Replies

1. 
   seeyou | Nov 21, 2008 01:14am | #1

   Be careful. If you make your own bed, you'll have to lay in it.

   http://www.quittintime.com/      View Image        

1. 
   NAGIV | Nov 21, 2008 01:29am | #3

   I was most scared of it falling apart, been tested and held up well I must say

2. 
   NAGIV | Nov 21, 2008 01:28am | #2

   my real advice is don't... it is so much simpler to go out and buy one already finished...

   Seriously though, I built one a few years ago for my wife.  There is a book called "Beds" I'd recommend.  The bed I built is closely mimicked after one in the book but I did make a few minor changes.  Even if you do not want to build one of the styles they have there is good information in regard to joinery and connections.   Forget the lock together hardware it's cheap and doesn't work well.  Stick with bed bolts if you go for a head & foot board with rails between.

   http://www.amazon.com/Beds-Jeff-Miller/dp/1561582549/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227219349&sr=8-2

   
1. 
   woodworker57 | Nov 21, 2008 05:58am | #4

   If I did not know better, I would say that you broke into my house and took a picture of the bed I made several years ago.  There is a little difference, but not much, even the color is the same.  Nice taste dude-------WW 57

2. 
   woodpecker47 | Nov 21, 2008 12:46pm | #8

   thanks for the info on the book, amazon $ 8

1. 
   Ted W. | Nov 21, 2008 01:12pm | #9

   One of my customers has a bed that the joints had worked loose over the years. Cheap bedrail hardware that was used. I drilled out and put 2 handrail bolts in each corner to pull everything tight. Now her 6 year old jumps on the bed and it still doesn't budge. Rock Solid.

   Just thought I'd share that. If you use bedbolts, you shouldn't have that issue. If you use those hook and cleat connectors, you'll probably need this info in a few years.See my work at TedsCarpentry.comBuy Cheap Tools! BuildersTools.net

1. 
   NAGIV | Nov 21, 2008 05:54pm | #10

   I couldn't agree more.

   I made up some test pieces with the bed hooks and was not impressed at all.

   I used one bed bolt and two 1/4" steel dowels for alignment, one above and one below the bedbolt.

    

1. 
   Ted W. | Nov 22, 2008 12:36am | #11

   Now there's a bed the kids can jump on! :)See my work at TedsCarpentry.comBuy Cheap Tools! BuildersTools.net

2. 
   NAGIV | Nov 22, 2008 02:41am | #12

   yeah, but just the kids...

    

3. 
   Ted W. | Nov 22, 2008 02:51am | #13

   Party pooper.See my work at TedsCarpentry.comBuy Cheap Tools! BuildersTools.net

4. 
   Dinosaur | Nov 23, 2008 08:19am | #14

   I've used both bed-bolts and bed-hooks with success...but I understand the limitations of each.

   Bed-hooks are fine for mid-span cross-bars to prevent the rails on a captain's bed from flexing as the drawers are opened and closed. They're also good for the internal center rail on a king-size bed. Finally, bed-hooks are better than bed-bolts  for joining the corners of simple 5/4 box frames, since without the lateral overhang of a full-sized head- or foot-board, the bolt holes wind up too close to the edges.

   But bed-hooks should not be used to join tall, heavy, head- or foot-boards to the rails; they can't stop all that heavy wood wavering itself back and forth as people use the bed for recreational purposes....

   Dinosaur

   How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....

5. 
   observer | Nov 23, 2008 10:25am | #15

   I've got a bed I built with bedhooks attaching the rails to head and footboards over ten years ago. It's been relegated to the spare bedroom now, but it's still as tight as the day I put it together.

3. 
   Dinosaur | Nov 21, 2008 06:57am | #5

   Build the headboard and footboard to suit yourself, then build the sides like the face frame of a cab with drawers. (I'm assuming platform or 'captains' bed here).

   Now go to Lee Valley and search for 'bed hardware'. They sell bed hooks, bed bolts, bolt covers, adjustable feet, yadda-yadda. Everything you need to assemble a bed and still be able to take it apart again when it's time to move....

   Dinosaur

   How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
   low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
   foolish men call Justice....
   

   

4. 
   CapnMac | Nov 21, 2008 07:22am | #6

   You are going to get some comedic content with this--oops, too late.

   Building a bed can be very rewarding.  It can be illuminating, too--a learning experience in wood work and in the reasons for the "whys" of bed construction.

   There are a number of ready-to use parts and and pieces out there.  Both in the decorative wood features, and in the hardware for assembling a bed.  Lee Valley's catalog can be a good start.  Rockler, Haefle, and similar catalogs can be very helpful.

   I have found the "why" of bed design fascinating.  The head & foot board come from "sleigh" bed design, where both were used to fold back and air bedding in climates where great depth of bedding was needed.  The posts on "four poster" beds come from beds designed for either anti-insect draping, or for privacy. 

   Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
5. 
   gfretwell | Nov 21, 2008 07:27am | #7

   I built our bed in the master with 4 drawers under it on each side. Since at the time we wanted a water bed each divider between the drawer is 3/4 ply verticals with face frames on the outside and solid plywood in the back. You could park a truck on this thing. There are 2 sets of these boxes, one on each side then the top is plywood tying them together. I left the gap between them open as a dog house. Two dogs have lived there. The ring around the top was simply 2x8s for the water bed mattress. Later we tired of that and bought a pillow top. It just sits on the platform without any ring.
   My wife found a headboard she liked and I just screw gunned it to the end of the boxes. I finished the end caps, drawer fronts and face frames to match the headboard.