http://www.shopsmithhandson.com/major_project.htm

As some of you know, I'm not a fan of cradles. Cute idea, but
the kid outgrows the thing in just weeks, then it takes up room, and
collects dust. Unlelss you can unload on someone else that thinks
theyd're cute. Better to make a rocker, then you can rock the kid to
sleep, put the kid to bed, or on the floor (believe me, a baby will
sleep anywhere, once they get to sleep), then you sit in the chair and
relax. Then you can keep the chair, and use it, untill you've got
grandkids, then you can give the rocker to your kid, and make one for
yourself thats not all beat up.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green

On Tue, 1 Nov 2005 00:18:27 -0500, (J T)
wrote:

http://www.shopsmithhandson.com/major_project.htm

As some of you know, I'm not a fan of cradles. Cute idea, but
the kid outgrows the thing in just weeks, then it takes up room, and
collects dust. Unlelss you can unload on someone else that thinks
theyd're cute. Better to make a rocker, then you can rock the kid to
sleep, put the kid to bed, or on the floor (believe me, a baby will
sleep anywhere, once they get to sleep), then you sit in the chair and
relax. Then you can keep the chair, and use it, untill you've got
grandkids, then you can give the rocker to your kid, and make one for
yourself thats not all beat up.

Absolutely.

When looking around for cradle designs and ideas just over a year ago,
more than one person gave me this advice.

I should have listened to them, but flushed with the pride of
approaching grandad-hood, I reckoned I knew better.

Combined a whole lot of ideas and designs until I arrived at a one-off
pendulum cradle for my fast-approaching new grandchild (grandson as it
turned out), in Scots ash with a dark hardwood trim (materials alone
came to twice what a store-bought cradle would have cost me). A few
years ago I'd have made it in a week, but I'm increasingly disabled
these days, with about an hour of productive work in me each day at
best. The job took me three months, and left me hors de combat by the
time I was finished (having needed to push myself as the birth
approached). Just about everyone who saw it reckoned it was a work of
art. Some refused to believe I'd made it myself, and one visitor
offered me a very substantial sum if I'd sell it to him on the spot
(refused of course). I have to say I was extraordinarily (and
immodestly!) proud of it.

My son seemed pleased with it, but my daughter-in-law clearly thought
I'd made a custom cradle simply because I was too cheap to buy a
'proper' one for my first grandchild.

All academic, as the in-laws breezed in a week after grandson was
born, with a (suspiciously) expensive store-bought cot, and my cradle
ended up in the attic.

I've now assembled a collection of books and plans on traditional and
other wooden toys - usual predictable grandad stuff. But whether or
not I'll bother when anything other than Mothercare plastic seems to
be viewed with suspicion, I really don't know.

The design shown here is a pretty good one, but Joat's advice is good.
Take it.

John

"J T" wrote in message
...
http://www.shopsmithhandson.com/major_project.htm

As some of you know, I'm not a fan of cradles. Cute idea, but
the kid outgrows the thing in just weeks, then it takes up room, and
collects dust.

You had only boys? Girls use their cradles for a long time. Some even take
them with them when they marry and leave home. Daughter's offspring, she
says, will sleep in the same cradle she and her younger brother did, as well
as, in succession, the cabbage patch dolls, the stuffed bears, the pom-poms
and college texts.

Make the join of the sides to the ends with fasteners - bronze bolts in
threaded inserts, for instance - and you can pack the entire cradle into
flat boxes - two if twins - and ship them to an APO via USPS. Makes it
possible to store the thing in the back of a closet if the twins are
boys....

I was teaching Industrial Arts in a small town years ago, when my wife
was pregnant with my #2 daughter. Money was tight and I built a
swing cradle for the upcoming baby using reclaimed packing crate wood
that cleaned up very well. I spent the 3 days my wife was in the
hospital building it and without bragging, Idid a nice job. I too
was offered obscene money for it as I was taking home from the school.
She slept in that thing for her first 5 months. After that is was
used for dolls or loaned out for other kids. 24 yrs later that same
daughter had my first grandson and this cradle came out of storage
for him and got cleaned and polished. But, apparently, it wan't quite
good enough for the boy . He needed new, not some beatup old junk. My
daughter sold it at a garage sale last spring for 15$. Such is life.

Will I build another? Absolutely. Will I give it to my #2
daughter? I'll think about it.

Pete

Tue, Nov 1, 2005, 8:20am George@least (George) mumbled:
You had only boys? Girls use their cradles for a long time. snip
Make the join of the sides to the ends with fasteners snip

Yup, only boys, I figured out right from the beginning how to do
that.

There "is" a gap between girls sleeping in a cradle, and using it
for dolls. Cutsey dust catcher in the meantime.

If I was gonna make a knock-down cradle, I would make one that went
together with no extra parts - things to lose, in other words. If you
google, there's already plans out there.

I still say a rocker makes more sense. You want your baby girl to
have a cradle for her dolls, make one later - dolls never outgrow them.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green

Tue, Nov 1, 2005, 6:10pm (EST+5) remembers:
snip Will I build another? * Absolutely. * Will I give it to my #2
daughter? I'll think about it.
Pete

My advice? Make another cradle immediately, as nice as you pssibly
can - show it to your daughter - then sell it for an obscene amount -
being sure to tell your daughter exactly how much you get - then take
the money, buy some nice wood, and make yourself a really nice rocking
chair.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green

For some strange reason, I receved an e-mail requesting cradle
information. I would have thought my views on cradles would have scared
anyone off, but either he is a brave soul, or mentally disturbed.

I did reply politely tho. I.e., I didn't e-mail him back, but am
replying here. LMAO

Actually, I prefer questions and responses here, because then
everyone can benefit from a response, rather than justone.

Anyway, I was asked if I'd ever seen plans for a cradle for twins,
or more. Not that I can recall. But, now, thinking about it, I do get
a vague picture in my mind of having seen a double-wide cradle,
somewhere, sometime. I don't know if I actually ever saw that, or it's
just a vision. And, no, I don't smoke, drink, sniff, or whaever, any
strange substances. My mental status is all natural. LOL

I would think a double-wide cradle, for twins, would not work
great. I'm thinking one kid would keep the other awake, or wahe him/her
up if asleep - no experience with two at a time, so I don't know that
for a fact. I would think a double-long cradle would work better in
that respect - but, again, I don't know, so your choice. I don't think
I would recommend a triple-long cradle.

If you've got triplets, and are Hell-bent on a cradle, I would
think separate cradles would be the only realistic answer. But, I
suppose a triple-wide would work. If you make a pendulum type tho, I'd
make damn sure it was make Hell-stout - no sense makeing one, then
having it break.

One option, for twins, is one of the rocking chairs, with a cradle
on the side. You could then rock one kid in the cradle, and hold one.
A cradle on each side would be appealing, except for the room it would
take up, so you could put a kid in each cradle, then you relax in the
rocker, and rock the two kids in the cradles. That could work for
triplets too, two in the cradles, hold one. There's pictures of
authentic (old) cradle rockers on the web, and plans too. I'll check,
and post a picture or two later, if I run across any.

My option for a cradle, if I was forced into it, would be a
knock-down cradle. There's plans out there for them, or you could
always make some up. I wouldn't use one that takes bolts, or any other
type of fasteners. Remember, google is your friend.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green

http://www.berrybasket.com/ProductDi...4&txtintPage=1

This is a puzzle cradle. There's more out there, just goodle for
scrollsaw puzzle cradle, or scroll saw puzzle cradle. Easy to make,
quick to make, and plenty strong.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green

http://www.wonderbrains.com/rock-a-m...air.html?se=pg

This isn't what I was thinking of. The only rocker/cradle I can
remember, had the cradle part at floor leverl - from the colonial era I
believe. Be simple enough to attach a cradle on one, or both, side of a
rocker, then unhook them later. But, I think this design makes more
sense. This is for a kid, and dolls, but be simple enough to make adult
size. Even put a cradle on each side, for twins. You could make them
so the cradle(s) unhooked later, and use as just a rocker. Or, better
yet, leave the cradle(s) on, insert a beer cooler.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green

Joat,

Oh, I'm mentally disturbed, big time. I've inhaled too much sawdust.

Thanks for the feedback. I was hoping you had seen some on the net, I
haven't.

I thought of the double wide, and double length and even stacked pendulum.
All have drawbacks including how short a time they are used. Maybe a cradle
that becomes a toybox?

I'll think of something.

Keep up posting links to the wreck. I have a lot of fun wandering around
where you point.

Andy

"J T" wrote in message
...
For some strange reason, I receved an e-mail requesting cradle
information. I would have thought my views on cradles would have scared
anyone off, but either he is a brave soul, or mentally disturbed.

I did reply politely tho. I.e., I didn't e-mail him back, but am
replying here. LMAO

Actually, I prefer questions and responses here, because then
everyone can benefit from a response, rather than justone.

Anyway, I was asked if I'd ever seen plans for a cradle for twins,
or more. Not that I can recall. But, now, thinking about it, I do get
a vague picture in my mind of having seen a double-wide cradle,
somewhere, sometime. I don't know if I actually ever saw that, or it's
just a vision. And, no, I don't smoke, drink, sniff, or whaever, any
strange substances. My mental status is all natural. LOL

I would think a double-wide cradle, for twins, would not work
great. I'm thinking one kid would keep the other awake, or wahe him/her
up if asleep - no experience with two at a time, so I don't know that
for a fact. I would think a double-long cradle would work better in
that respect - but, again, I don't know, so your choice. I don't think
I would recommend a triple-long cradle.

If you've got triplets, and are Hell-bent on a cradle, I would
think separate cradles would be the only realistic answer. But, I
suppose a triple-wide would work. If you make a pendulum type tho, I'd
make damn sure it was make Hell-stout - no sense makeing one, then
having it break.

One option, for twins, is one of the rocking chairs, with a cradle
on the side. You could then rock one kid in the cradle, and hold one.
A cradle on each side would be appealing, except for the room it would
take up, so you could put a kid in each cradle, then you relax in the
rocker, and rock the two kids in the cradles. That could work for
triplets too, two in the cradles, hold one. There's pictures of
authentic (old) cradle rockers on the web, and plans too. I'll check,
and post a picture or two later, if I run across any.

My option for a cradle, if I was forced into it, would be a
knock-down cradle. There's plans out there for them, or you could
always make some up. I wouldn't use one that takes bolts, or any other
type of fasteners. Remember, google is your friend.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green

Tue, Nov 1, 2005, 5:30pm (EST-2) (Andy) who
doth proclaim:
Oh, I'm mentally disturbed, big time. snip Maybe a cradle that becomes
a toybox? snip

And here I was trying to keep your identity anonnymis and you go
and reveal it anyway.

I would think an open top toybox (the only type I would recommend
for little kids) on a removable rocker base would work. But that got me
to thinking, if the cradle wouldn't be for your own kid, go ahead and
make one or more, then let the recipient worry about the bother after
the kid(s) get too big for a cradle - then if they sell it off later,
and only get a few $ for it, have some evidence handy to show them they
could have gotten a lot more for it. Heh heh. However, if the cradle
"is" for your own kid, go ahead and make one if it's "really" wanted,
then sell it off as soon as the kid outgrows it - you'll probably have
learned your lesson by that time, and will opt for a rocking chair after
that.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green

That is cute but I would think you would want the cradle the other way so
you rock them side to side so all the blood isn't sloshing around from their
head to feet lol....

Well personally I would of loved a cradle for my two babies when they where
younger and I will probably make one the next time I'm expecting (if I ever
figure out what tools I want...lol) But I do like the idea of attaching a
cradle to the rocking chair, it would be less work

Deborah

"J T" wrote in message
...
http://www.wonderbrains.com/rock-a-m...air.html?se=pg

This isn't what I was thinking of. The only rocker/cradle I can
remember, had the cradle part at floor leverl - from the colonial era I
believe. Be simple enough to attach a cradle on one, or both, side of a
rocker, then unhook them later. But, I think this design makes more
sense. This is for a kid, and dolls, but be simple enough to make adult
size. Even put a cradle on each side, for twins. You could make them
so the cradle(s) unhooked later, and use as just a rocker. Or, better
yet, leave the cradle(s) on, insert a beer cooler.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green

Tue, Nov 1, 2005, 9:22pm (EST-1) (Deborah*Kelly)
did sayeth:
That is cute but I would think you would want the cradle the other way
so you rock them side to side so all the blood isn't sloshing around
from their head to feet lol....snip I do like the idea of attaching a
cradle to the rocking chair, it would be less work

The head wasn't where my kids sloshed when shook up. Anyway, I
would take it for granted that most people wouldn't rock so fast the kid
feels like it's in a paint mixer. Anyway, I've seen a number of cradle
designs that rocked from head to foot, rather than side to side. I don't
care much for their looks tho, I'd make a sideways one - if I made one.

You could always just attach a rod fro the arm of the rocker
forward to a cradle. That should work too.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green