# WIP: Double Bed Headboard (Completed 03/04/09)



## joiner_sim (7 Mar 2009)

You can get the latest updates first on my website: http://www.simonswoodwork.tk

Day One

I brought a new double bed a few months ago, and the headboad did not come with it. They wanted extra. Looking at the various designs & styles available, I liked the look of the wooden ones. However, at a cost of between £100-200 for something like this below, it really did not seem worth the money, especially when I knew I could make it cheaper instead! So here's the new project...... (based on a design of bedworld.net)







Here is my design with all dimensions and cutting list. Making it my own piece.






I got all the timber machined up before christmas, and it has been stored on bearers in the workshop til now. Here's what I've got to work with, its all softwood.






I haven't been in the workshop to work before christmas, because there's no heating and it's been really cold! Today's temperature in the shop reached 14 degrees at the most at one point. Here's what it was before I started work.






My first thing to do was get everything marked out, well the main framing marked out at least. Mortice & tennon joints, will be the only joint I use on this project. As you can see, the three rails, and two stiles are marked out.











To do the mortices, I'm using a cordless drill with a 10mm flat bit in, that takes out most of the timber for me.






The I'm cleaning it out properly with a chisel. Using 10mm & 25mm Irwin/marples chisels.






The stiles are now both completley morticed. May I also point out, I using a new format of workbench today. I'm using a large offcut from a fire door apeture, with a vice I already have screwed on top of it. The worktop is sitting on top of two CLARKE folding trestles. At some point I hope I can incorporate a router into the table top.






With the tennons marked out, I am cutting the shoulders by hand with my tennon saw, as I found in the past my bandsaw, is just not accurate enough for a clean cut.






The thickness of the tennon is then cut on my bandsaw. A 10" Wickes, with a DRAGON SAW blade in it.






And now to cut the haunches, to save having to mark out the haunches on the 6 tennons, I setup a fence on the bandsaw and it was done quickly, thinking about it now, I wish I had cut the tennon thickness this way too!






As before, I cut the shoulders off with my tennon saw, as the bandsaw is not accurate enough in my opinion, here's the tennon finished.






And now for a dry assembly of the main frame.






Here's a close up of the joint on the face.

http://www.freewebs.com/simonswoodwork/ ... %20059.jpg

And one of the edge. I'm going to cut some wedge room, and wedge it. However I'm thinking about the wedge. Should I just do it plain softwood, or would it look effective as a hardwood wedge? What do you think?






With the dry assembly done, I thought I'd go and check it against the bed its for. I then realised that where my mullions are for attaching the the bed, I'd misread my drawing and marked them out wrong by 50mm! Good thing I checked it! You can see how far out I was.......






And here it is again, dry assembly with the attachment mullions in place. They are 18mm think and my rails are 22mm. Now yes shoulders are best for tennons anyways, but I was hoping to just mortice a hole and slide the whole timber piece in. This was not possible as there'd be nothing left in the rail! My mistake here in the cutting list, however the shoulders are better and hide the joint altogether. Unfortunatley though, I will have to adapt this approach for the slats above, because I got them out at 18x18mm! More work, but I think it'll be a better job because of it. Just wish, I'd thought it thru before!






The joints so far......






I probably be continuing with this project next weekend. All I have left to do before a glue up is, mark out the length of all the slats, there 22 in total. Then setup a fence on the bandsaw again and take off 4mm, both side of the tennon to fit into my 10mm mortices. Which have to be cut still, so thats 88 shoulders to be cut, 44 tennons cut to length and 44 10mm mortices to be done! I think that will probably be the longest part of the project time wise. I just hope that my patience will keep and every joint is done as well as the first one! Then before glueing up, comes the finishing of all the edges I won't be able to access after glue-up. I have now got a scraper set, but not sure how to use these & how to sharpen, advice would be appreciated please. My other alternative is getting out the orbital sander, although I've heard from others that the scrapers give a lovely finish. I'm thinking of staining in honey pine, antique pine or dark oak. Should I varnish it after the staining? All comments on the project so far, and advice on my problems that I have, are very much appreciated! Thankyou, for taking the time to look at this project so far!


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## Chems (7 Mar 2009)

Looks good simon, you'll be the expert in M+T when this is done. Did you consider getting a Morticer for the job? Nice small bench standing one?


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## joiner_sim (7 Mar 2009)

Lol, I'm already an expert in machined mortice and tennons as use them all day, but I never have to do them, only have to fix them! This job will truely test me!!! I considered getting a morticer, or even just taking the timber into work and mortising it there! Firstly, money, don't really want to spend it, secondly space, I have none :lol: ..... but thirdly, it's the whole point of my home workshop, to do stuff hand crafted...... minus the bandsaw, the drill and the various other portable power tools that are there! :lol: I think it's sorta therapuetic for me, making joinery with minimal machinery, after using machines day in, day out.


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## Out int shed (7 Mar 2009)

I tend to use a mortice chisel to cut out my mortice joints. I don't have a moticer, just the chisels. They work perfectly when used like a normal chisel - remember to take the bit out first though!!


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## Out int shed (7 Mar 2009)

Just found a picture of it:


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## joiner_sim (7 Mar 2009)

Thats a lil bit scary!


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## Chems (8 Mar 2009)

Lol, thats not a bad idea, do you remove the central waste first?


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## Out int shed (8 Mar 2009)

im interested to know, why would it be a wee bit scary simon?

Chems, yes i remove the bulk of the waste by either routering or drilling out the bulk of the material to be removed, then i use the mortice chisel to square up the corners. so much faster than with a standard chisel cos' you are squaring 3 faces in one go.


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## OPJ (8 Mar 2009)

Looking good so far, Simon. Most projects have their downsides and, it sounds like yours is coming up with all those mortises... :shock: Once that's out of the way though, you'll feel the build is really coming along and you'll be very close to completing it! :wink: 

I think hardwoods wedges would provide a nice contrast but, if you're going to stain this piece anyway, does it really matter?

If you intend to stain it, I've got a bit of advice for you...

What I found really helped with my blanket chest (also pine) was to first apply a thin coat of sanding sealer (mixed 50/50 with thinners) BEFORE staining. Then, apply your choice of stain. Thinning this down a little also helps; I found one coat was enough. And finally, another coat of sealer (can be thicker than before). It's easier to do all this before you start gluing up. You should apply your knotting after the stain and denib in between coats with 400g SiC paper. It worked for me! :wink:


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## joiner_sim (8 Mar 2009)

Thanks for the comments so far!

And, it just seems like alot to remove in one bash.


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## brianhabby (9 Mar 2009)

Hope my missus doesn't see this thread, she's been asking for a headboard for our new bed for ages.  

You must have some passion for your hobby considering you are making things at work all day as well, I envy you. The danger with doing any job that is also a hobby is that sometimes that passion can be lost after time. I hope this doesn't happen to you Simon.

Keep it up

regards

Brian


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## joiner_sim (9 Mar 2009)

I find when I'm at home doing some woodwork, its completley different to work. And I can distance myself from it. I could easily knock this headboard up within a matter of a few hours at work, using all the machines that are available. But then it would just be work. At home, its time and patience, and tea breaks :wink: Using the tools I want to use, and how I want to use them.


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## joiner_sim (14 Mar 2009)

Today, I first started off byt chopping out all the mortices for the slatted part. I was using my 10mm flat bit in my cordless drill to take out the bulk of it, and then cleaning out the mortice square with a 10mm chisel and a 12mm chisel. The mortice was 18mm wide, but a piece of advice from me is to use a smaller one, like the 12mm to clear the width of the mortice as a chsel thats exactly the right size can get stuck and even cause the timber to split by forcing its way thru when its too tight.






One rail down, one to go.






Both of the rails all morticed, 50 mortices in total!






I then marked out one of the slats off the stiles and then to save time sash clamped all the slats together and sqaured the line acorss in one go.






I was going to cut all the shoulders on my bandsaw. I did about 2 or 3 tennons, and the blade snapped! Got out the spare and that snapped!!!! So my bandsaw is now dormant til I get a new blade.






I resorted to cutting all the 25 slats, 50 tennons, 100 shoulders, by......... hand!






The end result after lots of sawing.






A dry assembly of just the slats.....






A close-up of all the joints.....






The end product, well...... nearly, its a dry assembly it all needs cleaning up, gluing and a top capping putting on, also the stiles cutting to their correct length. Hope you are enmjoying my progress so far!






Please leave your comments and suggestions, thanks! :wink: 

> Also, what would you guys think would be the best finish for this project? I'm going to stain it as you know. Do I use cabinet scrapers, or do I orbital sand it?


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## Out int shed (14 Mar 2009)

Its a really nice feeling when you finally get the rails and stiles to meet and square up, you've done really well there considering its all by hand.


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## brianhabby (14 Mar 2009)

Not many cups of tea today then Simon with all those tenons to cut by hand - I think I would have spent the day looking for another bandsaw blade  

You should be quite pleased with the progress so far, it's looking good.

As for the finish, what about what Olly said above?

regards

Brian


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## mailee (15 Mar 2009)

Looking good Sim. I can appreciate all the work that has gone into that by hand. I am afraid I haven't got the patients to do it all by hand. I admire your dedication. :wink:


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## superunknown (15 Mar 2009)

Thanks for you great WIP, interesting. Great practice there with all that hand tool work. I don't think I would have had the patience, would have just used a morticer or router.


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## joiner_sim (15 Mar 2009)

Nope not many cups of tea at all! :roll: My mum and dad were away for the weekend, so I even had to go and fetch em myself!  I started at 11am, and planned to finish up at 4pm, so I decided that I'd have a break at 1.15pm, it was around about that time my bandsaw blade broke just before I stopped for a break! That probably gave me a better patience to complete the joints. I was finished by half 3 in the end with a dry assembly. 

To follow on now, I've just got to clean everything up, I am thinking the same as what I did when I made a coffee table, 80 grit, 120 grit and then finish with 180 grit(siliconecarbide) giving it a smooth finish, although now too sure on how the stain would take to it. Would varnishing over the stain look good? :? Once all the inside edges are sanded up, a glue-up will be in order, hopefully that will be day three all done. And then just apply the finishes to it. 

Thanks to all of you who have looked and commented on this WIP.
Simon.
-Hopefully more to follow next weekend!


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## joiner_sim (20 Mar 2009)

Today, I was back in the private shop for the whole afternoon, starting at 3pm and finishing at 7.30pm. With the frame dry assembled, I just needed to clean up all the inside edges. I am trying a new technique I hae not tried before at finishing, on this project. Instead of sing an orbital sander, everything is going to be done by hand. After having to cut almost all the joints by hand, especialy the bandsaw out of action still!!! It feels only right that I should have ago doing it by hand. I got the radio blaring out loud, seeing as there was going to be no other noise apart from the shavings! So I first started off by hand planing up the edges, with my Stanley Baily No.4 easy peasy!






Now to get out my set of cabinet scrapers I was brought by my girlfriend. They are Footprint Sheffield Steel ones, from Machine Mart. As I have never used these before, I asked for advice from somebody who I work with on how to use and sharpen. To sharpen up I just got a metal file and filed the one edge of the scraper I was going to use. I then got to work with it, well, I first tested my technique on a bit of scrap, then onto the proper job. (Just look at the concentration on my face!!!!)






I found when using the scraper that you had to go in all different directions to go with the grain, and this is what took the most time, getting it nice and smooth, with the grain!

Then once all the edges well hand planed, smoothened, and then cabinet scraped, I used my Stanley plane again to just take off the sharp corners.






Then once I'd done all the main frame I got to work on the uprights. Now there are 25 of them, thats erm........ 100 edges to be smoothed and scraped and sharp edges taken off. This took alot of time, and as I write this now there only half done. You can see it it dark outside, compared to the earlier pictures, 7.30pm I started cleaning up! The picture below shows how I was taking off the sharp edges on the uprights, as if I did it in the vice I would have caught my plane undoubtly! Of course I never had my hand under the blade I turned the piece over to do the other ends.






Now just a workshop shot, to show you the space I have if you haven't seen it already. For night-time working, however I still use my lights in the day, I have a 500W portable floodlight which you cannot see but is just above the ladders, this provides the best lighting, and the light you can see in the photo is just a 60W clip-on bulb for more direct light, when it goes dark outside, and theres no daylight shining thru anymore.






And for the grand finale, of today's pictures................... All the shavings that were generated! These were about an inch deep all over the floor before I swept up.






I hope you've enjoyed looking thru this latest update, once again, as usual, please leave me your comments and suggestions. Especially regarding my sharpening and using techniques of the cabinet scraper, as I would like to hear if anyone else does it differently. I thin in the future I will be investing in a scraper plane, to make the work a bit lighter.


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## joiner_sim (22 Mar 2009)

Finished off the cabinet scraping today, routered the top rail capping, also found out the my plunge lock on the router is bust so will have to purchase a new one soon  and finally got it glued up


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## Chems (22 Mar 2009)

If your router is anything like my cheap jobby its normally just that its slipped and you need to take the plastic locking handle off and reposition so you can get more turn to lock it off properly.


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## joiner_sim (22 Mar 2009)

Thanks for the tip. I will have a look into that and find out if I can repair it by taking it off and re-positioning it, hopefully it is just that, as I don;t fancy buying a new one, as the age old saying would apply this time. BUy cheap that wat you get, so I'd be splashing out on a TREND expensive one, If I had to.


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## Paul Chapman (22 Mar 2009)

joiner_sim":3ed8ihju said:


> please leave me your comments and suggestions. Especially regarding my sharpening and using techniques of the cabinet scraper, as I would like to hear if anyone else does it differently.



Hi Sim,

You said that you simply filed the edge of your card scraper. You really need to hone it as well and then turn a hook on it to produce the best results. You turn the hook with a burnisher.

I've done some photos of how to do it with the blade for a scraper plane but not a card scraper, which you do slightly differently. The best I can find is in the instructions for the Veritas burnisher. Have a look here http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 41070&ap=1 then scroll down and click on Instr That will show you how to turn the hook.

Hope that helps.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## DeanN (23 Mar 2009)

Fine Woodworking (Dec 2008) had a good article on the card scraper, including instructions on filing, honing and raising a burr.


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## joiner_sim (23 Mar 2009)

Thanks for the info regarding the scraper. I've got a bit of scraper work left to do, just clean up any bits that may have got glue on them, and clean up the outside edges of the stiles, where the wedged mortice & tennons are.

I am hoping to finish it off and apply the first bit of stain on friday, time dependant though.


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## CroppyBoy1798 (24 Mar 2009)

I take it you have no power in the shed? Seeing the picture of the light hooked up to the extension lead reminded me of my 'shop' a few years back when I had to run an extension lead up to it if I wanted a bit of light! God be with the days! :lol: 

Looks like you're doing some nice work there and great to see some of the traditional methods being used which you dont see all that often now, and why would you when you can do it in half the time and with half the effort on a machine! :? 

Looking forward to seeing the end result.


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## joiner_sim (24 Mar 2009)

Nope no power in the shed, a 25 metre extension lead does the trick though for lighting and tools. :wink:


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## shim20 (24 Mar 2009)

looking good, the scapers are very handy once you get used to them, you will be suprised what you can use them for.


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## joiner_sim (27 Mar 2009)

Latest updates on my website: http://www.simonswoodwork.tk

Right, I recently finished off all that cabinet scraping and glued up my frame, using wedges and sash cramps. I used evo-stick interior wood glue. The picture below shows the frame today just before I took the cramps off, you can also see the wedges in the tennons.







I then cleaned up the outside edges of the stiles with my hand plane and then the scraper. I then brushed it all down, cleaned the work shop out from as much dust as possible, and setup to start putting the finish on it. Here, below you can see it before the finish gets applied.

http://www.freewebs.com/simonswoodwork/WIPheadboard/DSCF0302.jpg[img]

I am using Satin Pine Varnish, and here's the headboard after its first coat.

[img]http://www.freewebs.com/simonswoodwork/WIPheadboard/DSCF0307.jpg[img]

Here's a close-up of the frame's capping, that I machined up just before I glues the frame together, using a router I put the moulding on.

[img]http://www.freewebs.com/simonswoodwork/WIPheadboard/DSCF0308.jpg

Here's a close-up of the joints, including the wedged mortice and tennon. The "scuff" marks you can see on the rail are were I've just scraped some dried drips off, ready for the second coat.






And now here's the headboard after its second coat, looking at this first picture (where the camera flash went off) I think I will be applying a third and final coat.






However in this second photo, where the flash did not go off, you would think a third coat is not nessecary. I will have a look at the fram again another day to see wether or not it needs the third coat. I do really like the colour in this picture though, it has a "warmth" to it.






I am really pleased with the finish on this so far. And I'm also pleased that I used the cabinet scrapers rather than sandpaper. When you look at the timber and how nice it is and feels, you know you could not have achieved the same result with sandpaper! Please leave me your comments on this once again, thanks!

(I'll be posting a final few pictures with or without the third coat, when it's fitted to the bed its intended for!)


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## dexter (27 Mar 2009)

Nice job sim,

Takes me back to when I was an apprentice, not allowed to operate machines until I was 18, (don`t know if the legislation has changed these days) so a job like that would have to be done by hand. It certainly taught you how to use your hand tools and to care for them.

Dex


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## joiner_sim (27 Mar 2009)

The legislation these days is, that nobody under 18 years of age cannot use any machine that has exposed cutters. They may use these machines though if they are over 16 and are FULLY supervised. 

I remember on my apprenticeship where everything had to be done by hand, not even able to drill out the bulk of the mortice, all had to be chiseled out, back in the training college. On site, in the joinery shop though, I was allowed to use the morticer.


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## jhwbigley (28 Mar 2009)

in sixth form we where allowed to use everything apart from the TS and PT.
we where "supervised" , well from sometimes 3 doors away drinking coffee in the departmental office.

head boards looking good! 

John


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## joiner_sim (31 Mar 2009)

This evening, I've cabinet scraped the fine top layer of varnish off the surface, and applied the third and final coat, it looked like glass, and I hope it feels like glass too, but will have to wait til it's dried to find out :roll: Pictures of the end product and fitted to the bed should be online on Friday evening.


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## richburrow (31 Mar 2009)

Nice one 
You have got some serious patience on your side. You have got a really nice looking headboard there. 

A few scrapper tips that might be of help to you.

When I use cab scrapper I prepare four edges at once so when one looses it bite you have three more to turn to. 
A slight bend / flex improves the shaving.
When you are using the scrapper for sometime it gets warm and this can result in nasty blisters on your thumbs / Sticking plasters on your thumbs stop this. 

Fairplay to you a nice looking project
Rich[/b]


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## miles_hot (1 Apr 2009)

very impressive - wish I had the skill and patience!


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## woodchip (1 Apr 2009)

Great work, and in such a restricted workshop.


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## joiner_sim (2 Apr 2009)

Thanks for the recent kind comments :wink: Rich, that's one thing I never found happen to badly to me...... the scraper didnt get hot, only warm, it may have been the frequent breaks of hand planing/smoothing and then scraping. I think I will be preparing all four edges of the scraper because it can be quite annoying how the one edge wil just "loose" its bite, and everything has to stop til you have put the edge/ burr back on. :roll:


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## OPJ (2 Apr 2009)

Veritas do a fancy holder for card scrapers that keep your thumbs from feeling the burn and also hold the flex for you. You could probably knock something up from scrap wood... Alternatively, hold some scraps of abrasive paper! :wink:


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## joiner_sim (2 Apr 2009)

Just had a look for it in my axminster catalogue, not highly priced for what it is, so might get one in the future....... my birthdays coming up :lol:


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## joiner_sim (3 Apr 2009)

Right in the middle of the week, I cabinet scraped a very thin layer of the top of the varnish, to make it all smooth again, and then I applied the third and final coat. Then allowed it to dry for 3 days. Today, is the day I've fitted it onto the bed, finally after all that hard work! A tiny little bit of me is hoping and praying that it's the right size! :roll: :lol: Right here's the full view picture with it's finish applied.

http://www.freewebs.com/simonswoodwork/WIPheadboard/DSCF0318.jpg - I Have had to put the image links like this as he camera took them as MASSIVE photo's and they would destroy the forum's layout. Please let the images load up, they will re-size once loaded to fit your screen.

And a nice little close-up shot.....

http://www.freewebs.com/simonswoodwork/WIPheadboard/DSCF0325.jpg

And now to fit it to the bed, here's how....

http://www.freewebs.com/simonswoodwork/WIPheadboard/DSCF0319.jpg

And now the last two final pictures, of it fitted in its place.... The first picture is with the flash on, the second is the flash off. Two different effects, and it actually looks something in between the two! 

http://www.freewebs.com/simonswoodwork/WIPheadboard/DSCF0321.jpg






I hope you have enjoyed looking thru this set of Work-In-Progress pictures! I hope I can bring some more of a new project soon!

The write-up is available in-full length on my website if you're interested in reading it as a whole article.

And for the last and final time in the topic...... Your comments & suggestions are very much welcome, as I'm relatively new to this furniture making lark!  

\/ ccasion5: 
...(hammer) 
(homer)


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## Chems (3 Apr 2009)

That looks great Sim, couldn't be better!


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## OPJ (3 Apr 2009)

Looks like you've done a cracking job with the finish! Very well done.  

Now, on to your next project...!


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## BTR (3 Apr 2009)

That looks really good


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## richburrow (4 Apr 2009)

Well done mate, that looks very nice


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## joiner_sim (6 Apr 2009)

Thanks for the comments, and I hope who ever's read this topic has enjoyed it and maybe taken something from it. Not sure when my next project will start, but I do want to make a cabinet with some panelled doors, however an MDF fitted wardrobes looks more likley to be next. :roll:


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## devonwoody (7 Apr 2009)

;Nice job.

Actually I have got a headboard on my to do list.

Looking at your cutting list/plan (second photo at the start of this thread), I note you have four battens fitted below the headboard pattern.

Are these what are used to hold the headboard to the divan?

I also assume you are taking the outside frame to floor level to create more stability?


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## joiner_sim (7 Apr 2009)

Yes the 4 battens are what I have used to attach the headboard to the divan. And the frame does go down to floor level. After having it attached to the bed for a few days now, it is still very stable, fiuxed and secure to the bed.


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## rileytoolworks (7 Apr 2009)

Excellent work Sim. Really enjoyed following the progress on this one.
Your patience and dedication have payed off with a lovely end product. Good on ya mate.


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## devonwoody (8 Apr 2009)

Thanks Joiner Sim for your reply, although I am thinking of cheating at the moment.
Buy a veneered door and secure it to the wall, :wink: sounds an easy project might be the way for me to go. 

Anyone tried that?


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