hi group,

as my very first serious WW project, I'm planning to build a bed. I'd
be keen on using the knowledge and experience of the group to avoid
serious (and costly) mistakes.

The first problem where I'm stuck:
How to cut 45 degree mitres on the ends of a 90 x 7.8 x 1.5 inch
board, along the height of 7.8 inches with a 1.5 inch thickness?

Note that I'm almost a complete beginner, but still, I don't want to
go with mortise and tenon joint.

The boards are beech, I have handtools, bandsaw, plunge router.

Should I take it to a pro with a router table, or are there other
ways?

Thanks for your input:
Marton Czebe

Marton wrote: hi group,

as my very first serious WW project, I'm planning to build a bed. I'd
be keen on using the knowledge and experience of the group to avoid
serious (and costly) mistakes.

The first problem where I'm stuck:
How to cut 45 degree mitres on the ends of a 90 x 7.8 x 1.5 inch
board, along the height of 7.8 inches with a 1.5 inch thickness?

Note that I'm almost a complete beginner, but still, I don't want to
go with mortise and tenon joint.

The boards are beech, I have handtools, bandsaw, plunge router.

Should I take it to a pro with a router table, or are there other
ways?

Thanks for your input:
Marton Czebe


How about a 7.25 inch circular saw and a guide? Tom
Work at your leisure!

Marton

Learn to do the mortise and tenon. Miters are not typically strong enough
for a bed.
You can also use the loose tenon joint witht the tools you already have.

Dave

"Marton Czebe" wrote in message
om...
hi group,

as my very first serious WW project, I'm planning to build a bed. I'd
be keen on using the knowledge and experience of the group to avoid
serious (and costly) mistakes.

The first problem where I'm stuck:
How to cut 45 degree mitres on the ends of a 90 x 7.8 x 1.5 inch
board, along the height of 7.8 inches with a 1.5 inch thickness?

Note that I'm almost a complete beginner, but still, I don't want to
go with mortise and tenon joint.

The boards are beech, I have handtools, bandsaw, plunge router.

Should I take it to a pro with a router table, or are there other
ways?

Thanks for your input:
Marton Czebe

In article ,
Marton Czebe wrote:
hi group,

as my very first serious WW project, I'm planning to build a bed. I'd
be keen on using the knowledge and experience of the group to avoid
serious (and costly) mistakes.

The first problem where I'm stuck:
How to cut 45 degree mitres on the ends of a 90 x 7.8 x 1.5 inch
board, along the height of 7.8 inches with a 1.5 inch thickness?

Is this board one of four for the frame? If so, you need to be
concerned about strength of the corner joints. How will you fasten
them?

Note that I'm almost a complete beginner, but still, I don't want to
go with mortise and tenon joint.

But that would be strong joint. A butt joint with glue and screws
would be strong, and look as good as a mitered joint from the sides.
Also, you could reinforce the corners with a 2x2 which is both easy and
provides a very strong joint.

Would your design allow that?
...
--
--henry schaffer
hes _AT_ ncsu _DOT_ edu

I suggest you get the book, "Beds", by Jeff Miller and rethink your joinery.
Consider making a knockdown bed frame. The knockdown hardware can be
mortised into the headboard and footboard with your router. The only
joinery will be on the headboard and footboard. Although best done with
mortise and tenon (easily done with your router and bandsaw and a jig), you
can also use dowel joinery. this eliminates weak miter joints and gives you
a quality, traditional bed.

Preston
"Marton Czebe" wrote in message
om...
hi group,

as my very first serious WW project, I'm planning to build a bed. I'd
be keen on using the knowledge and experience of the group to avoid
serious (and costly) mistakes.

The first problem where I'm stuck:
How to cut 45 degree mitres on the ends of a 90 x 7.8 x 1.5 inch
board, along the height of 7.8 inches with a 1.5 inch thickness?

Note that I'm almost a complete beginner, but still, I don't want to
go with mortise and tenon joint.

The boards are beech, I have handtools, bandsaw, plunge router.

Should I take it to a pro with a router table, or are there other
ways?

Thanks for your input:
Marton Czebe

Although best done with
mortise and tenon (easily done with your router and bandsaw and a jig), you
can also use dowel joinery. this eliminates weak miter joints and gives you
a quality, traditional bed.

Thanks for your responses guys. My initial idea was to use pillars
instead of bedposts and attach the siderails to those. I don't want a
traditional siderails+bedpost bed. side view:

--
| |
| | side rail sits on the rebate on the outside of pillar
(7.8x7.8) below:
| |
--
|-------|
| | ~4 inch high rebate
---| |
| |
| |
|----------|

they'd be glued+dowel joined (the mitres as well)
Would that be a strong enough joint, or shall I rethink my design?

thanks:
Marton

At first it will be. However, it sounds like you have a crossgrain
situation with the rails and the pillars. Over time, expansion/contraction
and racking forces may well compromise the glued and dowelled connection
between the rail and the pillar.

Preston

"Marton Czebe" wrote in message
om...
Although best done with
mortise and tenon (easily done with your router and bandsaw and a jig),
you
can also use dowel joinery. this eliminates weak miter joints and gives
you
a quality, traditional bed.

Thanks for your responses guys. My initial idea was to use pillars
instead of bedposts and attach the siderails to those. I don't want a
traditional siderails+bedpost bed. side view:

--
| |
| | side rail sits on the rebate on the outside of pillar
(7.8x7.8) below:
| |
--
|-------|
| | ~4 inch high rebate
---| |
| |
| |
|----------|

they'd be glued+dowel joined (the mitres as well)
Would that be a strong enough joint, or shall I rethink my design?

thanks:
Marton

"TeamCasa" wrote in message ...

Dave is right. Learn to do a mortise and tenon. A bed is subject to
way too much stress to use a weak joint. The mortise and tenon is the
strongest. For the side rails, you should get special hardware made
specifically for joining the side rails to the head and footboard.
Rockler.com is a good source.

If you still don't want to use mortise and tenon, I would think a #20
double biscuit would be strong enough. If you are going to use
screws, be sure to design it so you are not screwing into end grain as
it will not have sufficient strength.

George






Marton

Learn to do the mortise and tenon. Miters are not typically strong enough
for a bed.
You can also use the loose tenon joint witht the tools you already have.

Dave

"Marton Czebe" wrote in message
om...
hi group,

as my very first serious WW project, I'm planning to build a bed. I'd
be keen on using the knowledge and experience of the group to avoid
serious (and costly) mistakes.

The first problem where I'm stuck:
How to cut 45 degree mitres on the ends of a 90 x 7.8 x 1.5 inch
board, along the height of 7.8 inches with a 1.5 inch thickness?

Note that I'm almost a complete beginner, but still, I don't want to
go with mortise and tenon joint.

The boards are beech, I have handtools, bandsaw, plunge router.

Should I take it to a pro with a router table, or are there other
ways?

Thanks for your input:
Marton Czebe

On 26 Jul 2004 11:38:17 -0700, (George)
wrote:

"TeamCasa" wrote in message ...

Dave is right. Learn to do a mortise and tenon. A bed is subject to
way too much stress to use a weak joint.

True. Well, mine is anyhow. :-)

Bill.

On 26 Jul 2004 11:38:17 -0700, (George)
wrote:

"TeamCasa" wrote in message ...

Dave is right. Learn to do a mortise and tenon. A bed is subject to
way too much stress to use a weak joint.


sounds really embarrassing. just about the time you get a good rythm
going the nice bed that you so proudly showed off falls apart....

"Preston Andreas" wrote in message ...
At first it will be. However, it sounds like you have a crossgrain
situation with the rails and the pillars. Over time, expansion/contraction
and racking forces may well compromise the glued and dowelled connection
between the rail and the pillar.

Preston

"Marton Czebe" wrote in message
om...
Although best done with
mortise and tenon (easily done with your router and bandsaw and a jig),
you
can also use dowel joinery. this eliminates weak miter joints and gives
you
a quality, traditional bed.

Thanks for your responses guys. My initial idea was to use pillars
instead of bedposts and attach the siderails to those. I don't want a
traditional siderails+bedpost bed. side view:

--
| |
| | side rail sits on the rebate on the outside of pillar
(7.8x7.8) below:
| |
--
|-------|
| | ~4 inch high rebate
---| |
| |
| |
|----------|

they'd be glued+dowel joined (the mitres as well)
Would that be a strong enough joint, or shall I rethink my design?

thanks:
Marton

I am trully humbled by the wealth of knowledge in this NG. Info you
cannot get anywhere else. Kudos to all