Bed Frame Project

[Birdhunter]

In another post, I solicited help on building a bed for some young friends.

I'm making the frame out of quarter sawn white oak. The rails will be made gluing two 3/4" by 6" boards together to accommodate a 76" by 80" mattress. I'm using Festool connectors and tenons so the bed will be knock down.

I was worried about getting the rails perfectly straight.

I jointed and planed the two rail halves, but was still concerned.

I bought a flat surface hollow core door from Home Depot. With the door on two saw horses, I glued the rail pieces to each other and clamped both to the door with the 6" side laying on the door. The rail came out of the clamps straight as an arrow. It is critical to use wax paper under the boards so that they don't get glued to the door!

The door costs less than $30. I'll use it to glue up the headboard.

 

[Naildrivingman]

I used to work with a guy who would salvage any and all flush doors for exactly the purpose you did.  They make fantastic disposable glue up stations.

 

[Bob D.]

I bought a two 3-0 x 6-8 birch scratch and dent specials for $10 each years back and covered them with laminate to make a huge craft table for the wife. Each one had a hole in one face where it looked like someone had banged into them with a pallet fork or something similar. Since I was covering them I didn't care about that. Made for a nice lightweight table that gives her plenty of room to layout material for quilting.

 

[1toolshort]

Just finished this XL twin.  All maple.  It matches a queen I did a year ago.  Very simple, hardest part was end mortice on the long rails.  Otherwise straightforward. Uses 10 mm dominoes for all joinery.  except for the rails to the posts.  Standard 5" connectors there.

 

[Birdhunter]

Nice clean design.

Question.... My frames are 1.5" thick and 5.5" wide top to bottom. I was thinking of making the slat supports with 3/4" soft maple and joined to the rails with #6 Dominos about an inch up from the bottom of the rail. There would be a mid-frame support running from head to toe with a leg from it to the floor. Is there any risk of the slat support breaking where it joins the rail?

 

[rvieceli]

On the beds I have done, I like a continuous strip on the rail that fully supports the slat end. I usually continue that support on the head and foot and then dovetail the ends of the center support frame into them. If you think you want to have exact placen=ment for the slats then you could either fit the ends over a dowel in the support or use threaded inserts in the support and machine screws in the slat.

 

[Birdhunter]

But, you don't think the slat support could break off?

 

[1toolshort]

I've had a queen frame in place for some time using this same design with a ledger (strip) and loose 3/4" slats (1X4).  I have a center slat with a leg in the middle reaching from the center slat to the floor.  The weight is distributed nicely and I've never had an issue with it coming off or becoming loose.  I glue and screw the ledger board to the rail.  I use a 1.5" X 7" wide rail.  It almost overwhelms my thickness planer.  anyway, good luck.

 

[Birdhunter]

Great information. I have not built anything this big before.

 

[1toolshort]

To set your mind at ease, its size is also something that makes it a bit simpler.  I did not find it as complicated as cabinets or a chest of drawers.  You have head board, foot board and rails.  Now you can make the head and foot boards very very elaborate.  I choose not to.  But you should feel confident that if you make straight cuts, and plane the pieces evenly, you should do fine.  Post pics when you are done!!

 

[Birdhunter]

The two bedside tables are about ready to be glued up. I've made one of the four rails. I think I'll make the headboard in two sections and assemble them on site. An 80" by 36" solid 3/4" oak headboard is far too much for me to handle.