New Dad needs some help...

[Greg Cuetara]

I found out a few weeks ago I have a bundle of joy on the way. I have been working at making a few new projects. The first is a glider/rocker which I have finished but still have the ottoman to go. I got my hands on some beech and was very suprised on how it turned out.

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So my real question is I am trying to design a baby changing table. I have already gotten some great help from a few fellow creekers and they have given me a great start with overall dimensions and the basic look the LOML is going for. I am planning on laminating two pieces together to make the corner legs so that they will be almost 1.5" square. For the rails (which are 1.5" deep) that go between the legs (which will span approx. 4 feet) should I laminate two pieces together or will one piece be ok. I am including a plan which I have started to work up. I am fairly new to furniture design and I havn't built too much so I am not sure what is reasonable. Maybe the 1.5" should be more like 3"...

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This may be too much for one post...but one more question. I am also looking at building a crib from the rockler plan. There are 52 slats to be made. Each end you need to make a round tenon...the plans call for these tenons to be made by hand with sandpaper....I was thinking about buying a lee valley mini-tenon cutter which would make making the tenons much easier. Has anyone used the tenon cutters for this or is there a better way to make a square peg fit into a round hole.

Thanks for any help anyone can give. I will definately post the plans for the changing table once I get them finished along with more pictures once pieces get finished.

Greg

[John Schreiber]

Having been a new father a couple of times, I say congratulations on the baby and the rocker.;) Buy furniture from a store, take care of the mom and get some sleep. It may be your last chance for a long time. :eek::eek:

If you want, you can start on the toddler bed now, you probably won't have time for anything else until you need that.:cool:

Lots of smilies above, because your situation may be different from mine, but don't wear yourself out making furniture.

[Jim Becker]

Congratulations on your upcoming "change of life"...LOL!

For the changing table, make something that is easily convertible to normal dresser use once the diaper duty goes away and in a style that you'd enjoy making other "big kid" furniture for later on.

And I agree with John about the crib...it's a very time limited piece of furniture. If you don't intend to have several kids in succession making for reuse in your home, consider buying a crib. I just helped a close friend of mine (single woman adopting an infant) buy a very, very nice premium brand crib off Craig's List for less than half of retail. I couldn't make it for close what we paid and it was barely used.

Anything you make for the nursery should be, in my opinion, things that will last well beyond the baby stage. As John said, your time will be severely limited...make the most of it. And honestly, I took the same tactic with our own kids, even though they were older upon adoption 16 months ago. Bought the beds. Bought the dressers. Made the wall unit and desks.

[Greg Cuetara]

Thanks for the advice....not sure if I am just going to be stubborn here or inexperienced....

I already picked up about 100 bd.ft. of 7/8" cherry for $200 and that should give me enough for a changing table..(which Jim you are right I do want to make sure it can be used in the future)...and also a crib...not sure that I can sit around every night after work doing nothing for the next 7 months...i need a release so it is more out of enjoyment and relaxation than anything else...

[John Schreiber]

Greg, If you've got seven months to go, then more power to you. You will need some useful projects for distraction (and perhaps more importantly a place to go and get away). I was just thinking that when it gets close to baby time, you don't want to get stuck putting your effort into woodworking when family is where the effort should go.

Nice stealth gloat on the cherry too.