Crib Plan/Hardware

[Angelo Schembari]

New baby is due to arrive on July 8th. I had better get my butt in gear and start on a crib. Anyone know of good plans and or hardware kits. LOML would rather not a cradle.
Thanks!

[John Leech]

Rockler has a hardware set that can be had for around $80. It's the one that I purchased for my kid's crib, but I can't report on it because the crib is not finished as of yet. I think you can find several plans for cribs on the net. The one I'm using is a Greene and Greene-style crib that came from an old woodworker's journal. We also looked at a few that we saw on the 'net. I believe one of the contenders was a plan put out by august home (the folks who do woodsmith mag.)

Good luck to ya. If I can be of any help let me know.\

JP

[Aaron Moore]

I used the plans and hardware from Woodsmith. The "Heirloom Crib," I think. The plans were very thorough and the hardware was good quality. Here's a picture.

[Kevin Post]

Angelo:

Congratulations!

There were a bunch of things I was not aware of to consider when building a crib. So many, in fact, that I decided to abandon my plans to build a crib myself and purchased one instead. You'll need to pay very close attention to how you construct the crib to avoid creating hazards that could harm the baby. The Consumer Products Saftey Commision has published guidelines (http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/regsumcrib.pdf) for crib construction that you should follow.

These are the biggies:

Crib slats should not be more than 2 3/8 inches apart.
Drop sides when lowered, are at least 9 inches above mattress support.
Drop sides raised, are at least 26 inches above mattress support.
No horizontal surfaces inside the crib that the baby could use as a toe-hold to climb out.
No corner posts that extend above the sides or end of the crib. (suffocation hazard, hanging)
Mattress fits snugly. No more than 2 finger widths between crib side and mattress. (suffocation hazard)
Secure drop side locking mechanism so the baby can't get at it.
Teething rail along side rail so baby doesn’t chew on wood.
Verify the finish you apply to the crib is non-toxic.

As you build the crib, be aware of places where a baby's tiny hands, feet, limbs or head could become trapped or pinched. Be certain any plans you use apply these design standards.

You'll need to take on a whole different perspective because the baby will grow from a stage of being totally helpless to a very active stage during the time they are using this crib. Early on, the suffocation issues with the mattress, pillows and cushions are important because the baby is so helpless and weak. The slat spacing is important to avoid trapping the baby's head. As they become more active, they start to climb the sides and reach for things outside the crib. Watch out for cords from window blinds and electrical items that could hang the child. Tables, dressers and adjacent furniture should not be placed close to the crib to ensure EVERYTHING is well out of reach.

Good Luck,

-Kevin

[Rob Russell]

Aaron,

How much time did you spend to build your crib?

Thx - Rob

[Lee Schierer]

Building a crib for a child or grandchild is a rewarding experience. You do need to keep all the design guidelines for safety in mind. I used the Rockler hardware to build this one.
http://home.earthlink.net/~us71na/crib3.jpg

I learned a great deal, including steaming of wood for beding, the usefulness of double sided tape, pattern routing to name a few. So far the crib has survived two children.

Most all of the modern wood finishes are non-toxic once cured. Still the teething covers for the side rails are nice. My granddaughter decided to try her new teeth on the end caps instead. Buy your mattress before you start so you have exact measurements to go with.

[Angelo Schembari]

Originally posted by Lee Schierer
Building a crib for a child or grandchild is a rewarding experience. You do need to keep all the design guidelines for safety in mind. I used the Rockler hardware to build this one.
http://home.earthlink.net/~us71na/crib3.jpg

I learned a great deal, including steaming of wood for beding, the usefulness of double sided tape, pattern routing to name a few. So far the crib has survived two children.

Most all of the modern wood finishes are non-toxic once cured. Still the teething covers for the side rails are nice. My granddaughter decided to try her new teeth on the end caps instead. Buy your mattress before you start so you have exact measurements to go with.

Lee,
Where did you get the plans for that crib? It looks great!! Also, what finish did you end up using and how did it hold up?

Thanks,
Angelo
64 days and counting

[Lee Schierer]

Well the finish is easy it is three coats of Deft semi gloss clear wood finish. A lacquer based brusahable finish that holds up well and can be touched up years later with no problems.

The design is a copy of a crib my daughter saw at Burlington Coat Factory ( clothing store chain). The one they had was cherry with a maple top and she wanted the reverse. I was allowed by the store employees (not sure management ever knew) to measure the crib and I redrew it on my computer at home. I'm not sure if I still have the drawings or not. I can look if you are interested.

Most stores will not object if you measure up pieces they have on their floor. I've actually had help from sales people who are amazed that someone will actually make such a thing themselves.

[Aaron Moore]

Rob,

It's hard to say how much time it took me. It was about six months on the calendar, but I was only getting into the shop every other weekend or so, most days I can only work for a few hours, and we moved in the middle of the project. I would say three days to prepare the rough stock, cut all the parts to final dimensions, and do the joinery, two days to round over edges, sand, fit, glue up, and clean up the squeeze out, and two days for final sanding, four coats of wipe on poly, and two coats of wax. So, maybe seven days total? This is definitely a rough estimate. Hope it helps.

--Aaron