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I am in the final stages of completing a pencil post bed. I am using bolted mortise-and-tenon joints to join the rails to the posts. Since this is the first time I have made a bed, I made a practice joint using some cutoffs. The joint went together well, but I could not get it apart. It is important for a pencil post bed to come apart when you want it to!
To save money, I plan to use standard bolts and nuts from the hardware store. They are much cheaper than $5 bed bolts. But it seems that using standard bolts is causing a problem. Standard bolts are pretty close to round, and I found that makes them hard to take apart. The nut spins inside the rail mortise, and I can’t get a grip on it.
Here is my question, am I making things too hard on myself by using standard nuts and bolts? Should I buy bed bolts with square nuts? And is there a good way to avoid using expensive bed bolts and still be able to take the bed apart? Any suggestions?
Bob
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Bob; forgive me for asking but why would you spend all the time it takes to make a nice bed, then skimp on the hardware to save 20 bucks? I think that Horton Brasses in Cromwell,Ct. sells bed bolts. If you must a good hardware store should be able to provide a square nut or you could cut some square bar stock and tap it yourself. Drew
*Bob, I have used ordinary bolts successfully many times. At first I had the exact problem you describe, which I solved in an unsatisfactory way, by jamming the nut with a screwdriver blade whilst tightening or un-doing the bolt with a socket wrench. I'd made the holes for the nuts with a forstner, then chiselled a flat for the nut to rest against. Very neat, but as you have discovered, you can't get a wrench in there! I then decided to cut a SLOT for the nut on all future bed rails, with the plunge router - problem solved.You still face the same problem with square nuts, unless you fit them very neatly in their housing. That means you are going to have to drill the bolt-hole with stunning accuracy, or ream it 'til you can get the bolt to start. Same problem with barrel nuts, only more so. So for an occasional bed-maker like yourself, just make a bigger slot - it's all out of sight, anyway......Cheers, IW
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