[Arlaghan]

Well, first project after building my shop in my garage.

End assemblies partially completed:

Mortises for the hardware:

Lots of corbels:

Attached to end assembly:

Starting to look like a bunkbed:

Ladder. I cut the dados on one wrong, so I had to compensate by adding feet. I think it looks better this way, so happy accident. With feet:

Finished bed. Here you can see the feet on the ladder. We had visitors so I had to set it up before I could finish it (stain and poly) but it held up pretty well.

 

[Dominick]

Nice work. Looks clean and sturdy.
Should last a long time.

 

[butacska]

First project? WOW, you are a pro already, awesome work!

 

[tc65]

Those are some really styling bunk beds!

How are the top and bottom beds attached?

 

[Arlaghan]

Thanks, its amazing what you can learn from the internet, hehehe.

For attaching the beds, I basically drilled a hole in the top of each header and embedded a 1/2" nut in there. Then I screwed in a 1/2" threaded rod that sticks out about an inch and a half. There are corresponding holes in the bottom of each foooter.

I saw a cool tip on the wood whisperer where he took a carriage bolt, polished the ends and painted them black. I plan to do the same to cover the holes when the bed is split into twins. Hope this works!

 

[Travico]

You could make a living building those, NICE!

 

[Gotspiccoli]

Wow good job you are a very ballsy guy to attempt that on your first project clearly you never have seen Step Brothers the movie. I am literally laughing out loud in my office just thinking of the scene with the bunk beds.

 

[4DThinker]

Safety rails for the top bunk? When a kid my brother and I shared a bunk bed, with me on top. I have two dents on my skull from falls off the top bunk onto my collection of steel Tonka Trucks. Bloody head, trips to the emergency room for stitches, shortening my parents lives no doubt. My bunk had a rail, but the rail laid loose on the head/tail boards. It was always on the floor with me after a fall. When it was my turn to make bunk beds for nieces the top bunk had a rail that was firmly attached. The ladder was mounted on the foot board which had a pass through gap.

 

[Arlaghan]

Lol, I need to see that movie!

But how events unfolded:

I purchased the bunkbed plans and hardware from Rockler. When they arrived and I had a chance to look over the plans, I was a bit disappointed with them. The legs weren't as beefy, measurements were wrong, and I didn't like the design at the end of the day. So I ended up putting it all in sketchup, changed it to a more craftsman style, beefed up the legs to 3 inches and took some other design ideas from a plan I got from plansnow for making a library table. (Such as veneers for the legs so they have quarter sawn look on all faces). I had plenty of time to build it... It ended up taking me way more time than I care to admit.

As for rails, I plan to build them in the future. Right now my son is too little and still sleeps in his crib. Adults use the bunkbeds so they assume the risks.

 

[Chaincarver Steve]

Lol, I need to see that movie!

But how events unfolded:

I purchased the bunkbed plans and hardware from Rockler. When they arrived and I had a chance to look over the plans, I was a bit disappointed with them. The legs weren't as beefy, measurements were wrong, and I didn't like the design at the end of the day. So I ended up putting it all in sketchup, changed it to a more craftsman style, beefed up the legs to 3 inches and took some other design ideas from a plan I got from plansnow for making a library table. (Such as veneers for the legs so they have quarter sawn look on all faces). I had plenty of time to build it... It ended up taking me way more time than I care to admit.

As for rails, I plan to build them in the future. Right now my son is too little and still sleeps in his crib. Adults use the bunkbeds so they assume the risks.

This post sounds like some one with some experience under their belt. You beefed up the legs, discovered bad measurement and altered the plan to your liking. That's what "real" woodworkers do. For a first project (or even a 12th project), I think you did a great job. :thumbsup: Congratulations on a project done well. Very nice looking design too.

I do agree with the earlier comment concerning railings though. You might want to look into that at some point. A fall from that height can really ruin a kid's day.

 

[Chaincarver Steve]

Step Brothers bunk bed scene:

 

[Arlaghan]

Hahaha, I have to rent that movie. Looks great. Now I have one for you guys. My friend at work sent me this video. Hilarious!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTcvmmOkqJI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[unclefester]

Those are funny

 

[Stevedore]

Great job, you do very nice work. :thumbsup:

Funny that you mentioned cutting the dados wrong on the ladder- When our kids were small, I built loft beds for them so they'd have extra floor space in their relatively small bedrooms. I prepared the rails for the ladders, cut the angle at the floor ends, rounded off the top ends, etc. Then proceeded to cut all the dados for the steps identically, & wound up with 4 right side rails!

 

[Chaincarver Steve]

Hahaha, I have to rent that movie. Looks great. Now I have one for you guys. My friend at work sent me this video. Hilarious!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTcvmmOkqJI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

That's funny. He actually makes ME look like a pretty decent woodworker. :laughing:

 

[Arlaghan]

Ouch, did you make more lofts so you could use the pieces?

I was so worried about doing exactly that, that I focused more on getting the angles right and got my first measurement wrong, so one side had the dados offset from the opposite side. As luck would have it, it was off approx 3/4" so I shortened them and added the feet. My wife says it actually made the ladder look more completed.

By the way, that video was so funny, I watched it a few times. Hehehe!

 

[gus1962]

This one will surely be a family heirloom and should serve for long years! Great job on the bunk beds and looks sturdy.

 

[eznaz]

Looks Great!

 

[cabinetman]

Well done indeed. Nice design. I agree with 4D, in that there should be rails for anyone that's sleeping in the top bunk...kids or adults.

.

 

[MagGeorge]

Great looking bunk beds and sturdy as well. Like the design especially the corbels and the feet on the ladder, added some style to it. Excellent work!