Bed bolts, is grooving ok?

[Fat ferret]

I am making a bed, I am going to use the bed nuts like these from Axminster in the bed rails.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-bed-bolt-nuts-pkt-2-ax364429?sel=600907

With a hex headed bolt hidden in the bed leg. I will also use a shallow mortice in the leg to locate the rail.

Should I double up and use 2 bolts per rail? Rail will be 32x195mm.

Also can I groove the bolts into the rail rather than drilling them as I have no way of drilling a deep accurate hole in the end grain.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I don't understand, FF. How are you going to tighten up? How are you going to hide the bolt head in the leg?

I've done several beds and I do it like this:

Draw a normal hex nut, M12, into the leg and veneer over it with 3mm of the same timber. Chamfer the edges and it is truly invisible.

In the rail, rout a groove, rebate it both sides and fill on over the rebate to leave a 13mm square channel down the middle.

Rout a pocket on the inside face of the rail to gain access with a spanner.

Use a length of M12 studding, screw it into the leg, feed it into the rail and tighten with a spanner.

It's very cheap, very strong and very neat. I commend this joint to the House.

 

[Fat ferret]

Thank-you @Steve Maskery for your detailed reply. I will do it your way.

Can't quite see what stops the bolt from turning in the leg though?

 

[Woodmonkey]

I use Steve's method, except the studding screws into an insert on the inside of the leg so no need to mess around with veneer etc

 

[Steve Maskery]

Thank-you @Steve Maskery for your detailed reply. I will do it your way.

Can't quite see what stops the bolt from turning in the leg though?

It bottoms out on the veneer. That's why I use a good thick one. You could use woodmonkey's way, just as long as you are sure you won't pull out the nut.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Something like this will not pull out

 

[Steve Maskery]

No, you are right, they don't pull out. They are a pain to get in straight though. How do you ensure squareness? Last time I used them I used the drill press (not powered, obviously). It was good, if tricky work.
The advantage of using a good thick veneer is that I end up with legs which have identical book-matched grain to their visible front face. It's a bit of work, but it certainly isn't difficult.
In the pictures above, there is a layer of walnut between the body of the leg and the covering veneer. It's probably more than 3mm, actually, I no longer have the bed to measure it. Probably more than 6mm, come to think of it. But the constructional layer of walnut gives a line, just like stringing, all around the leg.

 

[Woodmonkey]

I've found you just need to be careful starting them off, once you've got the first few turns in straight you're golden.