Bed corners

[Aaron Liebling]

I've built a bed frame with the rockler bed rail fasteners (https://www.rockler.com/heavy-duty-wrought-steel-bed-rail-fasteners-4-pack-select-size) and it seems like the legs have twisted since I first cut them (they sat for ~4 months after before I had a chance to install the fasteners).

The overall frame still feels VERY solid, but obviously the gaps are unattractive - and one of them is large enough for me to be worried about the long term strength.

I could trim the end grain ends to match the current shape of the legs, but the lack of squareness would likely be visible when seen from above. Do I recut new legs? just fill the gaps (maybe just for the less severe one?)?

Thoughts?
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[Michael Schuch]

Wow! That is a nasty bit of twist. I don't understand how you could get so much twist on a glued joint. Have you considered cutting the legs off the cross piece and putting new ones on instead of cutting the rails at an angle?

[Jamie Buxton]

If the rail fasteners are seated properly, I don’t see how you could get those gaps. I suspect something else is wrong. Perhaps the fasteners are not properly seated on to the leg or the rail.

At any rate, I’d want to find the problem and fix it, even if it means making new legs or rails.

[Aaron Liebling]

To be clear: the legs have the fasteners on both sides..which I only realized after the fact isn't the typical way they're used.

That said, the legs definitely are not square now, whereas the ends of the rails still are.

I fear that new legs is the right answer here. That said, I'll also check the rails for continued straightness. I think one of them may now have a slight curve to it, as well.

[Michael Schuch]

To be clear: the legs have the fasteners on both sides..which I only realized after the fact isn't the typical way they're used.

That makes more sense now. Sounds like one of those live and learn moments.

It is a little late to make a mortice and tenon for the glued joint (I am assuming you will hard fasten one of the current assembly joints?) but a floating tenon with retaining pegs (dowels) coming in from the back should be very sturdy and last for many years. A few dowels in the joint would be another alternative. I guess you could even use pocket holes on the back of the rail and they wouldn't be seen in use (with glue on the joint too of course).

[Aaron Liebling]

I was planning on fastening the corners to the end rails, probably with a floating tenon. The other option if I'm remaking the legs anyway) is to do away with the fastener on the end rail sides and just add a larger floating tenon. Not super excited to dig a giant deep mortise in the end grain, though.

[Jim Dwight]

I would make the headboard and footboard solid with mortise and tenon joints and only use the metal joints on the ends of the rails. I've built at least half a dozen beds this way including bunk bed and they all work great. Some have been used for decades.

I agree that slot mortises in the end grain of the head board and foot board rails is not fun with a plunge router. They would be easy with a Domino XL (1 inch deep mortises the 500 can do don't seem deep enough to me). Drill most of the material out with a smaller bit should help. It's challenging to use a router that isn't vertical. I'd probably try it and if I was not happy with the result I'd make new pieces with integral tenons.

[Aaron Liebling]

If I'm remaking the legs, I'm considering making them slightly thicker. They're currently 1 5/8". Do people think that's thick enough?

[Kevin Jenness]

To rout into long rail ends, set up a 1/2" thick platform for the router to ride on fastened square to a leg that can be clamped to the rail face. 1 5/8" square does seem light for a bedpost.

It does look as though the post ends are out of square though that could be due to the photo. What was the moisture content when you first assembled the frame?