Project Information
Just a quick update. I've added another set of legs and bed-rails. This converts the crib into a bed. The sides come off as a unit and the crib front and back become the head and foot boards. In this pic, you can see the connection with buried bed bolts. (The brass bed-bolt covers were back-ordered.) I don't thing my grandson minds though.
- AJS
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I finished up this crib over Christmas week, 2012, and delivered it to my daughter and her family that Friday. Attached are a couple pics, including my first grand-kid, Liam. As you can see, I was only a about 2 months late dropping it off.
I designed this crib after I noticed that all the cribs for sale online are IKEA-style things held together with cam bolts and have a ton of screw holes showing. I wanted something nicer, and the project grew from there. Eventually I stretched my Sketchup skills and drafted this design, which converts into a single bed as well.
Having learned not to paint myself into a corner, I was meticulous about the design of each joint and element. I made sure I had an idea how to go about each step before I incorporated it into the design. I also limited my tolerances to 1/16" (except for mortices) because CAD will bite you if you're not careful about that.
New tools to complete the project include a Jet dedicated morticer and a Grizzly 24" 2-drum sander. Both of which paid for themselves on this project alone.
I used book-matched maple panels for the mattress frame - seen in the 2nd to last pic. Otherwise, the crib is made of black walnut with brass accents. I included a pic of the 20/4×15" x 60" slab of old-growth I carved the front and back rails from.
The finish is a non-toxic salad bowl oil, followed by several layers of blonde shellac (about 1 lb. cut) buffed out with 600 grit paper. Finally, I rubbed on a food-safe mix of carnauba and bees wax and buffed it out with old t-shirt rags.
The crib is solid as a rock, weighs about what I do, and should be in the family for generations.
- AJS
-------------------------------------------------
I finished up this crib over Christmas week, 2012, and delivered it to my daughter and her family that Friday. Attached are a couple pics, including my first grand-kid, Liam. As you can see, I was only a about 2 months late dropping it off.
I designed this crib after I noticed that all the cribs for sale online are IKEA-style things held together with cam bolts and have a ton of screw holes showing. I wanted something nicer, and the project grew from there. Eventually I stretched my Sketchup skills and drafted this design, which converts into a single bed as well.
Having learned not to paint myself into a corner, I was meticulous about the design of each joint and element. I made sure I had an idea how to go about each step before I incorporated it into the design. I also limited my tolerances to 1/16" (except for mortices) because CAD will bite you if you're not careful about that.
New tools to complete the project include a Jet dedicated morticer and a Grizzly 24" 2-drum sander. Both of which paid for themselves on this project alone.
I used book-matched maple panels for the mattress frame - seen in the 2nd to last pic. Otherwise, the crib is made of black walnut with brass accents. I included a pic of the 20/4×15" x 60" slab of old-growth I carved the front and back rails from.
The finish is a non-toxic salad bowl oil, followed by several layers of blonde shellac (about 1 lb. cut) buffed out with 600 grit paper. Finally, I rubbed on a food-safe mix of carnauba and bees wax and buffed it out with old t-shirt rags.
The crib is solid as a rock, weighs about what I do, and should be in the family for generations.