Here’s my progress on the latest project. I developed the design from pictures in catalogs and the web. While no one will categorize this as fine furniture, I am hoping it will please my #1 customer, our 11 year old grandson.
Loft Bed 001.jpg
The material is basically construction pine 2x6’s, 2x4’s, ¾ birch plywood, and some ¾ pine, also. I took a long time selecting each piece of lumber to find acceptable pieces. The plywood from HD is domestic, and I was generally impressed at the lack of voids. However, the “A” side of the plywood showed some strange grain patterns for birch. I was concerned about getting clean cuts in the plywood, but a new 40 tooth Freud combo worked very well.
The corners are two 2/6’s glued and screwed together (deck screws) with fluted outside surfaces – the screw holes are hidden with dowel plugs. I made a fluting router jig from ideas found on Sawmill Creek, and it worked amazingly well. I used a ½ bit set ¼ inch deep, and cut each flute in one pass. After doing a trial piece, I did all the fluting in about an hour or so, and I was happy to get to the end of that process without messing up.
Loft Bed 002.jpg
Also made a dado router jig for the dados in the bookcases and the ladder – also from borrowed ideas. The bookcases are held together with glue and pocket screws. I edged the plywood with ¼ inch strips cut from pine.
The desk is also made from plywood. It is 21-3/4 inches wide and has one drawer with a built in pencil tray. Hopefully this will encourage good study habits. In order to personalize it a bit more, I carved our grandson’s initials in the drawer front.
Loft Bed 005.jpg
Loft Bed 007.jpg
Besides stain and finish, I need one more piece of ¾ plywood for holding the mattress. It will have a blue sky with clouds painted on the bottom. That way when he is sitting at the desk, there will always be blue skies overhead. Hope I can figure out how to paint clouds.
I am looking forward to finishing this project over the next couple of weeks, but I am also sure I will miss it when it is delivered. Sure hope the grandson likes it.