Has any one built the crib that is found in Jeff Millers Building Children Furniture book. I was looking over the plans and was a little confused about the cut list. I am a beginning and I really want to make this crib. I have a lot of time and do not care how long it takes. I really wanted some advice on the type of wood and the cut list. Here are my main questions? If anybody can help that would be great:
What type of wood is best that is not that expensive? What kind of stain or finish should I use?
A lot of the rails call for 1 and 1/8 inch thick? How do I do this? How should I buy the stock?
Where should I buy the wood?
Thats it for now.
Thanks
Replies
Some suggestions for you to consider. If you are in an area with a local woodworking club, join and seek out someone to mentor you as well as helping out when you need access to specialize machines such as thickness planer or to guide you on how to use hand planes to dimension wood. If you don't have the tools and do not have access to them, take the wood to a cabinet shop for dimensioning. They should charge you around $50 a shop hour. Another possibility is to go talk to the shop teacher at the local high school about running the wood for you. Or, better yet, enroll in a night adult education wood class and that way you have access to the tools as well as shop safety and techniques.
For a source of lumber, look in the yellow pages under hardwoods and whatever you do, stay away from the box stores for furniture-grade hardwood. Even if they have it the price will be at least double what you will pay at a good lumber retailer. The lumber yard will provide wood in different forms: rough and finished. Rough wood can come with one edge straight-lined but generally it is rough on all sides and edges and will require that you dimension and square the boards. First and Second ("FAS") is the quality of the wood you want although for a crib that uses mostly narrow boards, Seconds are sufficient. The yard will speak in terms of 3-4's or 5-4's which is simply a shorthand for 3/4" or 1-1/4" lumber. Planed boards, finished - not rough, usually come in 3/4" one edge straight-lined and they may have thicker baords available that are finished planed. Some lumber ealers will also plan the wood for you to your dimensions. Don't be hesitant to to inquire. When figuring your bill of materials for the crib slats, consider buying thick rough, planing to 1-3/8" - a normal crib slat width or what ever size you plan calls for - and then edge cut the slats from the thick board. The result produces what is called a quarter-sawn board that produces a very pretty grain, particularly in maple.
Regarding the wood for the crib, I have built two using hard maple with cherry accents. Maple and cherry can be difficult to stain since they can product very splotchy results but if you follow the advise of experts finishers you can avoid this problem. There are excellent books in the library on wood finishing or available at any woodworking store. Or, you can go natural and apply a clear or tinted top coat. Cherry will naturally darken with time.
Good luck with your project.
Doug
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