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Suitable wood
Folks,
I am pretty clueless in this area, and this is likely going to be an easy question..... I have a question regarding which wood to select. I have a bedframe that broke. There is a peice of wood that needs replacing. Time to get out the saw, drill, Gorilla glue and have some fun. The peice of wood is only about 1" x 3" x 4" and is load bearing. I tried hemlock (on that advice of a sales 'droid at home depot), but it splits every time I sink a wood screw into it. So can someone suggest a good solid peice of commercially availble wood that can take a handful of wood screws through it, and is very strong. BTW. This peice of wood is not really visible so looks is not critical. Thanks in advance, Gord |
Suitable wood
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Suitable wood
wrote in message ups.com... Folks, I am pretty clueless in this area, and this is likely going to be an easy question..... I have a question regarding which wood to select. I have a bedframe that broke. There is a peice of wood that needs replacing. Time to get out the saw, drill, Gorilla glue and have some fun. The peice of wood is only about 1" x 3" x 4" and is load bearing. I tried hemlock (on that advice of a sales 'droid at home depot), but it splits every time I sink a wood screw into it. So can someone suggest a good solid peice of commercially availble wood that can take a handful of wood screws through it, and is very strong. BTW. This peice of wood is not really visible so looks is not critical. What kind of load is it bearing? If hemlock would do when it doesn't split, it can't be all that much. Find some white oak, beech, poplar, soft maple, almost any hardwood. Drill pilot holes nearly the same diameter as the screw shank. Use only TWO screws for a piece that size. Wax the screw threads (paste floor wax). Store the Gorilla Glue and grab some basic woodworker's PVA yellow glue. |
Suitable wood
wrote in message ups.com... I tried hemlock (on that advice of a sales 'droid at home depot), but it splits every time I sink a wood screw into it. Predrill before you sink your screw into it. Most any wood that small won't take many screws without predrilling and not split. Frank |
Suitable wood
Thanks for all the info. I found a picture on the web that pretty closely resembles my bed frame. Take a look at the bottom configuration on http://www.paxtonhardware.com/produc...dept=424&grp=1 The difference between this picture and my bed is there is a one inch thich peice of wood between the metal plave and the bed post (although I am looking at this picture closely now). That one inch thich peice of wood has broken. I replaced it with hemlock, but it split. I did drill pilot holes, but they were quite small. |
Suitable wood
wrote: Thanks for all the info. I found a picture on the web that pretty closely resembles my bed frame. Take a look at the bottom configuration on http://www.paxtonhardware.com/produc...dept=424&grp=1 The difference between this picture and my bed is there is a one inch thich peice of wood between the metal plave and the bed post (although I am looking at this picture closely now). That one inch thich peice of wood has broken. I replaced it with hemlock, but it split. I did drill pilot holes, but they were quite small. Depending on where you are located the strongest wood your local Home Depot carries should be maple. If it doesn't have maple it may have Aspen. Usually HD carries 'cabinet woods' in 1x thicknesses which for hardwoods are supposed to be at least 13/16" thick, but may only be 3/4". Typically locally they carry red oak, maple and poplar. In some places I've seen Aspen instead of maple. Whatever the cabinet hardwoods are that are carried in your area, poplar probably should be your last choice, but still better than the construction grade softwoods. -- FF |
Suitable wood
On Thu, 01 Dec 2005 20:13:07 +0000, Andy Dingley
wrote: On 1 Dec 2005 11:31:44 -0800, wrote: I tried hemlock (on that advice of a sales 'droid at home depot), but it splits every time I sink a wood screw into it. Hemlock might still work, but use bolts instead of screws and put a big washer under the head. Any sort of timber you can buy from a DIY store is pretty rubbish - probably strong enough, but it has a low crush strength and will never be happy with woodscrews. "Generic red softwood" (probably douglas fir) is usually better than "generic white softwood" (usually hemlock) though. For real beds, I always use English ash (our local product is better than the US product - not sure what I'd use in the USA) I used Ash here in SE Wisconsin many years ago to build a bed. At this time I'm gearing up to make another, only this time hard maple. |
Suitable wood
On 1 Dec 2005 17:58:31 -0800, wrote:
wrote: Thanks for all the info. I found a picture on the web that pretty closely resembles my bed frame. Take a look at the bottom configuration on http://www.paxtonhardware.com/produc...dept=424&grp=1 The difference between this picture and my bed is there is a one inch thich peice of wood between the metal plave and the bed post (although I am looking at this picture closely now). That one inch thich peice of wood has broken. I replaced it with hemlock, but it split. I did drill pilot holes, but they were quite small. Depending on where you are located the strongest wood your local Home Depot carries should be maple. If it doesn't have maple it may have Aspen. Usually HD carries 'cabinet woods' in 1x thicknesses which for hardwoods are supposed to be at least 13/16" thick, but may only be 3/4". Typically locally they carry red oak, maple and poplar. In some places I've seen Aspen instead of maple. Whatever the cabinet hardwoods are that are carried in your area, poplar probably should be your last choice, but still better than the construction grade softwoods. Holy cow, I'd stay away from Aspen. Maple is much harder and stronger. |
Suitable wood
wrote:
Thanks for all the info. I found a picture on the web that pretty closely resembles my bed frame. Take a look at the bottom configuration on http://www.paxtonhardware.com/produc...dept=424&grp=1 The difference between this picture and my bed is there is a one inch thich peice of wood between the metal plave and the bed post (although I am looking at this picture closely now). That one inch thich peice of wood has broken. I replaced it with hemlock, but it split. So the 3x4 piece of wood attaches to the post and the hanger plate to it, right? Does the plate fasten through the wood piece into the post or just into the block? Here's what I'd do... Trying to find a 1" thick piece of hardwood at some place like Home Depot is going to be an exercise in futility most likely. Lumberyard, yes; HD, no. Trouble is, a lumberyard isn't going to sell you a 3"x4" piece. I'd go by a local cabinet maker's shop and beg a piece. Maybe swap a 6 pack. Most any hardwood would do...oak, maple, hickory. Position the block as it should go and mark lightly around it. Now remove the block and remove all the finish from the piece to which it will be attached in the marked area. You can scrape it off with a chisel or knife. Once it is all off, sand lightly. You can test to see if it is all off by patting it with a damp paper towel to see if the wood absorbs water. Next, drill pilot holes into the block including a countersink for the head. The holes should be about the same diameter as the thin part of the screw shank...the part not including the thread. The most screws and holes you'll need are four - one each about 1" in from each corner. I'd probably use #8 x 1 3/4 screws. Make sure you aren't putting them where they will interfere with the plate fasteners. Next, wipe a bit of glue on both the back of the wood block and on the post where the block will go. Yellow woodworker's glue would be best but white glue like Elmer's is entirely satisfactory. Don't use epoxy or polyurethane. Position your block on the post and hold or tape in position while you drill through the pilot holes (same bit) into the post. Drill one hole first and run in the screw then check the position and drill a second inserting that screw too. Once two are in, the block won't shift so finish up any additional screws. Wipe off any glue squeeze out and you are finished. Let it sit a day before putting any major stress on it. -- dadiOH ____________________________ dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico |
Suitable wood
"George Max" wrote in message ... On 1 Dec 2005 17:58:31 -0800, wrote: wrote: Thanks for all the info. I found a picture on the web that pretty closely resembles my bed frame. Take a look at the bottom configuration on http://www.paxtonhardware.com/produc...dept=424&grp=1 The difference between this picture and my bed is there is a one inch thich peice of wood between the metal plave and the bed post (although I am looking at this picture closely now). That one inch thich peice of wood has broken. I replaced it with hemlock, but it split. I did drill pilot holes, but they were quite small. Depending on where you are located the strongest wood your local Home Depot carries should be maple. If it doesn't have maple it may have Aspen. Usually HD carries 'cabinet woods' in 1x thicknesses which for hardwoods are supposed to be at least 13/16" thick, but may only be 3/4". Typically locally they carry red oak, maple and poplar. In some places I've seen Aspen instead of maple. Whatever the cabinet hardwoods are that are carried in your area, poplar probably should be your last choice, but still better than the construction grade softwoods. Holy cow, I'd stay away from Aspen. Maple is much harder and stronger. From what I understand, this thing is more of a spacer block than a shovel handle type of deal. Dunno about aspen, which, of course, is 'real' poplar. My experience is with tulip poplar. Us East Coast types, ya know? |
Suitable wood
George Max wrote: On 1 Dec 2005 17:58:31 -0800, wrote: wrote: Thanks for all the info. I found a picture on the web that pretty closely resembles my bed frame. Take a look at the bottom configuration on http://www.paxtonhardware.com/produc...dept=424&grp=1 The difference between this picture and my bed is there is a one inch thich peice of wood between the metal plave and the bed post (although I am looking at this picture closely now). That one inch thich peice of wood has broken. I replaced it with hemlock, but it split. I did drill pilot holes, but they were quite small. Depending on where you are located the strongest wood your local Home Depot carries should be maple. If it doesn't have maple it may have Aspen. Usually HD carries 'cabinet woods' in 1x thicknesses which for hardwoods are supposed to be at least 13/16" thick, but may only be 3/4". Typically locally they carry red oak, maple and poplar. In some places I've seen Aspen instead of maple. Whatever the cabinet hardwoods are that are carried in your area, poplar probably should be your last choice, but still better than the construction grade softwoods. Holy cow, I'd stay away from Aspen. Maple is much harder and stronger. Yes, Maple woudl be my first choice. I think aspen is harder and stronger than poplar though there are a lot of different aspens and the wood from poplar _trees_ is also sold as 'aspen'. The wood sold as 'poplar' is from the American tulip tree which is not even in the same genus as poplar. The only oak I have seen at HD is red oak which splits very easily. Since he is having trouble with splitting, I'd suggest he avoid red oak though I'd still recoomend it over poplar. It's all good wood. -- FF |
Suitable wood
I went wth whte oak, and proper wood glue.
I have added a small peice on the side to increase the support. I will add the spacer tommorow after the glue sets on the side support. Thanks for the help, everyone. I think the biggest problem was not drilling large enough pilot holes. I wll only use a couple of screws. Hopefully it will all work out..... |
Suitable wood
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Suitable wood
So, um, ...
My wife looked at the bed with out the footboard (which was sitting elsewhere, while the glue dried), and decided the room looks better with out it...... Really. |
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