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Boat Bed

Project by Damian Penney posted 380 days ago 4156 views 7 times favorited 40 comments Add to Favorites
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Damian Penney

592 posts in 380 days


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Boat Bed Boat Bed Boat Bed Click the pictures to enlarge them

So this piece was inspired by the one that Pottery Barn sells, but I made Fins a tad fancier. The headboard and bow are made with a walnut frame, and a teak and holly panel. Four drawers in the bow, two accessed by flipping open top, and the bottom two swing out on soss hinges, there is a caster under the drawer that it rolls out on for added support.

The drawers were pretty challenging and as they are two sets of bent laminations that twist and had to match up in the middle (should have made them as one piece and then band sawed them into two pieces. The rails are topped with walnut, using dowels and glue to attach them (the dowels are maple and look great against the walnut)

Firsts for this projects :- spraying (it’s Target coatings water based lacquer) doweling (the frame for the bow is doweled) torsion boxes – the headboard, and the bow are both attached to torsion boxes (with the long rails attached to the torsion boxes using bed hanger bolts)

Took a while but Fin loves it :)

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso


40 comments so far

View Bill's profile

Bill

2508 posts in 550 days


posted 380 days ago

Very cool Damian. I bet he just loves the boat. Sails away each night in his dreams..

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

View WayneC's profile

WayneC

5693 posts in 486 days


posted 380 days ago

Very, Very nice Fins a lucky boy.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

View Bob Babcock's profile

Bob Babcock

1809 posts in 475 days


posted 380 days ago

Cool!...my niece lives on the water on Cape Cod and has a little boy. Their downstairs family room has a boat bar and buffet table from the previous owner but this is much nicer. I think I’ll show it to her. They might like to do something similar.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

View gizmodyne's profile

gizmodyne

1407 posts in 479 days


posted 380 days ago

Very cool project. Did you save anything over buying the pottery barn item? Obviously higher quality with yours, but any savings? Usually I negate the cost by purchasing tools for the project.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

View Damian Penney's profile

Damian Penney

592 posts in 380 days


posted 380 days ago

I probably did save a bunch; but that’s only because the PotteryBarn one is so over priced ($2000) it took forever though (about 18mths) the drawers being especially difficult.

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

10975 posts in 549 days


posted 380 days ago

magnificent.
SO cool.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View oscorner's profile

oscorner

4576 posts in 699 days


posted 380 days ago

That is the neatest bed I’ve ever seen. The four drawers in the bow are a great idea. You took on quite a challenge and won.

-- Jesus is Lord!

View Chris 's profile

Chris

884 posts in 380 days


posted 380 days ago

Wow! I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay and would have loved to have that as a bed!

-- Chris

View mot's profile

mot

4831 posts in 425 days


posted 380 days ago

Awesome! That’s a great bed!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View Napaman's profile

Napaman

1342 posts in 466 days


posted 380 days ago

that is sweet!!!! i want one…forget the kids…

-- Matt, Napa, CA...SING WITH ME: "Sum...sum...sum...summ...summ...summ...summertime..."

View hermanv's profile

hermanv

15 posts in 412 days


posted 380 days ago

I am Inspired! Thank you so much for sharing. Now to convince the wife that we need one too. ;)

View Damian Penney's profile

Damian Penney

592 posts in 380 days


posted 380 days ago

If I was to build another it would come together a lot quicker. I designed this project in sketchup and I think having designs that were a little too detailed held me back in this case; specifically regarding the front drawers.

I built the walnut/teak&holly bow before the drawers. So the curve was set, then from that I built four forms, two for the top drawers, two for the bottom. What I should have done is just twisted the luan for both the top and bottom drawer and just let it form its own twist. Spent way too much time bending them to my will (pardon the pun) instead of letting the wood itself dictate the design. Also building them separately instead of together meant a lot of fiddling getting the bottom of the top drawer aligned with the top of the bottom drawer. A very good lesson though.

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

View Bob Babcock's profile

Bob Babcock

1809 posts in 475 days


posted 380 days ago

Its funny how Sketchup can almost make it too easy. Very easy to design things that are very difficult to build. A great list of 1sts there Damian.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

View scottb's profile

scottb

2739 posts in 716 days


posted 380 days ago

That’s just fantastic! Nice that you learned several things too.

-- The opposite of war isn't peace. It's creation. -- Wood T's: http://www.printfection.com/snbcreative

View mb_BeachBum's profile

mb_BeachBum

18 posts in 440 days


posted 380 days ago

Now that is COOL!

-- Don, on California's Central Coast

View jockmike2's profile

jockmike2

3821 posts in 635 days


posted 380 days ago

Your Boy will remember you always for this, you must be a great Dad. Wonderful project very well done.Jockmike

-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com

View RobH's profile

RobH

244 posts in 438 days


posted 379 days ago

I love it. I think I want one of those to replace the one I made for our bedroom a few years ago.

Good work. Keep it up.

Rob

-- -- Rob Hix, King George, VA

View TreeBones's profile

TreeBones

1340 posts in 412 days


posted 379 days ago

Nice work. I wish I had the time to spend on projects with this kind of detail work. If I did nothing els would ever get done.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

941 posts in 482 days


posted 379 days ago

Oh man. To be Fin’s age again and have my dad build something this cool for me… That would be such fun. Great work Damian. I think the drawers look great!

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

View Damian Penney's profile

Damian Penney

592 posts in 380 days


posted 379 days ago

Thanks for the kind words guys, much appreciated. It was a real blast finally setting it up for him, now I’m going to force him to sleep in it till he’s at least 26 years old :)

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

View Karson's profile

Karson

11544 posts in 789 days


posted 379 days ago

Damian: that is one great bed. Congratulations on the project and completion.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

10975 posts in 549 days


posted 379 days ago

lol I can see the teenage years—hiding “visitors” in the storage area when he hears you coming :D

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

2796 posts in 703 days


posted 379 days ago

View laker's profile

laker

2 posts in 385 days


posted 379 days ago

Thats a great bed there Matey. What kid wouldnt walk the plank for it?

-- john @ Minnesota

View DrSawdust's profile

DrSawdust

210 posts in 487 days


posted 378 days ago

AWESOME !!!

-- Making sawdust is what I do best

View Todd A. Clippinger's profile

Todd A. Clippinger

2447 posts in 488 days


posted 377 days ago

That is pretty nice work. I don’t think that you will have a problem getting into the pages of FineWoodworking with the level of work you are doing.

I am going on over to your other project next.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

View Kaleo's profile

Kaleo

193 posts in 528 days


posted 372 days ago

Damian-

This is a really cool project. My little boy would love a bed like that, I actually might have to make one when we get back to the states.

Really nice work on all the projects that you have posted.

-- Kaleo , http://www.kaleosworkshop.com

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

2041 posts in 368 days


posted 366 days ago

Damian,

Great looking bed. Very nice workmanship. Nice design, nice proportion.

Terrific job, for a worthy cause.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

2256 posts in 452 days


posted 353 days ago

Love the bed, and Fin’s expression is priceless. Great work. That is truly a heirloom. It’s clear that the gift of something made by a father for his son resonates in many of us. I still have three pieces my Dad made in the fifties.
Commendable woodworking and parenting.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

View Lumberjock's profile

Lumberjock

1 post in 242 days


posted 242 days ago

Damian, you did such a wonderful job. I was just searching for plans to build this bed and came across this site. I have had my eye on that Pottery Barn bed for years. Although I’ve never really built much of anything, I always had hoped to take the time to pursue this project for my son. I think it is the greatest bed ever and you did such a wonderful job building it. Any chance you’d be interested in sharing your plans?

View Damian Penney's profile

Damian Penney

592 posts in 380 days


posted 241 days ago

Thanks so much iebrutus, the kind words are much appreciated. I’ll see if I can dig up the plans I made, bits of it I just kind of made up as I went along though :)

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

View Mark DeCou's profile

Mark DeCou

1240 posts in 794 days


posted 209 days ago

Damian: I can’t believe that it has taken me this long to comment on this bed. I have loved it since you first posted it, but I have been so caught up in my own life and survival, that I didn’t take time to tell you about my admiration…...until now. This is a great project. What a great way to keep from having to make the bed every day also, ha. Smooth lines, perfect in function, makes a little boy feel very honored and appreciated, I am sure. I had a handmade bed that my dad did for me when I was a little guy, and it was always a point of pride and felt love by him. Other kids had store bought beds, but not “Me”. And now, not “Fins.”

good work,
M

-- Mark DeCou - Kansas Flinthill's Artisan

View Damian Penney's profile

Damian Penney

592 posts in 380 days


posted 209 days ago

Thanks Mark, much appreciated, it was definitely a labor of love. Now I need to start thinking about something for Fins little sister Daisy :)

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

View rockomccombs's profile

rockomccombs

42 posts in 260 days


posted 196 days ago

Nice bed. I’m interested in those plans too. Anything to get me started :)

Thanks,
-Rocko

-- -> Malta, IL www.flickr.com/rockomccombs -<

View dustynewt's profile

dustynewt

319 posts in 251 days


posted 152 days ago

Wow. Really cool bed. I bet he loves it.

-- http://dustynewt.googlepages.com

View motthunter's profile

motthunter

950 posts in 188 days


posted 152 days ago

Ahoy maitee.

If there is a flood, he will be safe. Looks great

-- making sawdust....

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

6465 posts in 263 days


posted 152 days ago

Now that is cool. I’ll bet the Bosun loves it!

-- Maplewood, MN

View Damian Penney's profile

Damian Penney

592 posts in 380 days


posted 152 days ago

Thanks guys, it was a really fun project, long, but fun :)

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

View Raymond's profile

Raymond

66 posts in 116 days


posted 114 days ago

I love that boat bed, almost makes me want to have another child just to make one….Almost

-- Ray

View TedM's profile

TedM

523 posts in 121 days


posted 53 days ago

This is so cool. Makes me wish I was a kid again. :)

-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com

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