4 poster bed

[Richardg]

Hi,

I'm wanting to make a 4 poster bed for camping. I'm a member of the SCA (www.sca.org) and we have an annual event where we camp for a week in medieval period pavillions.

So, the key design requirements are portability and style. I found this design for a simple camp bed (http://www.currentmiddleages.org/tents/bed1.pdf) and have done a modified Sketchup design (attached) for the sort of thing I'd like to make. I'm going to do mine as a slat bed rather than using rope or rope+canvas for support, even though it's obviously heavier.

This would be my first major project, so tools are limited. Current power tool inventory consists of a circular saw, jigsaw, drill and router. This project would be a good excuse to get more, but I don't want to break the bank to do so . I would have access to some additional tools (particularly a drill press) at a friend's workshop though, although I don't think anyone I know has a jointer or thicknesser, so milling lumber would be an issue.

Some points about the current design (in no particular order):

1) The octagonal posts would be detachable from the "feet". The current plan would be to use some sort of bolt and thread. Ie stick a bolt into the bottom of the post, and a thread into the top of the foot and assemble them that way.

2) Everything else is assembled using through tenons and wedges (wedges not shown in sketchup pattern).

3) There would be a curtain rail (just circular tubing) around the top, inserted into the parallel faces of the octagonal posts, which would be invisible from the outside due to a fabric canopy draped over the top. Something similar to this http://www.greydragon.org/furniture/canopy/index.html perhaps.

4) The slat supports on the side rails would probably just be glued and screwed. I could dowel it I suppose, but I don't know if it would need the additional support.

5) I wouldn't be going all-out on expensive wood for this, since it's something that would only get used a couple of times a year and could get knocked around a bit. Pine most likely.

6) I haven't included any decoration in the design, but the head, foot and side rails would be decorated with some nice edging and recessed designs (I'm itching to use the new router for some template work).

7) The octagonal posts are octagonal to save a bit of weight compared to square posts, because they look a bit better and because I don't have access to a sufficiently large lathe to turn them (nor am I particularly keen on turning at the moment).

Some concerns I'd particularly like feedback on.

1) There is only half an inch of support below the centre rail in the head and foot rails, to allow it to line up with the the supports on the side rails. I could raise both the centre and side rails up a bit, but I still want to have enough of the rail above the slats for the mattress to sit down into. Is half an inch too little? Would an inch be enough?

2) Preventing too much racking (is that right word), or twisting of the top of the bed is a concern. if the bolt and thread method is strong, then there is quite a lot of contact area between the feet and the posts to make it solid there, but I'm still worried that it might be a bit wobbly at the top. The inserted curtain rails wouldn't add anything since they would just be loose, so I was thinking whether some diagonal supports would work so long as it is held rigid. Can anyone suggest an appropriate joining method?

3) Doing all of the through mortices would be a mission, given the limited range of tools I have available. One possible cheat would be to constuct the feet (where most of the mortices are) by laminating 3 6x2s together rather than using a single 6x6. This would change the dimensions a little bit and I'd either have to mill it back to square or accept slightly rectangular feet, which would make the transitions to the octagonal top somewhat interesting. However by laminating the 6x2s I could obviously leave the required gaps (or at least some of them) as mortices, rather than having to cut them out, and save a bunch of time. Would just gluing the 6x2s provide sufficient strength, or should I expect to be adding something else?

4) Cutting the tapers to the octagonal top of the post worries me. Any recommended techniques for this? Is a 10" table saw going to have a sufficiently high cut to make these cuts? (a 10" table saw is pretty high on my list of purchase priorities at the moment). Would a band saw be a better/safer bet? (I would have access to a friends). Same deal for making the posts octagonal?

Any comments much appreciated.

Richard

[Bombarde16]

Big project. Be prepared for this thing to dominate your work space!

4) Cutting the tapers to the octagonal top of the post worries me. Any recommended techniques for this? Is a 10" table saw going to have a sufficiently high cut to make these cuts? (a 10" table saw is pretty high on my list of purchase priorities at the moment). Would a band saw be a better/safer bet? (I would have access to a friends). Same deal for making the posts octagonal?

I did a pencil post out of 12/4 stock using the tapering jig-sled pictured below. It's made of MDF, so that lost me 1/2" of blade height. It just barely cut through the whole thickness and I had maybe an 1/8" to finish off with a hand saw. But it got the job done beautifully well and perfectly safely. If you're thinking of nominal 6x6 timbers, then no, the table saw isn't big enough. Go for the band saw and expect to do a lot of cleanup work with a hand plane.

After tapering the posts, I made them octagonal with a chamfering bit on the router. This could also be done at the band saw, though. But where you might have been inclined to do a four-sided taper at the band saw freehand (certainly doable, provided you tape the falloff back in place before rotating the stock) an octagon would require you to build a jig. If pushing a monster jig laden with a monster timber through the saw is not your cup of tea, you could also build a stationary cradle and make the chamfers with a straight bit in the router.

Good hunting.