Cradle plan Advice

[gary Zimmel]

In about 12 weeks I am going to be a grampa so it's time to get started on my first cradle.

Well I thought I had 12 weeks but yesterday was asked if it could be ready for the baby shower in 4 weeks....

Here is the basic plan that I will use but I'm sure there will be changes along the way.

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The kids would like it in a light color so maple will be the choice of wood.

I would like to use some figured maple in the project. My thoughts are use the figured maple on the bottom strecher foot brackets and the top and bottom rails on the sides.

My question is about the end panels. Does one use figured wood for everything or just the panel? If it is just the panel then would the figure run vertically or horizontally?

If it were you how or where would you use the curly maple?

Thanks in advance....

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Couple of things.

I made this cradle.

1. I couldn't get Curley Maple in the width needed, so I built the the ends like a panel door (with a munion in the middle) All pieces but the inserts are out of Walnut.

2. I was told by a fellow woodworker that to balance this cradle better add 3" width to the bottom. This will change other dimentions, but it works.

Bruce

[gary Zimmel]

Thanks Bruce

Makes sense on the end panels.
You are saying to add 3" to the width on the bottom. Do you mean 3" on the end bottom rails? And if you are does that mean one would add 3" to the feet also?

[Chris Holder]

I made a similar one our first son via a similar plan in this book. http://books.google.com/books?id=9BM...with-thumbnail

I used mahogany but my though about the curly maple would be to run it vertically, and use it on the end panels.
I do like the idea of adding a dark wood for some accent element, though.