Building a Rustic Headboard, need some advice.

[Tim Morton]

My wife suddenly has it in her head that we need a headboard on our kingsize platform bed that I built,(she HATES to have things unfinished, in her words) and was ready to order one from PB when I said...why would you spend money on THAT, when I can build you one that looks the same for 1/1oth the cost? Well I think i have it pretty much all planned out and have bought the 4x4 posts and a sheet of beadboard plywood and some cheap hardwood to make the frame for the beadboard to lay into. My problem is that I need to run a dado most of the length of the 4x4 for the sides of the beadboard to recess into. i don't own a dado blade yet, having never needed one bad enough to justify ordering one. And the local hardware store only caries the freud for over 200 bucks. My question is why can't I just use ny table saw and run 4 or 5 passes to open a 3/8 channel for the beadboard? I plan on using a drill and sharp chisel to open the larger mortise for the top railing, as it needs not be perfect because I am painting and distressing the whole thing anyway and i can fill any gaps in that part as it is only letting in a 1"x3". I would order a blade from amazon, but I MUST finish this in the next couple days to prevent her from ordering one..tick tock. :cool:

[Wes Bischel]

Tim,

Maybe I'm missing something, so be kind - could you use a router to cut the dado? I usually use mine for blind dados rather than messing with the table saw. Yes I think you could run the posts multiple times over your std. blade, but that seems like a lot of work with a heavy piece of wood.

FWIW

Wes

[Frank Pellow]

That should work if you are very precise and accurate. I have used a similar technique when I found myself working away from home and away from my dado set.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, you can make multiple passes with your table saw blade to make the groove. Many folks do this when they only have one or a small number of grooves to make and don't want to take the time to change to a stacked dado set. The bottom will not be "smooth", but for your application...it doesn't matter.

You can also use a router with an edge guide.

[Tim Morton]

Cool..thanks! I was thinking router as a back-up, but I like the repeatablity of the tablesaw...set the fence and run both boards though, move and repeat. Its only the first cut that needs to be clean in this case because the back will be hidden....the Table saw seemed like it would create much less dust also.

[Tim Morton]

Headboard is all done...came out pretty nice and only took a few hours to complete. But like I said its pretty basic but I got a hug from the wife and saved some serious money by doing it myself. I will try and post a pic once she makes up the bed and does all her foo-foo stuff.

[John Miliunas]

Damn...You're FAST! :D Yeah, be sure and let us see your creation. Most important part is the LOYL is happy with it. Secondly, you've got yourself some more tool $$$!!! :D :cool:

[Tim Morton]

A look into my bedroom....

[Mark Singer]

Do it...make several passes moving the fence check the width...do the first and last and remove the center...

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Tim,

Excellent work in a very quick time period. Question? What did you use for a finish on that?

Again, I like the design and results!

[Tim Morton]

Thanks...I used the "P" word, which i know is frowned upon in the WW world but that is why it didn't take long to complete. it was painted some rustoleum "painters choice" flat black paint I had left over from painting the dresser. I think the whole project cost me about $40 bucks. I just need to put a couple of simple endcaps on later.

[John Miliunas]

Regardless of the "P" word, it came out nice! :D And what's with folks of the female persuasion and all their foo-foo pillows?! :confused: I use ONE, and I know LOML uses ONE, but there are no less than EIGHT of the suckers on the bed as I write this! :cool:

[Tim Morton]

I ask myself that every night when I have to wade through all the pillows to get down to mine....luckily I have one of those memory foam pillows that weighs a ton so its an easy find. Not sure why I needed to build the head board, when it will always be buried under a wall of pillows.