Boat Bed

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

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

Very, Very nice Fins a lucky boy.

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

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

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

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

magnificent.
SO cool.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

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!

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

-- Chris

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)

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

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

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

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

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

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

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

Now that is COOL!

-- Don, on California's Central Coast

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

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

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

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

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

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

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

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

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

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

I just love it!

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

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

-- john @ Minnesota

AWESOME !!!

-- Making sawdust is what I do best

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

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.kalafinefurniture.com

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

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.

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?

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

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 - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

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

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

Thanks,
-Rocko

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

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

-- Please visit me at http://dustynewt.com

Ahoy maitee.

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

-- making sawdust....

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

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

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

-- Ray

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

Damian, Very nice! Something about that pottery barn bed inspired me as well. I have attached a link to my version.

http://picasaweb.google.com/hillj4/BoatBed

I made the deck with Cherry and gave it a gloss finish. I hooked up boat lights too. You can imagine his face when we first got in the house. He enjoyed watching me build it for him. Now I love to watch him enjoy it !

Whoa thats cool. Dug

-- Wood and Glass they kick (well you know) Have a great day - Dug

Thats a nice looking bed.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

Very fun and nicely made. I bet he doesn’t argue with you when it’s time to go to bed.

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe

Oh man would I have loved to have that bed as a kid! Really nice work!

-- Gregory Kenny, Vancouver BC www.kilowattstudio.com