Need some advice, please.

[Steve Swinton]

I'm making a crib for my latest grandchild. Mom & Dad like a sleigh type crib from a Pottery Barn catalog. I've never attempted anything like the top rail. I'm thinking of cutting the slot (for the solid vertical piece) in my squared up stock first and then trying to round the piece (probably with the table saw and hand tools). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Steve

[Tom LaRussa]

I'm making a crib for my latest grandchild. Mom & Dad like a sleigh type crib from a Pottery Barn catalog. I've never attempted anything like the top rail. I'm thinking of cutting the slot (for the solid vertical piece) in my squared up stock first and then trying to round the piece (probably with the table saw and hand tools). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Steve
Hi Steve,

We need pics to see what you're aiming at.

:)

[Ted Shrader]

I'm making a crib for my latest grandchild. Mom & Dad like a sleigh type crib from a Pottery Barn catalog. I've never attempted anything like the top rail. I'm thinking of cutting the slot (for the solid vertical piece) in my squared up stock first and then trying to round the piece (probably with the table saw and hand tools). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
SteveSteve -

If it looks something like the attached, here are some ideas.

The vertical legs should each be made from a single wide piece of wood. Glue-ups would work, but unless you were very careful, the glue line would be very obvious. Before you cut all the shapes/curves etc. in the lags, mill in the joinery mortises, tenons, etc. It is just easier when the piece still had square sides.

The top rails could be made, as you said, on the table saw. Cut the angle where the end panel of the crib meets the top rail, then cut the rabbet. A couple of rip cuts to rough shape, then break out the rasps, planes, and scrapers. To space the balusters, use small blocks the same width as the rabbet they are placed in. (This technique assumes you don't have a mortiser. I don't and have used the method several times. Unless you look very closely, you would never know those are spacer blocks and not mortises.

What a great gift for the new grandchild (and his/her parents)!

Any idea for the crib hardware?

Good luck,
Ted

[Steve Swinton]

Steve -

If it looks something like the attached, here are some ideas.

The vertical legs should each be made from a single wide piece of wood. Glue-ups would work, but unless you were very careful, the glue line would be very obvious. Before you cut all the shapes/curves etc. in the lags, mill in the joinery mortises, tenons, etc. It is just easier when the piece still had square sides.

The top rails could be made, as you said, on the table saw. Cut the angle where the end panel of the crib meets the top rail, then cut the rabbet. A couple of rip cuts to rough shape, then break out the rasps, planes, and scrapers. To space the balusters, use small blocks the same width as the rabbet they are placed in. (This technique assumes you don't have a mortiser. I don't and have used the method several times. Unless you look very closely, you would never know those are spacer blocks and not mortises.

What a great gift for the new grandchild (and his/her parents)!

Any idea for the crib hardware?

Good luck,
Ted
Ted,
That's exactly it. Thanks for the ideas. I do have a mortiser and have made one crib already. The hardware is from Products America and is called "stealth hardware". It's what I used on the first crib and although tricky to install, works nicely and you don't see it at all. It's really that top rail that I don't have any experience with yet. Looks like I'm going to get some.
Thanks for taking the time to reply and post the picture.
Steve

[Ted Shrader]

Steve -

Thanks for the info on the Stealth Hardware. Seems the kids are going to start again come this spring, so I will have roughly 12 months or so from now to finish. Also a good excuse to get a mortiser. :)

Also, looking closer at that picture, I don't know that the top rail has much of a shape to it at all. (Look at the rail against the wall.) However, I'm sure a home built one will have more elegant lines and details.......

Regards,
Ted