Daybed help

[Ed Bamba]

Can anyone advise on how they would make this bed. http://www.pbteen.com/products/p2806/toolbox.cfm?tool=vAlt

Specifically the top rails on the head and side boards, and the bottom of the legs.

Thanks in advance,
Ed

[Joe Jensen]

I'd built it out of really nice veneered 3/4" plywood. It looks like the edges are thicker. I'd do 1 1/2" thick hardwood. If you want to add the carving you have two choices. 1) carve 2) buy pressed wood mouldings and apply them. The challenge with these design in doing the curved hardwood parts. There are three ways to go here. 1) Cut them from wide stock (might be hard to get that wide and it's more expensive. 2) Make them out of segments and have joints across the width of them. 3) Make a form and do bent wood laminations. #1 is easy and quick, #2 is harder and I don't care for that look, #3 is hardest but pretty fun in my experience.

[Danny Thompson]

If you go with a separate carved center piece then the top rail can be easily segmented into 2 pieces. Then, using Joes option #1 (Cut them from wide stock) isn't so hard, because the width requirement would be subtantially less.

[Jamie Buxton]

The carved decoration is probably a purchased component, like these ---
http://www.vandykes.com/subcategory/73/

[Ed Bamba]

Thanks for the input.

Joe, I was thinking of using the WO boards that I already have. Most of the boards are 5/4 rough that are from 8" to 12" wide x 10' long. I would probably face glue for the thicker legs. I would like to try my hands at bent wood lamination, but that would mean time spent on making the jig for it. I'll keep that one as an option. More than likely I will go with some type of sheetgoods for the panel.

Danny, I have no carving or fret working tools or experience, so the hardwood applique would be the right choice for now. Your idea of a three-segment rail sounds like viable method; esp. if my stock on hand isn't wide enough for a single part. I'll have to figure out the best way to join the three sections and make it as strong as if it were a single rail.

Question to both: When cutting the top rails from a wide board, what face grain would make the strongest part?

Jamie, thanks for the link. It gives me alot more applique options than or local Borg stores.

Any other suggestion would still be welcomed.

Last question (for now at least); any suggestion on the lower curved legs?

Thanks again,
Ed

[Lee Schierer]

I made a similar piece for the daybed I made! It is made of three pieces of wood.
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~us71na/BED1.jpg

I made a template for half the curve and flipped it over to mark the other side and used a sabre saw to cut it rough. I trimmed the rough cut out with a flush trim bit in the router using the hardwood template I used for the layout as a guide. Note that becuase of the various grain reversals, climb cutting was necessary to prevent tearout in some areas.

I used bed rail fasteners http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/28589-01-200.jpg
to attach the back to the end pieces.

[Ed Bamba]

Lee, thanks for the reply and pix. I was trying to visualize what the rails would look like when cut from a wide board. I'll be painting the bed per my daughter's request, so the actual grain pattern wasn't a concern.

BTW, how did you cut the groove or mortices for the slats?

[Lee Schierer]

Lee, thanks for the reply and pix. I was trying to visualize what the rails would look like when cut from a wide board. I'll be painting the bed per my daughter's request, so the actual grain pattern wasn't a concern.

BTW, how did you cut the groove or mortices for the slats?

The Back and end frames are 1-1/2" thick, two layers of 3/4" oak glued together. I cut the slots for the mortices in the halves prior to glue up. I made a jig so that the straight bottom board was clamped to the bottom side of the curved upper board and then a frame would align the router to insure the upper slot and the lower ones were all the same width and on the same centers. Once the recesses were cut in both halves they were glued together.

[Joe Jensen]

Lee, thanks for the reply and pix. I was trying to visualize what the rails would look like when cut from a wide board. I'll be painting the bed per my daughter's request, so the actual grain pattern wasn't a concern.

BTW, how did you cut the groove or mortices for the slats?

If you are painting it, I'd consider MDF for the thicker parts around the perimeter. It's cheap and take paint well...joe

[NICK BARBOZA]

Lee, thanks for the reply and pix. I was trying to visualize what the rails would look like when cut from a wide board. I'll be painting the bed per my daughter's request, so the actual grain pattern wasn't a concern.



I might have missed the boat on this one, but I dont know that i would use nice wide white oak for a painted piece.... also with my expericance painting oak you will still see some coarse grain paterns. but also this could be the look you are going for...

Im not trying to offend anybody, just my taste.

Good luck,
Nick

EDIT: i forgot to add my thoughts on the construction of the piece (brain not up to speed yet...). I think bent lamination would be a fun route but also the 3 piece rail might be the most efficient use of time and material.

[Lee Schierer]

No offense taken. Yes, oak will likely show the grian through the paint unless it is filled. For a painted bed I would suggest using yellow poplar for the wood. It is cheap, works well and is strong enough for the task. After the first coat and sanding of primer or paint you get a really smooth finish.

[Ed Bamba]

Thanks again for the replies. I may reconsider the use of white oak. Austin Hardwood quoted me $2.20bf for S3 4/4 poplar, which obviously means 3/4" boards. My only concern is if the boards aren't relatively flat, that I would have to plane them and possibly face glue another board for correct thickness. This may, or may not, be an issue. They do have 8/4 poplar that I can use for the legs.

I do have about 300bf of rough sawn oak on-hand and may have to justify not using it just to avoid seeing some coarse grain. Have to ponder this dilema at bit.

Question for Joe: Which parts would you reccomend using the MDF on?


Ed

[Joe Jensen]

Thanks again for the replies. I may reconsider the use of white oak. Austin Hardwood quoted me $2.20bf for S3 4/4 poplar, which obviously means 3/4" boards. My only concern is if the boards aren't relatively flat, that I would have to plane them and possibly face glue another board for correct thickness. This may, or may not, be an issue. They do have 8/4 poplar that I can use for the legs.

I do have about 300bf of rough sawn oak on-hand and may have to justify not using it just to avoid seeing some coarse grain. Have to ponder this dilema at bit.

Question for Joe: Which parts would you reccomend using the MDF on?


Ed

If it were my project, with the solid sides and back, and I were painting it, I'd use inexpensive tight grained veneered plywood for the large areas, and either poplar or MDF for the thicker "trim". I suggested MDF because it's cheap and takes a nice painted finish. But, poplar might blend better when painting...joe