What size rabbet is sufficient for the sides of my bed??

[kooshball]

I am working on the side rails for my walnut bed and would like some advice on the best way to glue up this part of the project. I have attached a very crude sketch of the side rail to show my plan (based on the fact that I already have two very nice 6" wide boards planed down to 3/4" thickness). Main questions is: will a rabbet that is only 1/4" deep be sufficient in this application? how wide should it be ideally?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[DaveO]

I would go 3/8" deep and wide on your T&G, that would give the best balance. But that said 1/4" deep will be fine as you are gluing long grain to long grain, but a little more depth will give you more glue surface. And you can't over-engineer a project :icon_thum


Dave

 

[cpowell]

Are you going to glue the 3/4 stock to the outer sticks?

If you are going to let the 3/4 stock float in the groove (no glue) then make the groove 3/8 deep to allow movement.

If you will glue the rabbet joint then depth shouldn't matter. But if you're gonna glue then you don't neet a groove or rabbet, just edge glue.

That rabbet places a premium on flat stock over a bed rail length. You want the joint to be very tight for glue strength and if the joint is tight and there is a little bow it becomes a problem.


Chuck

Edit in: DaveO types faster than me!!

 

[kooshball]

Are you going to glue the 3/4 stock to the outer sticks?

If you are going to let the 3/4 stock float in the groove (no glue) then make the groove 3/8 deep to allow movement.

If you will glue the rabbet joint then depth shouldn't matter. But if you're gonna glue then you don't neet a groove or rabbet, just edge glue.

That rabbet places a premium on flat stock over a bed rail length. You want the joint to be very tight for glue strength and if the joint is tight and there is a little bow it becomes a problem.


Chuck

Edit in: DaveO types faster than me!!

My plan is to glue that 3/4" board between the two rails creating an I-beam. I figured that I would increase the glue area and eliminate any chance that my 3/4" board slides out of position during glue up by incorporating the rabbet into the construction. I apologize but I am not sure sure that I understand your comment regarding "a premium on flat stock", can you help explain your concern with that point?

Thanks!

 

[Bill Clemmons]

How are you attaching the bed rails to the headboard/footboard? Will the bottom cleat of the bed rail be fully supported by one of the post? If the bottom cleat is fully supported by a post on each end, and the bed slats rest on the bottom cleat, then a 1/4 tongue in a 1/4 groove will be more than sufficient. If the weight of the bed will rest on the lower cleat, then the purpose of the center board and the tongue & groove is to keep the lower cleat rigid. Follow the weight transfer from someone laying in the bed all the way to the floor, and make sure you have sufficient support.

It boils down to how the bed rail will be supported by the post, and how the mattress/box spring will be supported by the bed rail. :icon_scra

Bill Clemmons

 

[kooshball]

How are you attaching the bed rails to the headboard/footboard? Will the bottom cleat of the bed rail be fully supported by one of the post? If the bottom cleat is fully supported by a post on each end, and the bed slats rest on the bottom cleat, then a 1/4 tongue in a 1/4 groove will be more than sufficient. If the weight of the bed will rest on the lower cleat, then the purpose of the center board and the tongue & groove is to keep the lower cleat rigid. Follow the weight transfer from someone laying in the bed all the way to the floor, and make sure you have sufficient support.

It boils down to how the bed rail will be supported by the post, and how the mattress/box spring will be supported by the bed rail. :icon_scra

Bill Clemmons

Plan is to embed a square nut from my "bed bolt" into the tenon from the head/foot board rails that will be insert into the leg. This should accomplish what you described above regarding the bottom rail being fully secured (with a bed bolt) to the legs. I plan to have the mattress foundation sit on cleats or L brackets on the bottom rails.

Thanks

 

[cpowell]

My plan is to glue that 3/4" board between the two rails creating an I-beam. I figured that I would increase the glue area and eliminate any chance that my 3/4" board slides out of position during glue up by incorporating the rabbet into the construction. I apologize but I am not sure sure that I understand your comment regarding "a premium on flat stock", can you help explain your concern with that point?

Thanks!

The rabbet joint will work just fine. I understand your rail beam concept better now.

I think I understand how the bed rails attach to the corner posts. The mattress load will be on the bottom cleat and you will construct knockdown M&T joints with the bed bolts, allowing a little room for expansion/contraction of the side rail assembly - right? :eusa_thin

I love walnut - it's gonna look great!


Chuck

 

[kooshball]

The rabbet joint will work just fine. I understand your rail beam concept better now.

I think I understand how the bed rails attach to the corner posts. The mattress load will be on the bottom cleat and you will construct knockdown M&T joints with the bed bolts, allowing a little room for expansion/contraction of the side rail assembly - right? :eusa_thin

I love walnut - it's gonna look great!


Chuck

You got it; thanks for the advice! So far I have been happy with the aesthetics of the rough lumber after planing. I used 2" slab stock for the legs and got a real pretty one; so much so that I considered making a shotgun stock out of it instead.