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Red Oak King Size Mission Style Bed

comments (3) January 20th, 2010 in Reader's Gallery

GregD_4847 GregD_4847, member
thumbs up 7 users recommend
Overall view of bed temporarily set up in living room.
Detailed view of footboard post.  Note square pegging in the post and corbel.
View of oak stretchers and feet
View of headboard
Overall view of bed temporarily set up in living room. - CLICK TO ENLARGE

Overall view of bed temporarily set up in living room.
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I built this recently as a Christmas present for my daughter.  All the joinery is mortise and tenon, including all 54 slats in the head and footboard.  When assembled it's remarkably stable and solid.  I honestly don't know how many hours I have in it, since I didn't keep track.  Finish is based upon Sam Maloof's recipe and there are 4 base coats all hand rubbed followed by 4 top coats all hand rubbed.


Design or Plan used: My own design
posted in: Reader's Gallery, bed, red oak, Mission
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Comments (3)

GregD_4847 GregD_4847 writes: Jurgen,

Thank you for the comment. All the mortises were created using my floor standing drill press and mortising kit. I've done mortises by hand on a number of earlier projects. I was building a cradle last year for our friends who were expecting their first grandchild and the sheer number of mortises I needed to cut forced me to consider automating the process and using my drill press. I'm very happy I made the shift, since the Mission bed I just made has well over 100 mortises in it. There's no way I would have cut them all by hand and finish the other Christmas projects I was making for my family in time for the holidays (a Cape Cod themed oak bar for my son, a coffee table for my wife and a loft bed for my son.

Thanks again
Posted: 7:28 pm on January 28th

Jurgen01 Jurgen01 writes: This is very well done. Your design, materials, and woodworking skills have combined to yield a beautiful and useful piece of furniture. Your daughter will treasure this bed for many years to come -- and I suspect the grandchildren will get good use out of it, too. Thanks for the photos.

P.S. I have made several beds like this, so I have to ask: Did you use a hollow chisel mortiser in the construction of this bed? :-)
Posted: 10:13 am on January 27th

Willan Willan writes: You are a patient man Greg, nice to see work of this caliber.

Your daughter is a lucky girl.


Well done!
Posted: 7:25 pm on January 21st

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