Lulu Cradle by Nanna Ditzel

[Steve Aiken]

So my daughter is pregnant with baby #1 and she has announced that she really likes the Lulu cradle by designer Nanna Ditzel. https://brdr-kruger.com/en/products/lulu-cradle I've always thought that I would build a cradle for each of my kids, soooooooo......

I've designed the shape and dimensions and built a prototype out of cardboard. I've got 2 sheets of 1/8 inch hardwood plywood and I've built up a form to shape the ply to shape. The plan is to bend and laminate two layers together to make a 1/4 inch ply. I figure once the pieces are laminated together, they'll hold the shape fairly well. I'll build up 3/4 inch thick end pieces and rout a 1/4 inch groove around the sides and bottom to hold the sides.

Question: I'm concerned about just gluing in the plywood into the groove because the solid ends will expand/contract as the humidity changes and potentially split the plywood. Although I don't see it in the photos of the lulu cradle, I'm wondering if I should add a rail at the very bottom. If this rail and the top rails on both sides of the cradle were grooved to accept the plywood, then I could apply glue in the groove-to-plywood connection for just a short span between the top rail and bottom rail on both sides, and these two panels would essentially float in the groove.

What do you think? Is there a better way?

Steve

[Jamie Buxton]

You might consider doing without that added rail, and gluing the curved panel for just 10" or so along the bottom of the curve. This is the along-the-grain portion of the ends, so it isn't going to move, and gluing it firmly to the curved plywood will make them both stronger. The rest of this approach would be like you outline: no glue for the rest of the curve, and none for the rail at the top. I'd be tempted to make the groove in the top rails deep -- maybe 3/4". That would ensure the unglued plywood doesn't get pulled out somehow.

(BTW, while I like the design overall, I'd be inclined to lose the casters. This is a cradle, not an office chair.)

[Steve Aiken]

You might consider doing without that added rail, and gluing the curved panel for just 10" or so along the bottom of the curve. This is the along-the-grain portion of the ends, so it isn't going to move, and gluing it firmly to the curved plywood will make them both stronger. The rest of this approach would be like you outline: no glue for the rest of the curve, and none for the rail at the top. I'd be tempted to make the groove in the top rails deep -- maybe 3/4". That would ensure the unglued plywood doesn't get pulled out somehow.

(BTW, while I like the design overall, I'd be inclined to lose the casters. This is a cradle, not an office chair.)
Thanks, that sounds like a good plan and it sounds like it would be stronger.

Yeah. I'm also skeptical about the castors;)

Steve