Building a bed frame....

[steven c newman]

Existing frame is a metal, angle iron thing.....plan is to use that, but add a 2 x frame around it. Have the 4 boards sitting IN the van....Thunderstorms in the area means they will stay there.

Corner joints? Needs to be where the bed can be disassemble, IF need be ( like during a move...), but, right now there is no plans for a corner post. Rails will get attached to the metal frame, maybe lag screwed in place. This won't be some fancy-schmancy project. Pine for the 2 x 12 lumber...went through 1/2 a rack, searching for 4 decent planks.

May try a sliding dovetail joint, to connect all the sides. No glue, as they can be slid apart when needed. The Boss is still debating on what headboard she wants made....

May "soften" the top edges, may add a bead or two.

IF this rain ever stops long enough, I can haul a few boards to the shop....we'll see.

I have a box of self-drilling screws handy...used them a lot, before. Adding angle iron items to concrete form work...Some even threaded the hole as they drilled.

Soooo, that be the next build thread....stay tuned.

[steven c newman]

Working through the design, as I go....planks even have a stamp, on them..
IMG_4201 (640x480).jpg
Four planks 2 x 10 x 8'...need to go back and by lumber for the corner posts. Then I can start making some sawdust.
Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Went to the Blue Box this morning....they want too much for the 2 posts..( $13??) so, will go over to the big Green Box this afternoon. Boss has decided on a head board style....involves padding, staples, 1/2" plywood, and some fabric....Thinking a 2x above and below the head board panel......panel is to sit in a groove in the two corner posts. May make a M&T joint to connect the posts to the 2x s top and bottom.

About all I bought at the Big Blue Box was a new 1/2" bandsaw blade....

[steven c newman]

Trip to the Big Green Box...$50, and I get a few coins back....

2 non-treated 4 x 4 x 8' white pine for the corner posts...
Two 2 x 4 x 6' for the top and bottom edges of the head board panel..

1/2" x 24" x 8' plywood, to be cut down for the head board panel.

2 x 2 x 8' for legs for an end table build
1 x 4 x 6' for aprons for the end table build
1 x 10 x4' to be cut to 24" long, and glued up for an end table's top

Would unload it all from the van..but it is a little too wet outside...

Still have to have her pick out what she wants to cover the panel for the head board with....posts and top and bottom rails with get a groove to house the panel..when she gets it done...

This may turn out to be "FUN"
stay tuned....might be two projects for the price of one "Admission"

[steven c newman]

Lumber has been unloaded from the van...whew. Need to find my notepad, so tomorrow I can get some measurements, and sketch out some sort of "plan".....as soon as I remembere what a plan is....

As Boris Badanov was wont to say...." I always have plan, they don't always work out, but I always have plan.."

Sliding dovetails? Lap joints? M&T Joints? And that is just for the bed frame.....will see how that short finger holds up....stay tuned.

[steven c newman]

Notepad has been found, and a few markings have been made..
notepad.jpg
That is usually all I need as far as a "Plan" is concerned. Then a few other tools...
layout tools.jpg
I had the sizes for the rails that showed where I need to cut those at. Posts were another lay out problem..
post.jpg
I need to get a foot board post, AND a head board post out of this beam. (later I will cut the other 4 x 4 down, once this one is done..)
Had some bad spots to work around...
ditto.jpg
Yeah. FirePit. Got VETOED about cutting the beam in place, had to haul it down to the shop...and dig out the cutting tools..
post cutters.jpg
Saw was sold by Worth. 26" long, 8 ppi. Took a few more than 7 strokes to cut through the posts....Cardio Workout?
two posts.jpg
Two posts, ready for the joinery stuff. May keep going with these two, or, layout out beam #2 and cut it to size....
Rails sit in a lap joint, with the posts to the outside of the frame.
rail mortise.jpg
Which means I have to clear away wood to make the housings. This way, the inside of the frame will be clear at the corners. Head board panel will sit in grooves both in the posts, and a pair of rails...
top rail location.jpg
Laid out for the top rail.

Now, since I do not have a 3/4" deep dovetail bit for the router, I guess the sliding dovetails to connect the rails will be hand cut.
Intent is to be able to tear the bed down, in order to move it....like when moving from house to house. Queen-sized frame might be a bit too big to leave together...

Project has been started....when this one is done, there are the parts for a Pine Bedside table project waiting, to be used with the bed. replaces a folding TV Tray.

Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

A bit more was done today....ever wonder WHY they are called beater chisels?
beater chisel.jpg
Because you beat on it to make it work. Drive it down, then hit the side of the handle until the wafers pop..
cleared off.jpg
Then a "real" chisel can go to work..
leveled out.jpg
A large slick works nicely...then another did the corners and a bit of end grain..
2 chisels.jpg
Had to set up a mitresaw, to make the square cuts on each end..
Stanley Mitre saw.jpg
Post was too long to fit on the Langdon 75....not enough room for a long board. Rest of the cuts were done with a Vintage saw..
vintage saw.jpg
Had errands to run...might get some more done later tonight...or wait until tomorrow. Need to get the other post to the shop, and cut it to size....
Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Decided to at least TRY to cut the second 4 x 4 x 8" done to close to the sizes I needed.....worn out from making the first cut-off with that Stanley #2246....was ticked off, anyway.....grabbed the vintage circular saw, and made a second cut-off.....then marked things to fine tune the cuts...once I finally cool off. Unless some Guru comes along and tells me what age he thinks these two saws are....

Once the posts are done, then I can cut the rails to size, and start on the headboard. May give the wider Aldi's chisels a decent workout.....along with the slick.

Chilling with a Cheeseburger from the grill, and a Guinness Blonde Lager.....might do the trick.

[steven c newman]

Awaiting the charger for the camera's battery to finish it's job. Picked a new (to me) tripod today, in the rain, at a yard sale....old one is to be tossed out...

Will see what the Boss says, but I MIGHT try to get the posts done today.....then attempt some sliding dovetails on the rails...without using the corded router...should be "entertaining"

[steven c newman]

Ok, camera is back, new tripod works great. Got these notches all done
IMG_4276 (640x480).jpg
To house the bed rails.
IMG_4265 (640x480).jpg
Short ones are the foot board posts, tall still need a head board panel made.
Lots of toys were out and about, today..
IMG_4266 (640x480).jpgIMG_4267 (640x480).jpgIMG_4268 (640x480).jpg
Mitre box was also put to use. Had to keep checking the posts...to make sure I had all the notches where they were supposed to be....been known to foul that up....

Need to haul a few 2 x 10 x 8' planks to the shop....and start on the rails....or.....maybe just the 2 x 4 x 6' for the top and bottom rails for the headboard panel to sit in. Simpler M&T joints....need to get the Stanley #45 set up..to plough a 5/8" wide by 1/2 deep groove to house the plywood panel. The Boss will do the "covering"...for a padded effect. Still has to chose the material...yet.

Road Trip...maybe when I get back, I can get a little more done? Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Guess I missed the Road trip...for now.

Single Brain Cell Sketch Up is trying to get the grooves and joints lined up for the head board build....joining a 2 x 4 into a 4 x 4....with a stopped groove in the 4 x 4. Groove must also align with the through groove in the 2 x 4....
Thinking I can make two tenons on the end of the 2 x 4, one on each side of the groove. May also "house" the end of the 2 x 4 into the 4 x 4. Bed inside width is 60".....I am working with 2 of the 2 x 4 x 6' boards...Also have to allow for the width of the plywood panel....23-7/8" wide. Panel right now is 8' long....I can cut that to the length..as soon as I know WHAT it will be...

May have to do this in a few steps....rails may get done first, then the joints in the tall posts. Head board will be a glue-up....so it can be moved as a unit. May take two people to get it up and out of the shop...

Maybe after Supper, I can meander down to the shop...with the 2 x 4s in hand?

Stay tuned...