[Ansteorra] slat bed question

[Susan McMahill]

One thing to think about when you are planning on making a bed for events. What kind of mattress will you be using? I considered both slat and rope when I was having our bed made and decided to have the design modified to accept a plywood platform which is supported by three 2 x 4 'slats, that go crosswise across our full-sized bed. I knew that we would be using an air mattress. I was concerned that if a smaller slat broke, we would have a catastrophic failure of our air mattress. I knew that I didn't want ropes for a whole slew of reasons including not wanting to hassle with threading the ropes when setting up the tent at an event after dark when my patience is already short.

 

The plywood platform is cut into two pieces crosswise which facilitates transport. Those two pieces of plywood go into the bed of the truck as the first things we pack. In between them, we sandwich two pieces of foil backed foam insulating board, cut the same size, which we place between the plywood and our mattress. I put the air mattresses in double mattress pads, one on each side, to further protect against splinters. We have been using this system for four years now and find it to be wonderfully warm. The air mattress on just the plywood was quite chilly. We have been camping at events where the nighttime temperatures were well below freezing and have been toasty warm using a wool blanket, an old quilt, and a piece of fake fur which we use as a perioid touch. The bed is a classic 'viking' style that knocks completely into four 4 x 4 bedposts and 2 x 6 side and head rails. Round dowels hold it securely together.

 

I showed the plans for a rope bed http://www.greydragon.org/furniture/beds/ropebed.html to my neighbor who does some woodwork. He took it on as a challenge and had the bed completed in three days. He didn't sleep much because he was so eager to see if he could get it done. He had never seen anything like it before. We have learned a few things from it...don't fit the pieces too snugly. The mortises and tenons were too snug to start with and we had to have one piece recut as the through mortise broke out
one one of the head pieces. Use the dowels(pins) to make things snug, the mortises and tenons need room to expand/contract with temperature and humidity.

 

I also had him make it higher so that we could get the largest of our big rubbermaid tubs underneath it. Helps keep things a lot tidier in the tent.

 

Good luck with your bed!

 


Well-behaved women Seldom make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich


 
> Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 13:05:14 -0800
> From: randelleesmith at yahoo.com
> To: ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org
> Subject: [Ansteorra] slat bed question
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> 
> I was looking at making a slat bed aqnd was wondering if anyone know of a pattern online, or at least the size of the side and foot boards. I'm not sure if they should be 1x8 or 2x6 . Any information would be wonderful.
> 
> 
> Thank you 
> 
> Randel
> 
> 
> 
> 
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