How would you build this post?

[Irvin Cooper]

Good evening.

I am in the beginning stages of a 4-post bed. The posts will be 3 7/8" by 3 7/8 square about half way up, and then will transition to a taper for the rest of the length.

I am trying to determine the best method for constructing the square, lower half of the posts. I had at first planned to glue up four pieces of 1" x 4" stock, jointing the outside edges, and then planing to the desired 3 7/8". After some thought, I am concerned about those three glue lines showing, especially over time since walnut lightens some.

So, then, I had considered a dado/rabbet set up on each of the four pieces, but am concerned about the mortise/tenon joint from the headboard and footboard only consisting of 7/8' or so thickness material.

Does anyone have any thoughts on a better way to accomplish this?
Very rough drawings of the two options I mention above follow.

Thanks.

Irv

Option 1: Glued up 1x4 stock
http://www.astate.edu/executive/cio/leglayered.jpg

Option 2: Dado/Rabbet joint.
http://www.astate.edu/executive/cio/legsect.jpg

[Mike Cutler]

Irvin

Mark Singer featured a technique of a "mitered dado over laminations"???, when he was building his wenge dining table.

Try a search on the quoted part, or maybe Mark will see this and post the link. I'm flunking stupid right now and can't find the thread.
There will be no exposed edge grain or glue joints with his technique.

[Sam Yerardi]

Irvin,

A typical joint to use for posts when you want the corner joints to be as inconspicuous as possible is to use either a quadralinear post using locking mitre joints or a central post veneered with 1/8" stock with each joint mitred. Arts & Crafts chairs are a good example of this. The idea is to show quartersawn stock on each face.

[Stan Welborn]

Mark Singer's thread. Looks like it would work great. I'll have to try this.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=43101

[Irvin Cooper]

Thank you everyone for the responses. Mark's solution is exactly what I need. This addresses both my concern over the glue lines and the need solid posts.

As always, I appreciate the valuable feedback.

Irv

[Randy Klein]

This is how I did it. It's described in this thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=68898). It was for a bunk bed, so the hollow middle was needed to connect the two beds. But it turns out is a nice "design" feature that my wife likes.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=75036&d=1194824428

[Chris Padilla]

Nice post on your post, Randy! Maple?

[Randy Klein]

Nice post on your post, Randy! Maple?

Thanks, and yep, maple.

To the OP, another way to build the post is to use a board that, when milled, is just over half the thickness needed for the post, but the correct width. Rip it down the middle and laminate one to the other. With this method, one side will be bookmatched and have grain flow to the two adjacent sides. The other side won't look as nice as the bookmatched side, but just put this side to the interior where it will be masked by head/foot boards, mattresses, etc.

here's a drawing:
83550

[Alex Berkovsky]

Irvin,

A typical joint to use for posts when you want the corner joints to be as inconspicuous as possible is to use either a quadralinear post using locking mitre joints or a central post veneered with 1/8" stock with each joint mitred. Arts & Crafts chairs are a good example of this. The idea is to show quartersawn stock on each face.Sam,
Are these the discussed methods? I think the 2nd method is what Mark Singer used.

[Brook Duerr]

Another option would be to use wide 8/4 stock, flatten one side, rip it down the middle and then glue it back on itself like closing a book. One of the gluelines will be virtually gone because of the bookmatch and color match on that side of the board (the "spine" of the book). The other side will be virtually gone too because of color match. This is the way I do all my glueup posts.

[Mark Singer]

Irvin

Mark Singer featured a technique of a "mitered dado over laminations"???, when he was building his wenge dining table.

Try a search on the quoted part, or maybe Mark will see this and post the link. I'm flunking stupid right now and can't find the thread.
There will be no exposed edge grain or glue joints with his technique.
Mike,
I found it!

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=43101&highlight=dining+table

this is the technique I used