Bed Build - Help needed + Project Docu

[Guido_de]

Hi,

the time has come for a bigger bed and I have decided to build it myself - never tackled a project of that size before, but well, there's always a first.

The actual bed will be approximately 220cm (86.5") by 180cm (70.8") featuring a headboard and two seperate mattresses. The final design is still WIP, with joinery questions being my primary concern at the time.

The attached image shows the joint between the stretchers (40mm by 150mm; 1.6x~6") and the front legs. I don't want to cut traditional M/T joinery (inexperienced, time constraints) and though of using dominos (10x50) as I have access to a DF500.

How many dominos would you use?
What orientation would you choose (vertical or horizontal dominos)?
As the bed needs to be collapsible, I need some sort of screws:
Would you rather choose hanger bolts or fasteners like the Maxifix 35 heavy duty ones (rated for the use in beds)?

Any input is greatly appreciated - updates will follow as time progresses.

PS: Please excuse the linguistic hiccups - I'm not a native speaker and not that used to English WW-vocab.

 

[Stoli]

For strength, your dominos need to be vertical -- this way there will be long grain to glue against.  In a horizontal configuration, it will be mostly end grain on the post.

You will also need to space the dominos so the do not interfere with each other.

 

[tiralie]

How many Dominos would you use?

I would use 2 Dominos oriented vertically on the vertical axis to permanently fix the stretcher on the foot board.

What orientation would you choose (vertical or horizontal dominos)?

Vertical.

As the bed needs to be collapsible, I need some sort of screws:

Which way? length or width or both?

Would you rather choose hanger bolts or fasteners like the Maxifix 35 heavy duty ones (rated for the use in beds)?

Because of the orientation (45 degrees) of the leg to the stretchers, it will be difficult to drill the holes for the Maxifix post at the right angle without a jig and a drill press. I would use a bed fittings for the side stretcher that attaches to the headboard/foot board. See Hafele bed fittings picture below.
[attachimg=#]

PS: Please excuse the linguistic hiccups - I'm not a native speaker and not that used to English WW-vocab.

No problem, much better than my German!

 

[Guido_de]

First of all I'd like to thank both of you for your feedback.

Regarding the right angle for the Maxifix fasteners: You're making a very fair point that also aplies to using hanger bolts. However, building a small jig (which I'll need to saw off the corners anyways) appears to be less daunting than milling the slot for the Haefele bed fittings (Berliner Betthaken). Milling the side stretchers of the bed is going to be a bit of a nightmare (they are ~2.2m long and I don't like routing horizontally). Milling the slots on the posts is going to require another jig...

I'll hope to find some time to work it out tonight - I'll post the final design then as well.

I did use the weekend to buy some wood...
Unfortunately our lumber suppliers don't sell small boards. You can however buy rather big "slabs"... (4.7x0.6m, 8/4)

 

[tiralie]

You can however buy rather big "slabs"... (4.7x0.6m, 8/4)

No kidding, those boards are huge.  [eek]
What kind of wood is it?
Tim

 

[Guido_de]

Plain oak - I don't like beech and I'm thinking about ebonizing it... Should work nicely with oak...
Or I'll turn it into a dining table... Bit too narrow though:/