Hardware for KD rocking cradle

[ear3]

In the thread I've got going about baby toys, [member=167]neilc[/member] posted an image of a rocking cradle, which I think I'm going to attempt (see picture below) -- appropriately sized for an infant rather than the doll this one was designed for.  Since this thing has to be shipped to Japan, I like the basic design here because I think it would permit me to make all the components, and then ship it in a flat pack for the parents to assemble, and thus dramatically reduce shipping costs.

So my question is about the appropriate hardware for this project, with the goal of limiting the assembly to screwing stuff in (no glue or clamping).  There are five components: the head and foot boards, the two side rails (which I would pre-assemble), then the bottom panel, which could be either loose or fitted into a slot in the board and rails.  I was thinking 25/16 or 3/8 insert nuts in the rails, secured with the appropriately sized bolts stuck through pre-drilled holes in the foot and head boards -- 4 on each side, for a total of 8.  I would then provide wooden plugs to fill the holes.  Does this sound like the way to go, and would it be strong enough?

There is also the more traditional no-screw option using through mortise and tenons secured by wooden pegs, like on a trestle table or many pieces of arts and crafts furniture.  This way is tempting, but I'm unsure if I have the time right now to do something with this level of complexity, especially since I've never done this sort of joint before.

What do you guys think?

 

[nclemmons]

I'm flattered that you might use the design as the basis for a gift. 

Are you thinking of something that might be useful for the first six months as a 'second' bed/cradle outside the baby's room?  I only ask because I'd be worried about safety if it were used when the baby is older and moving more.  It's certainly stable, and you can adjust the bottom to ensure it's not top heavy.  But just be mindful of the useful life and safety.

The cradle you see is held together with four wood screws on each end and it's incredibly strong.  The bottom is 1/4" ply that inserts into a dado on either side and is glued to a 1/2 x 1/2 rail on each end underneath that is screwed into the ends.  So there's plenty of strength if you chose to not go with KD hardware but instead shipped it with wood screws and button-style plugs as an option that could be glued in with a little craft glue.

If you want to go KD, Rockler sells barrel nuts with 1/4-20 threads that would allow you to just use a flat head phillips 1/4-20 screw with them for KD purposes.  You could actually space them to insert where one of the spindles go and completely hide them from view with a hole drilled in from the ends to mate up with the end panels and epoxy the barrel nuts into place and then insert the spindles to glue up the two sides.  Barrel nuts are far stronger than the threaded inserts, particularly in end grain.

If you'd like a PDF of the end panels that you can use as a template, let me know and I'll see if I can scan my pattern.  I make them using a 1/4" hardboard template that is pattern routed and it's a really simple way to easily make them.  I've probably made 6-8 through the years as gifts -painted and natural woods.

neil

 

[ear3]

Thanks neil. As you surmise, this will just be an infant cradle so the baby has a place to lie down around the apt.  Thanks for the template offer -- I should be good, though. I'm going to free associate on the basis of your design and make a few mods. And thanks for the barrel bolt suggestion.

 

[mkasdin]

It's nice! Very classic
I think I would keep the side bars close enough so baby doesn't stick head inbetween. If memory serves me LA building code is 4 1/2". I would also leave enough room between the bars so baby doesn't stick hand or legs in between, freak out and break something. This would only be relevant if baby was unintended? So in that case maybe there is something off the shelf that you or they could install from Greco or BabyTrends.

If the people are Asian (Japanese) the. I would have a place for a tassel out of reach of baby. The Japanese and Chinese put this on the rear view mirrors to ward off evil spirits. That's really a euphemism for a good luck charm, think rabbits foot, to avoid getting into an car fender bender.

I would make the color either paint or stain relative to the sex of the baby. I'm also thinking a hole on top either toward the front or rear to hang a mobile as decoration (origami cranes) to stimulate the baby. Also a place in the rear (cradle) to hold supplies like baby wipe, pacifier, small stuffed animal etc.

It looks like you turned the bars on a lathe? I would go with a more traditional Japanese look  and mimic a shoji screen of sorts where the bars are thin let's say 3/8" X 1 1/4 with a 1/8" round over on all sides. If you want to get a few ideas look at Tansu chests  and tokonomos. The Japanese are minimalists, with clean lines and either things are light in color or dark.

It's my understanding that over time the wood get dark since they don't use sand paper but only knife instruments to plane and flatten and smooth. I'm not sure I would do any fancy joinery form follows function.

Lastly, I hope this helps? Irionically my friend works at a baby manufacturing company in the marketing Dept. So they have their annual meeting lat week and she dragged me into Walmart, baby's r us and Target. To look at the competition from a product standpoint and marketing. So I spent 2 hours discussing this sort of stuff. I'm not an expert of any kind, but I just wanted to give you my $.02

 

[edozat1]

I recently built this cradle, which has the same five components. I didn't have the tools to make a slot for the bottom panel, so it's held together with 7 insert nuts and 7 countersunk hex insert screws with a washer on the head board and 5 on the foot board. It feels very sturdy and is easy to (dis)assemble.

View attachment 1

 

[ear3]

Thanks for the design tips -- I anticipated the bars issue, and so am going to be using dominoed slats rather than turned dowels to cut down on the spacing.

Parents are American, so no culture clash there.  Gonna use some nice wood with just an oil finish, maybe some curly or bird's eye maple with walnit accents.

It's nice! Very classic
I think I would keep the side bars close enough so baby doesn't stick head inbetween. If memory serves me LA building code is 4 1/2". I would also leave enough room between the bars so baby doesn't stick hand or legs in between, freak out and break something. This would only be relevant if baby was unintended? So in that case maybe there is something off the shelf that you or they could install from Greco or BabyTrends.

If the people are Asian (Japanese) the. I would have a place for a tassel out of reach of baby. The Japanese and Chinese put this on the rear view mirrors to ward off evil spirits. That's really a euphemism for a good luck charm, think rabbits foot, to avoid getting into an car fender bender.

I would make the color either paint or stain relative to the sex of the baby. I'm also thinking a hole on top either toward the front or rear to hang a mobile as decoration (origami cranes) to stimulate the baby. Also a place in the rear (cradle) to hold supplies like baby wipe, pacifier, small stuffed animal etc.

It looks like you turned the bars on a lathe? I would go with a more traditional Japanese look  and mimic a shoji screen of sorts where the bars are thin let's say 3/8" X 1 1/4 with a 1/8" round over on all sides. If you want to get a few ideas look at Tansu chests  and tokonomos. The Japanese are minimalists, with clean lines and either things are light in color or dark.

It's my understanding that over time the wood get dark since they don't use sand paper but only knife instruments to plane and flatten and smooth. I'm not sure I would do any fancy joinery form follows function.

Lastly, I hope this helps? Irionically my friend works at a baby manufacturing company in the marketing Dept. So they have their annual meeting lat week and she dragged me into Walmart, baby's r us and Target. To look at the competition from a product standpoint and marketing. So I spent 2 hours discussing this sort of stuff. I'm not an expert of any kind, but I just wanted to give you my $.02

 

[ear3]

Thanks for posting.  looks good.

I recently built this cradle, which has the same five components. I didn't have the tools to make a slot for the bottom panel, so it's held together with 7 insert nuts and 7 countersunk hex insert screws with a washer on the head board and 5 on the foot board. It feels very sturdy and is easy to (dis)assemble.

View attachment 1

 

[Goz]

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission develops guidelines for cribs. You may want to check out their web site for slat spacing, etc. I think it's different than what the building codes require for railings which mkasdin noted.

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