I am going to drastically underestimate how much time it will take me to break down wood boards into something usable for a specific project. Now I’ve had these 12″ wide, by 1″ thick by 8′ long pine boards since the spring of 2020, at the height of our flatten the curve, stay home whenever possible portion of the current dark time line. I had intended this wood purchase for making larger Harry Potter trunks, but after making four of them, plus a few tool boxes, trays, drawers and such it fell off my radar. Now I need a single bed for my youngest child at the cottage, I think now is as good a time as any to try to make some plain, but classy simple furniture.
Which brings us back to my original statement. Just how long it took me to break down three 12x1x8ft pine boards into the needed pieces on my improvised cut list. After all is said and done (assume all lengths as 8ft long and 1 inch thick here, I don’t want to have to repeat that part over, and over again) I have four outside members at 5.75″ wide, and three that are 3.75″ wide. I have not planed them as of yet, nor jointed them. I feel like I want to do these with a hand planer, and a card scraper. So smooth, but not an 800 grit buttery smoothness. Had I of chosen to use Cherry or Walnut I think I would go to those kinds of lengths when finishing. But here, hand plane or card scraper smooth will be just fine. I’ll round over the edges with a router, as I don’t own any type of hand jig shaper to do profiles and things of that nature. I’ll get to my point, as I digress.
Just a few simple measurements and a handful of cuts took me 73 minutes. *Face palm*. Yeah – I was not rushing in the slightest. I’m not sure I could have gone any slower though. Setting up the fence, double and triple checking my measurements. Getting my roller stand to help me keep the 8ft long 12″ wide boards horizontal with the cutting plane was awkward. Helpful due to the weight, but cumbersome. My featherboard only worked on cuts below 10 inches. I knocked things over, and banged the fence a bunch, so I had to stop and reset. Glad I don’t charge by the hour for this hobby of mine.
My main concern is doing a three prong box joint for my main bed frame. Some legs with pegs to keep them in place. And some hand cut channels to drop in six (or so) cross braces or slates, so that the mattress or box spring can’t fall through the center. If I get a bit overzealous I can give one end a headboard to stop pillows from falling off. In accordance to the room it’s going into, one side and one end will be up against the walls, so I don’t have to go crazy. I want it to be sturdy. Have no sharp edges, and try to inset the legs to avoid stubbed toes. I want the legs to be tall enough I can get a vacuum head under the bed, but not so high the mattress feels like it’s up in the air. Little kids and falling onto hard floors won’t make me anyone’s favourite human. If I can keep my cuts flush and not full of open gaps I’ll be a happy camper.
I have lots of dark stain. Walnut, smokey green, ebony even. I’ll have to ask my kid if they want it to still look like wood when completed. I really just want to get her mattress up off the floor now that the day bed slash crib is going to a very pregnant cousin for continued use.
I’ll take numerous photos if I manage to get any further into this over the coming days. I know I have six large projects coming between now and Christmas, so if I work smart I should be able to do this without too much of a problem. If I get the legs sorted out, and the slates cut down, I can pick away at the main frame box joints and have it ready for late November or by Christmas at least. I make no promises.
Follow along as I shoddily remake other people’s famous designs like a hillbilly gone blind on moon shine. You like cupped boards, with twists and knots? Have I got the perfect project for you to follow. Adios muchachos.
Greatwall Studios Graphic Design 
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