Quartersawn White Oak Bed - Picture Heavy!

[Dodgy Loner]

Here's a bed that I just finished for my favorite customer – my wife! The build took about 3 weeks; 90% got done the first week, then I just piddled for a few evenings a week for two weeks until it was finally completed.

The design is my own – though I used Google Images to a large extent for inspiration. It's made of quartersawn white oak that I had milled from a tree that came down in a friend's front yard about 6 years ago. The tree was over 135 years old and just under 3' in diameter – I got enough wood from it to build this bed, make 250 sq.ft. of T&G flooring for my kitchen, and I still have about 50 B.F. left over

I hemmed and hawed about the finish the whole time I was building the thing. I've always wanted to try an ammonia-fumed white oak finish, but not on something this big! Stains scare the crap out of me, but I was afraid the ray fleck wouldn't be prominent enough if I didn't do something to darken the wood. Thankfully, I was wrong! One coat of linseed oil ended that thought. I let the linseed oil dry for 3 days, then shot it with 3 coats of blonde shellac on Sunday, followed by 4 coats of satin lacquer this afternoon. I sanded between every other coat, and the lacquer has a wonderful tactile quality. First time using lacquer, and I can promise it won't be my last!

I used a healthy blend of power and hand tools on this build – just about every tool in my shop saw action at some point. I was especially thankful for my brace and bit when making the fourteen 5/8" x 5" deep mortises! My card scrapers got a workout, too. Quartersawn white oak loves to tear out deeply and quickly whenever you plane a patch of reversing grain. I had three scrapers at the ready throughout the whole project, so I didn't have to stop too often to sharpen.

Overall, I'm very happy with the results, but more importantly, so is my wife!





My wife's favorite flowers are tulips, hence the tulip on the headboard.





And I love my wife, hence the heart on the footboard



I must say, finding posts with quartersawn figure on all four sides was the hardest part of the whole build ;D. You can see the drawboring pegs in the tenons here.





I used bed bolts to attach the bed rails. They were time-consuming, but not difficult to install. And the pull the joints up nice and snug!



Sorry, I just can't stop ogling that quartersawn figure :D



You can see the shop where the bed was made in this picture:



Thanks for looking! Critiques of all kinds - design, finish, whatever - are welcomed and appreciated.

[fishpharmer]

WOW!  I wish I had the time, patience, skill and quartersawn white oak  lumber to make such fine furniture for my wife.  I do know a guy that can get some quartersawn white oak for me  ;) . 

Very nice.

[WDH]

I have to say that this is one of the finest projects that you have made!  That wood is simply incredible.  I love the circular, swirly, ray fleck on one of the slat boards on the left side of the headboard, kind of like the Starry Night, which is very appropriate for a bed  ;D.

You have done yourself proud.  The quality of both the wood and the craftmanship are superb.

[bugdust]

Great job DL! Fantastic quarter sawed lumber. Momma has to be happy now.

[Red Pill]

Really great figure on the wood. I love me some quartersawn white oak. And you did a good job on the bed. How did you make the legs? For the headboard I made, I cut a 45 with a kind of a 90-degree key on the inside. I got the technique from a Wood Magazine plan. It worked really well.

Will you fume or stain it?

[Larry]

I like your design and execution.  Bet your wife is really pleased.

Just what variety of white oak produces that four sided fleck?  I bet it's really hard to find. ;D

What brand of lacquer did you use?  Spray or brush?  I'm contemplating trying some pre-cat lacquer on a project for the first time.

[Okrafarmer]

Beautiful tiger-striped oak there, man! I wish I had patience for a project like that. I'm much better at producing raw materials.

[Tdawg]

Sweet work dude smiley_clapping smiley_clapping...hard to tell from the pics-what size bed is it?

[pigman]

Beautiful bed and the right size. It is not one of those giant size king beds where the occupants sleep far apart. ;)

[Okrafarmer]

I thought it looked rather cozy! Mrs. Okra and I have just a regular double bed, sometimes it's too big, sometimes it's too small! I just wish it were longer so I could sleep with my arms over my head sometimes to stretch out. Oh, hope that isn't TMI.

[sandhills]

Very, very nice!  It looks to me like that headboard alone could sing you to sleep, very pretty wood.

[Dodgy Loner]

Thank you all for the kind words. This was, quite literally, a labor of love. I could hardly be happier with the results. I have been building this bed in my mind for almost a year, and it's nice to see the plan finally executed. My craftsmanship may have been better in my mind, but the wood is better in real life

To answer a few questions:

Red Pill - The legs are made of four pieces, each with a rabbet to form an interlocking joint with lots of glue surface. The chamfer on the corners goes right to the edge of one of the rabbets, so the glue joint falls on a corner and practically disappears. I will try to sketch out a cross-section later for those who have trouble picturing this. The finish is complete - no stain or fuming for me, although I considered it. It seemed almost criminal to change the natural color of the wood!

Larry - The lacquer is just the rattle-can variety that they sell at Lowe's. I forget the brand, but there's only one brand there. I was skeptical, but gave it a try on the recommendation of another woodworker. I am pleased with the result.

Tdawg - The bed is queen sized.

pigman - You're right, we don't want to be too far apart at night ;)

[SwampDonkey]

That's outstanding work and wood figure. Very nice indeed. We don't have much opportunity up here to get white oak let alone quartered white oak. 

[T Welsh]

Great bed ;).Tim

[Lud]

I quartersawed a whack of white oak last year.  You've really given me some ideas with  your excellent bed.  Besides showing the fleck better, if your posts are hollow you've kept the weight down and oak is a heavy wood!  Well done!

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Dodgy.....You killing me son!

DanG, I wish I had your talent! That bed is gorgeous. I'll bet your favorite customer was HAPPY!  8)

David

[ely]

i believe i said it once before here on the forum......WOW!!

i will add that i really do like that finish, thats where i am sortof an ametuer. i built a bathroom door out of cedar and pine, it took over a quart of spar varnish brushed on.

[submarinesailor]

OUTSTANDING JOB!!!!!!!!!!!! 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

Bruce

[Dodgy Loner]

Besides showing the fleck better, if your posts are hollow you've kept the weight down and oak is a heavy wood!

Yes, the posts are mostly hollow, except where the rails are mortised into the posts. I added a filler block there, to stengthen the joinery. All of the rails have 2" long tenons on both ends with drawbored pegs, except for the removable rails which have only 1" long tenons and bed bolts.

[Axe Handle Hound]

Awesome job Dodgy.  That is a seriously fine looking piece of woodworking.  From the bookmatched quartersawn grain to the tulip accent that is a piece to be proud of for sure.   

[Al_Smith]

Very nice indeed .FWIW to those who don't know you can quartersaw ash and get just about the same grain pattern effect .Although it isn't white oak it comes out nicely .

That bed is made so solidly you'd about need a crane to move it but then again built so well it will be a family heirloom long after you depart this old world .

[Burlkraft]

Good work Dodgy  8) 8) 8)

That's awesome

[Dodgy Loner]

Al, you're right, that sucker is heavy, and I'm ready to get it in its proper place and be done moving it! It's about as close to timberframing as I care to get. :D

As I promised last night, here is a cross-sectional view of the bed posts:



The rabbets were all cut with a rabbeting bit on the router table. After it was glued up, I chamfered it with a hand held router and a chamfering bit.

[scsmith42]

Spectacular job!  Looks like you've been hoarding some nice oak for that project too!

I like how you did your legs.  I'm familiar with the 5 piece and 3 piece designs, but yours is new to me.  Very practical approach.

Scott

[Paul_H]

It's about as close to timberframing as I care to get. :D

I got a laugh out of that! :D

Excellent job on the bed.