Metal free 'knockdown' joints for bed

[CONGER]

I am wishing to build a bed; pretty basic 4-plank design.

Some requirements....
>>The bed must be 'knockdown'; I do not want to have to move the bed 'assembled' when I move house. This means that I must use 'knockdown' joints.

>>The bed must be metal-free.

I need suggestions please, on how the 'corners' can be joined.

Typically I only work with hand tools... or perhaps with a router (one with a tail).

TIA... gerard

 

[dedee]

A though mortice and tenon with a wedge perhaps? A tusk tenon I think it's called.

Andy

 

[George_N]

How about sliding dovetails to connect the planks to the legs. If you don't use glue it could be dis-assembled if you need to move it. Not sure if the sliding DT would be strong enough on its own for a bed though.

 

[Colin C]

How about draw pegging mortice and tennons as it was done a long time ago for this

Try Here for how to :wink:

 

[George_N]

How about draw pegging mortice and tennons as it was done a long time ago for this

Try Here for how to :wink:

Are draw bored or draw pegged M&Ts readily knocked down for moving though?

 

[Colin C]

I have repaired lots of furniture that was made too

You just have to make sure your dowels are bigger than you would and the hole goes all the way through the leg.

Ps Make sure the the end is not to thin so you can knock them out when you need too

 

[ydb1md]

How about draw pegging mortice and tennons as it was done a long time ago for this

Try Here for how to :wink:

Are draw bored or draw pegged M&Ts readily knocked down for moving though?

I wouldn't say "readily knocked down" but it's relatively easy to disassemble them. I wouldn't recommend disassembling them a lot as they'll loosen up eventually but it would work well for a couple of moves.

 

[Horst Hohoff]

Hello,
If I'm not very much mistaken, drawpegging means, that the holes through the mortice and the tenon are slightly offset ( about 1 -1.5 mm ), so that after banging the dowel in, the joint is drawn tight. Because of the offset of the holes the dowel sits very tight in his holes and I guess it would take a lot of hammering to get it out again, and maybe cause damage to the piece of furniture. Therefore I would not use this type of joint for a knockdown construction.

 

[Colin C]

Hello,
If I'm not very much mistaken, drawpegging means, that the holes through the mortice and the tenon are slightly offset ( about 1 -1.5 mm ), so that after banging the dowel in, the joint is drawn tight. Because of the offset of the holes the dowel sits very tight in his holes and I guess it would take a lot of hammering to get it out again, and maybe cause damage to the piece of furniture. Therefore I would not use this type of joint for a knockdown construction.

If you are using big pegs it can and has been used as I have worked on furniture like this ( Antique restorer )

 

[Frank D.]

I doN,t know if this is what Andy is referring to, but I've seen a true knockdown bed with through tenons and perpendicular wedges holding the tenons tight. The wedges are not inserted into the tenon like a glued wedge; the through tenon sticks out the end an inch and a half or so, and the wedge is inserted perpendicularly through a slot in the tenon, pulling the piece with the tenon tight against the piece with the mortise. The wedges are beefy enough to be easily knocked out with a hammer. The only disadvantage is that you lost a little clearance at each end of the bed because of the tenons sticking out.
Hope that's clear

 

[dedee]

Frank,
yes that was what I was thinking of.

Some very fine examples here:-
http://www.hayama-cabinetmakers.com/Tansu.htm

Andy

 

[Anonymous]

You must enter a message when posting

 

[ydb1md]

what about wooden bed bolts?

 

[CONGER]

Hi ydb1md and the other respondents... I have designed a joint that uses a dovetail 'inlaid' into the side of a solid 100mm leg... looks like a lap joint. The dovetail is held in position using through wooden bolts. The outside shows a half ball (hemisphere)... the inside simple 'nuts'. The bolts do not take any of the wracking stresses of the joint, but simply keep the joint together. There are still some realisation problems... principally the bolts, I am looking at the alternatives available... and they are confusing... the price ranges from expensive to very expensive.

-gerard-

 

[David C]

Gerard,

My bench design has massive through tennons with one wedge per joint.

See page 11 of book 1.

These are very rigid, simple and easy to disassemble any number of times.

The Cheeks of the tennons & mortices are slightly tapered (maybe 1/2 mm) which makes for easy assembly, only tightening as the shoulders close.

I haved always thought this would work well for a bed.

David C

 

[Alf]

A point made elsewhere on the forum a while ago that seems worth mentioning is that if you're going to have any kind of tenon or whathaveyou sticking out then try and design the bed so the upperworks overhang in some way or otherwise visually guide your shins away from the projections.

Cheers, Alf