and am looking at also building the crib. We like the looks of the arched back cribs like you built. Question though on the little detail molding under the curved top. Is that just a strait piece of molding you bent into place and glued? If so any issues with it cracking, etc? Thanks Chris

[mreza Salav]

Mreza, Great looking crib. I am just starting to plan out the furniture for our first baby's room (wife is due end of March) and am looking at also building the crib. We like the looks of the arched back cribs like you built. Question though on the little detail molding under the curved top. Is that just a strait piece of molding you bent into place and glued? If so any issues with it cracking, etc? Thanks Chris

It's bent laminated (just like the cap) and then routed on the router table. I suppose you can cut the piece from a wide piece also (instead of bent lamination).

Early congratulations on your new addition to the family!

[Jim Becker]

Wow...that's really beautiful work!! And congrats on the upcoming addition to your family. You will not run out of "necessary projects". Of course, when you get the time away from required child-care. LOL