Replies

1. 
   douglas2cats | Apr 16, 2005 05:18am | #1

   I've got a bed project somewhere in the future. I don't know about the support cleat underneath - I'd be curious to hear what other think too. But one thing I think I'm going to do when I make one is to put a slightly wider top edge on the rail - maybe 1-1/2" or so, and possibly out of a contrasting wood even though it's not going to be visible most of the time. The reason is, I'm always sitting on the bed in the morning and pulling my feet up and resting the heels on the bed rail as I put socks on. I'm thinking a slightly wider heel rest might be nice. I cant go too wide or I risk having the covers stick out and look funny. I wonder if something similar would work for you to get the extra inch of height.

   Waddaya mean it wont fit through the door?

   
   

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   Edited 4/16/2005 8:23 am ET by douglas2cats

1. 
   rod | Apr 17, 2005 03:32am | #6

   I'm very like you. I use the rail now for a place to put on my shoes.
   A thin addition to the top and bottom of the rail a bit wider than the
   rail projecting an 1/8 to 3/16 could have good visual appeal as well as
   serve as a foot rest. I might do it myself.

2. 
   notDusty | Apr 16, 2005 07:48am | #2

                Hi Rod ,

                           Typically the support for the boxspring is attached to the inside edge of the side rails usually with screws into the rail . But in theory once you glue the wood together and with some of the correct screws from the underside the glue joint should be stronger than the wood itself . I would ask you why don't you do it the standard way ? Since you need to laminate more wood to make the 7" why not use traditional time tested methods ?

                                 good      luck              dusty

1. 
   rod | Apr 17, 2005 03:41am | #7

   Thanks for your input. I hadn't thought about angle iron for box spring
   support. I wasn't trying to hide the box springs, just not making them
   so visible. The angle iron should do the trick. I tend to design around what materials I have rather than design and then get the materials. It is probably not the best way to go about it.
   Thanks, Rod

3. 
   saulgood | Apr 16, 2005 03:02pm | #3

   ...Besides, your solution -if I understand corrrectly- won't help the rails conceal the box springs any, since any "width" (height?) added by such a cleat would still occur under the box spring, not along side. Right? You should use angle iron instead, screwed flush with the bottom. put the wood you were going to add at the top, where it will effect the coverage. BTW, angle iron doesn't need to be continuous, either. if weight is a concern, one length can be cut up and used in strategic places all around the bed frame).

4. 
   Elcoholic | Apr 16, 2005 07:29pm | #4

   If you stick on a narrow piece on top it will probably look stuck on.   If you want 7" rails buy narrower boards and edge join (2) 3 1/2" boards mathcing the grain as best you can.  About the right angle/cleat idea - fugettaboutit.  The grain won't match and it won't be anywhere near as strong.  If you simply must have 1 piece rails broaden your search.

   A year or two ago I needed some really wide and thick walnut for a 1 piece frame.  After calling 20-25 hardwood dealers in the greater LA area to no avail, I found it right here on this forum and it was just an hour away.  The wood was spectacular, 21-22" wide x 10/4 & 12/4 x 8-10' long, beautiful air-dried old growth and very, very reasonably priced.  My second greatest wood find.  Here's a pix of the frame, it's 19x41, the front is curved so it's 1/4" thick at the sides and 1 3/4" thick at the center.  My wife did the tigers, they're 14 pt counted-cross stitch.

   John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   The more things change ...

   We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized.  I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.

   Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC

5. 
   Midnight | Apr 16, 2005 11:16pm | #5

   Rod... by far the best option is to shop around for an alternate supplier... see if you can't get some wider boards... anything else is gonna look like its been cobbled together..

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

6. 
   kesac | Jun 26, 2005 06:48am | #8

   I had bed rail just like you describe, holding a waterbed mattress for about 16 years once.  Waterbed has been updated to Sealy Posturpedic, but still same bed and rails.

   Worked fine, lasted all this time.

1. 
   rod | Jun 26, 2005 08:33pm | #9

   Thanks for the information. The bed is on hold until the fall,
   because of other tasks. I may well do it as I first indicated.
   Rod

1. 
   kesac | Jun 27, 2005 02:07am | #10

   Oak is stout stuff.  5/4 is stouter than you really need.  A 7' long by 5/4 glue joint will probably be stronger than the screw joints to hold a piece of angle iron on there.