Baby Cradle Project

[Mark Stutz]

It’s been a long time since I posted. Been doing some lurking and looks like there are still a lot of familiar faces and names. After a far too long hiatus from woodworking I’m finally able to get back into the shop. Between a move, new job with a lot more responsibility, etc, life just seemed to get I the way.
As is usually the case, there is a special project that has drawn me back to the shop. I will become a grandfather for the first time in a couple of months, so decided I better get my act in gear! A cradle is first on the list of projects.

I would really like to build this http://books.google.ca/books?id=0vkD...page&q&f=false with the hand cut dovetails, though I didn’t really like the idea of the cradle just sitting on the upright, held by gravity. Some additional search led me to these plans http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Furn...y+cradle+plans

Since I will be shipping this halfway across the country, and because there will be move in their future, I’d like to make it as knockdown as possible. The plans in the book use a captured nut to connect the uprights and the stretcher, but the cradle is one piece. I’d really like to make the side separate from the ends.

My first question relates to that connection. Would a captured bolt http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/pag...,43455&p=67659 be better than a threaded insert? Either way, the rail will be captured in a shallow mortise for stability. And since the hardware will show, are there any sources for something with a decorative end cap? I will be using cherry, so a brass accent would work well.

Any other ideas or suggestions will be appreciated.

[Lee Schierer]

I've had concealed nuts before and I generally use T-nuts 120c4156-9ea3-4bfb-af9d-aafc308267a9_400.jpg they have a better grip in the wood than a threaded insert will and are much easier to install. To install you drill a counter bore with a forstner bit to match the diameter of the flange and then drill a through hole that matches the barrel diameter. Press the teeth into the wood and you are done.

[Mark Stutz]

Thanks, Lee. I just read my post again, and think I wasn't as clear as I should have been. I hope to make the side rails to be able to separate from the cradle ends, as opposed to the cradle part being one piece.

Since these will be going into end grain on the rails, will this hold well enough, or would some added epoxy be a good idea. This was part of the reason for considering the captured nut, since I wouldn't be screwing into end grain. The author just screwed into the end grain and plugged the screw holes, but that makes me nervous.