So I Decided to Build a Bed: COMPLETED !!!

[Rob Young]

Very nice! Well done. Cherry always looks great.

[msweig]

Nice. I really like that.

[Philip1231]

Thanks for the kind words gents!

[Pedder]

Hi Phil,

that came out wonderful! I Like the style and the wood and the craftmenship.

And I love the pictures! Do you empty the room before? or is it that empty all the time? (would love that, too!)

Cheers
Pedder

[Philip1231]

Hi Phil,

that came out wonderful! I Like the style and the wood and the craftmenship.

And I love the pictures! Do you empty the room before? or is it that empty all the time? (would love that, too!)

Cheers
Pedder

Pedder: Thanks! We are in the process of redecorating a guest bedroom so it got a fresh coat of paint last week, hence the sparse decor, although I too favor the minimalist design ethos. At some point, the bed will be joined by a matching nightstand. But I think I will be taking a brake before I jump into another project: too many springtime outdoor chores await. Best Phil

[Martin S.]

Pedder: Guten Tag! Great to hear from you.

The dowels:  this bed uses slats of maple that are 7/8" thick by 6" wide that span the width of the bed frame to support the mattress. Holes in the ends of each slat register on the dowels: it keeps the slats in position but allows for easy disassembly when the bed has to be moved. Not my concept: its how another bed in our home is constructed: seems to work very well.

Got the first coat of finish on today: coincidently a product made in Germany: OSMO PolyX Hard Wax Oil: very nice product, although quite expensive over here. Two more coats and its on to the footboard.

Phil

Phil,
How did you like the Osmo?  Better or worse than Waterlox?  Does it harden in the can if exposed to air?  Can you re-coat if over itself later?  I am looking for a product similar to Waterlox that won't harden if I don't use it for a few months.  I hate throwing half a can of finish away, as expensive as it is these days.

Nice bed!

[TraditionalToolworks]

That looks the shizzle! Can't argue with a completion on a great looking project...you'll be sleeping in that be most nights hopefully...I hope you're not a traveling salesman or something like that...

Well done!

[TraditionalToolworks]

Fun fact: Shakers were celibate, so no double beds!

Honestly, the furniture is pretty cool, but I've never heard anything about the culture that appealed to me. My wife thought it odd that people in California sleep in the nude...I feel empty without her, cool bed or not...I'd sleep on a futon before a bed without her...

However, I also feel the same way about the Gamble house. The master bedroom also has separate beds for the husband and wife...he was smart enough to build his own private garage with mechanic space and gasoline storage, cars had just come out when they built the place...but why not think of building a bed that you could sleep in with your wife?

I almost hate to ask, but do they get to sleep with their wives in the 'burg? *gd&r*

EDIT: BTW, if anyone likes the Greene & Greene style, those beds are really cool from the master bedroom in the Gamble House and Bob Lange drew up a queen and king size that was in a book he published. The glass on the headboard seems the most difficult piece, other than the joinery. Ain't that like all Arts and Crafts though? If it ain't the glass it's the wrought iron that'll get 'ya...I really like what Darrel Peart is doing, applying that to modern to that early 20th century work that the Hall Bros did.

[Philip1231]

Phil,
How did you like the Osmo?  Better or worse than Waterlox?  Does it harden in the can if exposed to air?  Can you re-coat if over itself later?  I am looking for a product similar to Waterlox that won't harden if I don't use it for a few months.  I hate throwing half a can of finish away, as expensive as it is these days.

Nice bed!

Martin: Thanks! The Osmo is as close to fool-proof a finish as I have come across. This is my go-to finish at this point, having used it on roughly the last half dozen or so projects. I have never had to re-apply, but I believe it can be with a minimum of fuss. This is an oil/wax finish so it is quite a bit different than Waterlox, which is a phenolic resin varnish. The original Waterlox finish I believe is thinned already so it can be used as a wiping varnish right out of the can. I was never able to get good results with it and gave up on it years ago: some folks swear by it: I suspect I just didn't find the right finish schedule for it. Osmo will last for years in the can, so no issues with shelf life like varnish. Since Osmo is just oil/wax I doubt it comes close to the protection that Waterlox would afford. The Osmo folks claim that it was originally made for floor finishing, for whatever that worth.

Here is link to finish schedule that I first used. I am not sure I let the finish sit quite as long as this finish schedule describes: you will get a feel for it after using it a few times. I generally go with 3 coats on most surfaces, and 5 or more on the money surfaces (table tops, etc.). For the bed I just built I went with 3.

https://blog.lostartpress.com/wp-content...hedule.pdf

Best, Phil

[Philip1231]

That looks the shizzle! Can't argue with a completion on a great looking project...you'll be sleeping in that be most nights hopefully...I hope you're not a traveling salesman or something like that...

Well done!

Thanks much! Not a traveling salesman, but its a bed for the guest bedroom so our guests will be quite comfortable. I am hoping to try it out at some point!