# 4 Poster Cannonball Bed



## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*turning using Vega copier on General lathe*

This queen size bed in oak is for my son and D.I.L.. I picked up 6/4 and 8/4 oak for the bed. Bed posts are laminated up and planed to 5&1/2" square.
















I'm using a Vega copier to ruff turn the parts. Finish turning with hand chisels. A paper pattern I drew is glued to 1/4 ply scraps for template use.








The blanket roll is 2 pieces, one longer so a pin is turned to be glued to hole drilled in the other.








Turning 18 pounds of oak, bottom post section. I nick the corners with a chisel to stop chipping at the transition of square to round.
























ruff turnings done








With the ruff turnings done, I remove the copier and start the final turning and sanding.
The cannonball tops, are parted off with one end held in a chuck, then sanded.


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## Blondewood (Mar 30, 2009)

BryanatWoodstock said:


> *turning using Vega copier on General lathe*
> 
> This queen size bed in oak is for my son and D.I.L.. I picked up 6/4 and 8/4 oak for the bed. Bed posts are laminated up and planed to 5&1/2" square.
> 
> ...


Hey Bry,
Awesome job as always. Love the tutorial. It's gonna be a wonderful bed.


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## nccherokee (May 15, 2011)

BryanatWoodstock said:


> *turning using Vega copier on General lathe*
> 
> This queen size bed in oak is for my son and D.I.L.. I picked up 6/4 and 8/4 oak for the bed. Bed posts are laminated up and planed to 5&1/2" square.
> 
> ...


Great, Great work. I was recently given, by a retired shop teacher of 40 years, a 12' wood lathe. In reviewing your wonderful article, I wonder how I could turn 4 poster beds posts on my lathe in one piece? Thanks for your work, help and tutorial. As I have a Wood-Mizer sawmill, I could saw all the parts as well.


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

BryanatWoodstock said:


> *turning using Vega copier on General lathe*
> 
> This queen size bed in oak is for my son and D.I.L.. I picked up 6/4 and 8/4 oak for the bed. Bed posts are laminated up and planed to 5&1/2" square.
> 
> ...


You could do it as 2 pieces, with the ball finial separate. Do a practice piece or 2 to get familiar with turning a post this size. 1st 4 poster bedpost I made 20 yrs. ago I glued up 2×6 cedar from a demolished fence for practice blanks. That was a 3 piece post also.


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## nccherokee (May 15, 2011)

BryanatWoodstock said:


> *turning using Vega copier on General lathe*
> 
> This queen size bed in oak is for my son and D.I.L.. I picked up 6/4 and 8/4 oak for the bed. Bed posts are laminated up and planed to 5&1/2" square.
> 
> ...


Good ideas. Thanks


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*2 piece bed roll , drilling *

Turned a 1 & 1/2" x 2" long pin on one piece, drilled in the lathe with a forstner bit on lowest speed. Used my lathe chuck to grip the turning. Trying grain filler on the oak.


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*dealing with transition flat to round.*

I have the mid post turnings sanded, and moved on to the bottom post. On the corners, I don't use lathe chisels on the very outside edge for fear of a catch , .. I use a 60 grit disc and and rotate the turning by hand. The Rotex in aggressive mode does a quick job of it. Next, to crisp up the flat face and turned edges, a trip across the jointer. That eliminates the small chip outs.


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*Drilling parts.*

Got the holes drilled. With the new lathe chuck, using it to hold & drive the turnings. I make sure that the turning will rotate against the bit, then start lathe on lowest setting. I advance the drill bit till the drill chuck starts to enter the hole. The turned Pins are 2& 1/4" long. New post design compared to the Ash bed I built a yr ago. Mattress height is 4&1/2" lower, or 13"& 1/2" off floor.

D.I.L. wanted bed lower to floor, hope this is enough.


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*cleaning up square to round transition*

I take a 1/16" pass on the jointer to crisp up the turned edge.


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*Headboard*

using 6/4 for the head board. Design as I go, decided to use the 11" planks full size , against the taller bed post. Looks like the headboard will be 4" taller than the last bed I made like this.








12"jointer getting some use!








planed and jointed








glue up , need long clamps.


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*tenons, arch decoration*

cut the 2" Long x 3/4" tenons with the dado blade. 








Made a jig to draw the arch on 4/4 stock








sanded panel








sanded inside curve of arch








4 passes with a multi profile bit








clamped up!


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*Mortises!*

Hauled out the floor mortiser today,








top tenon has been tapered to 3/4" 








hand plane to fit 








then trace for top mortise, cut 1/16" extra on top and bottom








I made 2 V blocks same width as bottom post to hold mid section centred








fitting good








The 1/16" gap for seasonal movement in headboard








test fit








2 more hrs in the shop this afternoon, I got the mortises cut for the footboard, and the holes drilled for the bed roll.


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*routing for bed rail hangers*

I made up a jig for the colt router to accurately cut width and depth for the hangers.








I use another trim router to cut relief slots for the hooks
















By adding a spacer block to the jig, cut the mortise on the ends of the bed rails.








Added a 1.72×2 inch strip to support the box spring. On the second glue up found out that the 83&1/4" length of the other rail I measured for the support was 1/4" too long. I thought I had trimmed the rails to length weeks ago, rails should be 82". Glad the rails where uneven lengths, wouldn't have caught this error.


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*gluing up head and footboards, stain*









applying stain


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*spraying satin lacquer*

Just finished the footboard with 3 coats. I have been spraying on and off since 10 am, sure makes for a long day.


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*Finished!!*


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

BryanatWoodstock said:


> *Finished!!*


Road trip to our son's house. Nice to have some room in the shop again!


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## BryanatWoodstock (Oct 31, 2012)

*delivered and set up at my son's place*

Test fit of finished bed









Loaded the bed into the Ranger .









Bed set up at my son's place


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

BryanatWoodstock said:


> *delivered and set up at my son's place*
> 
> Test fit of finished bed
> 
> ...


Nice job! Should last for generations!


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## cabmaker (Sep 16, 2010)

BryanatWoodstock said:


> *delivered and set up at my son's place*
> 
> Test fit of finished bed
> 
> ...


Nice work !


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