Any ideas how to do the top radius?

[flip]

So I open my big mouth at work and one of our retired car runners says, "can you build this for my daughter?" 

Long Link that is now a NOT so long link.  ;D

Sorry for the long link.  It is a simple enough bed I quoted $700 to do and all I have to buy is the dye stain and the hardware for the side rails.  I have the cherry dry and laying around for my own bed project.  I do not have much experience with radius cuts like on the top and sides of the headboard.  I know how to lay them out and cut to get close.  I also know how to use a pattern to rout it all nice and smooth.  So I guess the question is how does one make a nice smooth pattern?  I know you can use hardboard or just about anything else but if it is not symmetrical and smooth neither will the part you are cutting.  I have all the router stuff to do the job but am no pattern maker.  Help!

[scgargoyle]

Depending on the size of the radius, you could just attach an appropriate length board to your router and rout it like a giant compass. In other words, if it was an 8' radius, attach an 8' board to your router, and make a pivot point for the other end.

[flip]

Giant tramel, didn't think of that.

[fstedy]

You could also use a spring board just a 3/4" sq. piece of clear softwood to get the radius if you want to cut the headboard out with a band or jig saw. You need to know the depth of the radius from the top of the headboard to the bottom of the radius. Just clamp a small block at each top corner ( you could also use 2 nails ) and spring the board down to the radius depth and mark it. Just another way of laying it out. 

[low_48]

I've made some really long trammels. I make them from 1/4" plywood and 1x2's. I glue on the 1x2's basically making a channel iron cross section. That keeps the trammel from sagging. Ever get to Central IL? I could run a pattern on the CNC router at work for you, but I imagine shipping would cost more than it was worth. If you do want the pattern, let me know. It'll just cost you the material and shipping. The router has a 5'x10' bed.

[flip]

Thanks for the offer.  I may just play around with patterns for a few days to see what I can mess up, I mean, come up with.

[flip]

Here is the final product nice all solid cherry bed, no fillers, laminations, or other such scrappola they send over from China.  I wanted the top radius to be a little more pronounced but it looks good up close.  The finish is a mix of walnut, mohogany, and cherry gel stains, 4 coats of polyurethane and a light buff job.

[pigman]

   Looks great. 8) I like the simple lines of that design.  The customer probably wanted it stained, but any stain put on cherry, in my opinion, just covers up  the beautiful natural color of cherry. ;D 

Bob

[metalspinner]

Very nice.  He got a bargan.

[flip]

I hate stain, but she was a paying customer.  I tried to match to a drawer that her sister had in an old family antique, God I hope I never have to do that again.

[woodhick]

I agree with staining cherry, I think it ruins it.  I prefer to let it darken naturally. But if you need to try to match an older piece I have used lye before.  Mix some Red Devil lye in a quart of water.  Start with a teaspoon and go up to 5 teaspoons per quart of water.  Brush or wipe (wear rubber gloves) on like stain.  After it dries you will have to fine sand again because it will raise the grain but it does darken the cherry very well.

[WDH]

Flip, that is fine.

[OneWithWood]

Very nice job  _grin