Bed Frame: Need Carpentry Advice

[TromboneAl]

Believe it or not, I've finally gotten around to this project after only 1.5 years. I got all the pieces cut, the posts prepared, and have painted the top of the platform with mold-proof paint.

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[TromboneAl]

 

[TromboneAl]

Getting close to being finished.



I decided that I do not need extra shear support (that is, a plywood triangle attached at one of the corners). What do you think?

Now to Freecycle the old frame.

 

[W2R]

I decided that I do not need extra shear support (that is, a plywood triangle attached at one of the corners). What do you think?

I am not a carpenter. However I think that you and Lena are young (at heart at the very least), athletic, and in love, so you definitely need a a lot of stability such as the plywood triangles. They'll be easy to add.

 

[REWahoo]

I am not a carpenter. However I think that you and Lena are young (at heart at the very least) and in love, so you definitely need the plywood triangles. They'll be easy to add.

Where is the trapeze?

 

[W2R]

Where is the trapeze?

Exactly!

You need to prepare for all possibilities.

 

[TromboneAl]

You guys...

 

[HFWR]

Can you take about an hour on the tower of power?

 

[ERD50]

You guys...

All kidding aside (what's the point of that?), I think you need a triangle support both in the horizontal and vertical plane - essentially each corner (all 12). You cut out 3/4ths of the post at the top, and it looks like 4 holes are bored through the little remaining wood. I don't think you have much strength against any sideways movement at all. Plywood is a good choice.

Might be a bit tricky now, your planes are staggered, might need spacers or something to keep the faces aligned.

It looks to be strong for vertical static weight, all that weight will rest on the shoulders of those posts, but you have very little beyond that, IMO.

-ERD50

 

[Bestwifeever]

Mirrors.

 

[Nords]

I decided that I do not need extra shear support (that is, a plywood triangle attached at one of the corners). What do you think?

The design engineer's perpetual dilemma:
Would you rather take a few minutes to add them now, or would you prefer to add them later after you've started over?

And, of course, xkcd has this design warning:

 

[MichaelB]

With all this talk off trapeze and mirrors, don't forget to leave a small space for an in-ceiling camera.

 

[Nords]

With all this talk off trapeze and mirrors, don't forget to leave a small space for an in-ceiling camera.

You didn't really think pictures would add any value to this thread, did you?

 

[MichaelB]

You didn't really think pictures would add any value to this thread, did you?

Pictures? I was thinking about videos.

 

[TromboneAl]

I appreciate the "better safe than sorry" advice, and I even cut out a reinforcement, but trust me, no extra support is necessary. I confirmed on a woodworking forum that that kind of joinery is much stronger than the cutaway 2x2 section, since it is all glued with the best quality wood glue and screwed. If you've ever tried to take apart something that was glued well, you'll find that the glue is stronger than the wood.

Also, note that the platform is screwed onto the top of the frame, which lends lots of horizontal strain relief, and also vertical.

Note that I don't require a running start, but just in case, I tried rocking on the bed, and couldn't get anything to budge.

It's funny that on the woodworking forum, several members thought I needed an additional support and leg in the middle of the bed, but with the 3/4 inch plywood, there's absolutely no sagging.

In any case, I'm all done, and I'm very happy with the result.

I decided to leave some space between the two pieces of plywood, to promote some additional air flow.

Thanks for the help.

 

[haha]

Looks very nice. Did you use a bandsaw on the headboard?

Ha

 

[TromboneAl]

No, I didn't make the headboard. I simply replaced the frame of the bed (see the picture at the top of the thread). No fancy work for me.

 

[TromboneAl]

P.S. I gave away the drawer assembly on the free section of Craigslist.