Knock-down bed fasteners - what would you do?

[pidgeonpost]

Last year I was tasked with (yet another) unpaid commission - making a double-bed in oak for daughter and her beloved. It had to be of knock-down construction, so I used these fasteners from Isaac Lord http://www.isaaclord.co.uk/enlarge.aspx ... 113917.jpg. The fasteners are of good quality and very strong, but unfortunately the fixing screws are pulling out of the legs of the bed (3" x 2.5" stock) at the headboard end. I suspect that this is due to the leverage present when two people are leaning against the headboard. I refuse to dwell on other possible causes :wink:
I was very surprised by this, and although I could reposition, re-drill, and re-fix the brackets, I hate the thought that this may happen again, so am considering ditching these brackets and using bed bolts similar to these... http://www.brimarc.com/home.php3?page=products&pc=G0701 or these... http://www.brimarc.com/home.php3?page=products&pc=G0701 .
Using these would call for some reasonably accurate drilling of the side rails of the bed to ensure that the bolts and cross-dowel nuts align properly. If using only one fastener per corner I'd be tempted to fix a dowel (maybe a short steel one) to help with location/support.
What would you do and how would you do it folks??

 

[Nick Gibbs]

That's exactly how to do it, only you can also buy the bolts with countersunk heads and a threaded hole in the slot to take a brass cover. I expect you can buy these from Isaac Lord. You can also get brass 'seats' to go beneath the countersunk head, if that makes any sense.

It should be fine using a single bolt per joint, but I seem to recall that we used to use two. Ideally you ought to use two locating dowels per joint to stop the rail from twisting (which happened to the first bed I made).

My mum and dad used to run a bed-making business, and we used this technique for years. I notice that the company now uses a different type of fitting (possibly like the one you mention first) which seems to work well enough on the bed Tina and I bought from them recently. Perhaps we're not, ummmmm, enthusiastic enough, or perhaps there's a knack to installing them.

Cheers

Nick

 

[jasonB]

You could drill out the old screw holes, fit M6 threaded inserts then use M6 bolts to hold the existing fittings in place.

If you don't want to see the fixings then I have used the ones which are like giant cam & dowel carcase fittings combined with nmetal dowels & sockets, woodfit do them and suitable threaded inserts. Just need a hinge drill for the 35mm hole.

Jason

 

[BradNaylor]

When I was in the pine trade I made dozens of beds and found that the type of fittings you have used were not really up to scratch.

By far the best is this type;

I get mine here

Cheers
Dan

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Actually that seems to be what's been used on our bed, Dan. They do work very well, and are inconspicuous. The old method was fine, but these are better.

Nick

 

[pidgeonpost]

Gents...many thanks for the follow-ups on my post. Looks like the type suggested by Dan may be favourite. The link you kindly provided, Dan, takes me to the 'Adfix' website, and although they list the 'Luna bed fitting set', there's no pic or illustration, so I'll have to get in touch with them to see exactly what the kit consists of. I would imagine that the price of £2.70 they quote is for one corner only. Am I right in thinking that the screw-in bush doesn't have an internal thread by the way?
Thanks again!

 

[jasonB]

Am I right in thinking that the screw-in bush doesn't have an internal thread by the way

The bush HAS got an internal thread to suit the stud, bit small to read but looks like M8

Jason

 

[pren]

I always thought that bed bolts were to be used in conjunction with a M+T joint?

The tennoned rail fits the morticed post which takes the vertical load and the bolt prevents the rail from being pulled out of the mortice through ... 'leverage'?

I would have thought bed bolts alone would be ripped out of the rail? :? (total novice speaking here :roll: :lol: )

I'm in the process of planning my first double bed and am considering using something like Dan's suggested mech fixings but with a tennon instead of dowels.

Cheers.
Bryn

 

[pidgeonpost]

Bryn...I take your point on using a short M&T joint to take the load, and would certainly consider this if making another bed. I really didn't think I would encounter the problem I've got though. Some of the KD brackets are pretty lightweight, but the ones I used are 3mm steel, and I thought that the screws would be perfectly adequate. Just shows how wrong you can be! Hopefully the fittings suggested will do the job in conjunction with a couple of beefy dowels.