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254434 "John M Johnston (jmjhnstn)" <jmjhnstn@m...> 2015‑04‑20 Building a crib
'Lo Galoots Assembled,

My youngest daughter is due to deliver her first child (and my third grandchild)
around the middle of July and she has asked me to build a crib.  Having never
made such a piece, I thought I would turn to the collective wisdom of those
Galoots who have gone before.

I would very much appreciate information on plans, dimensions for available
mattress frames, sources for mattress frames and hardware, tips, pitfalls and
the like.

I thank you,
John

John M. Johnston
 "P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried;
therefore I beg you to write and let me know." - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.
254435 Matthew Groves <grovesthegrey@g...> 2015‑04‑20 Re: Building a crib
John,

I would put crib-making in the same category as an extravagantly
embroidered childs outfit, size 00.

You can make a good one, a great one, but it's an item used so relatively
infrequently and for such a short time.

To benefit from your workmanship and design, I would ask if a substitute
item could be made instead. Something that could be used for decades and
beyond.

Cribs and childs beds yield to single mattress beds and dressers in the
longevity column.


Having said all that, there's certainly nothing wrong with building a crib
or other short-term items.

On Mon, Apr 20, 2015 at 7:32 AM, John M Johnston (jmjhnstn) <
jmjhnstn@m...> wrote:

> 'Lo Galoots Assembled,
>
> My youngest daughter is due to deliver her first child (and my third
> grandchild) around the middle of July and she has asked me to build a
> crib.  Having never made such a piece, I thought I would turn to the
> collective wisdom of those Galoots who have gone before.
>
> I would very much appreciate information on plans, dimensions for
> available mattress frames, sources for mattress frames and hardware, tips,
> pitfalls and the like.
>
> I thank you,
> John
>
> John M. Johnston
>  "P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried;
> therefore I beg you to write and let me know." - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
>
> To change your subscription options:
> http://old
tools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
> To read the FAQ:
> http://swingleydev.com/archi
ve/faq.html
>
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/ot/">http://swingleydev.com/ot/
>
> OldTools@s...
> http://old
tools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
254437 William Ghio <bghio@m...> 2015‑04‑20 Re: Building a crib
On Apr 20, 2015, at 9:29 AM, Matthew Groves  wrote:

> John,
> 
> I would put crib-making in the same category as an extravagantly
> embroidered childs outfit, size 00.
> 
> You can make a good one, a great one, but it's an item used so relatively
> infrequently and for such a short time.
> 
> To benefit from your workmanship and design, I would ask if a substitute
> item could be made instead. Something that could be used for decades and
> beyond.
> 
> Cribs and childs beds yield to single mattress beds and dressers in the
> longevity column.

Along the lines Matt suggests, I built a cradle for a grand nephew a few years
ago. Since it was to be used for such a short period I built a lid for it. Once
he was out of the cradle the lid was added and the rockers taken off and e had
a toybox w/ a much longer useful life.

ht
tps://www.flickr.com/photos/77280442@N.../sets/72157652062966642/

I used these hinges for the top for saftey -

http://www.rockler.com/lid-stay-torsion-hinge-lid-support-satin-
nickel">http://www.rockler.com/lid-stay-torsion-hinge-lid-support-satin-
nickel

Bill
254441 "John M Johnston (jmjhnstn)" <jmjhnstn@m...> 2015‑04‑20 Re: Building a crib
Matthew, I agree, having made a hooded cradle for my oldest daughter.  However,
this is something she wants for her first-born.  I’m aiming for a design that
will be able to morph from a crib into a youth bed.  Loving Spousal Unit pointed
out that they will likely have more than one child, so the crib will also be
used succeeding babies.

John M. Johnston
“P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried;
therefore I beg you to write and let me know.” - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.

From: Matthew Groves [mailto:grovesthegrey@g...]">mailto:grovesthegrey@g...]

,I would put crib-making in the same category as an extravagantly embroidered
childs outfit, size 00.

You can make a good one, a great one, but it's an item used so relatively
infrequently and for such a short time.

To benefit from your workmanship and design, I would ask if a substitute item
could be made instead. Something that could be used for decades and beyond.

Cribs and childs beds yield to single mattress beds and dressers in the
longevity column.
254449 Brian Welch <brian.w.welch@g...> 2015‑04‑21 Re: Building a crib
On Mon, Apr 20, 2015 at 9:29 AM, Matthew Groves wrote:

>I would put crib-making in the same category as an
>extravagantly embroidered childs outfit, size 00.
>
>You can make a good one, a great one, but it's an item
>used so relatively infrequently and for such a short time.
>
>To benefit from your workmanship and design, I would
>ask if a substitute item could be made instead. Something
>that could be used for decades and beyond.

I was baptized in an embroidered christening gown that my grandfather and
mother and my daughters and many aunts, uncles and cousins were baptized in
and then I slept in a bassinet that my other grandfather built for me
(first grandchild on both sides) and it was used by my brother and two
cousins and my daughters and my cousins children.  Those days may be coming
to an end, but these things can and do get passed down.  Just this weekend
I finally regained possession of my great-great grandfather's anvil.  Maybe
I come from a family of hoarders.  That would explain a lot of things!

If and when my daughters have children, I think I would like to make
rocking chairs for them as some on this list have done in the past.

Brian Welch
Holden, MA
254454 Ed Minch <ruby@m...> 2015‑04‑21 Re: Building a crib
No pictures, it didn’t happen

Ed Minch




On Apr 21, 2015, at 9:29 AM, Brian Welch  wrote:

> Just this weekend I finally regained possession of my great-great
grandfather's anvil.
254465 Gye Greene <gyegreene@g...> 2015‑04‑22 Re: Building a crib
John,


Matthew makes a good point about "outgrowing, quickly" -- and Brian
suggests rocking chairs.

Bill suggested the "cradle --> toybox".

I support the general suggestion of something that will have a longer
duration of use.


My paternal grandfather made a toy chest for my younger brother:  my
brother used it all the way through his high school years (the contents
changed, of course).  I think he now (as an adult) uses it as a blanket
chest -- or maybe his kids use it, I'm not sure.

That grandfather also made us a step-stool when we were kids --
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fmFYbaPEj4Y/VTeNnNapAQI/AAAAAAAACMI/5xCo6fP9-
u0/s1600/stepstool.jpg">http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fmFYbaPEj4Y/VTeNnNapAQI/AAAAAA
AACMI/5xCo6fP9-u0/s1600/stepstool.jpg
-- which me and my siblings all used in the bathroom to reach the sink:  we
used it every time we washed our hands or brushed our teeth.

It's a fairly clever design, in that you can make it as plain or as fancy
(birdseye maple?) as you like.  The added bonus is that if you're little
enough, you can also sit at it and use it as a desk, or a table for
lunch!   :)


I'd personally slightly vote **against** a rocking chair, as regardless of
what size you make it, there's only a limited window of use:  a rocking
chair suitable for a 4yo is too small for an 8yo.

In contrast, a storage box -- whether of shoebox size or blanket chest size
-- can be used for an entire lifetime.  (Something with a secret
compartment would appeal to ages 4 and up, I reckon.)

A bookcase would also be good -- or a display shelf.  Although probably not
as "interactive" for a little kid.


Table and chair?  Even when the kid grows up, the table and chair could be
used (with care!) as a end table or plant stand...



If you **do** make a crib, as you know there are a variety of safety
recommendations to prevent entrapment:  for example, the spacing between
crib slats must be too narrow for a body to pass through, to wide enough to
prevent entrapment of fingers.

I don't know the specifics -- but they're online.


My 2c.  :)


--Travis (Brisbane, AU)


>
> > I would very much appreciate information on plans, dimensions for
> > available mattress frames, sources for mattress frames and hardware,
> tips,
> > pitfalls and the like.
> >
> > I thank you,
> > John
> >
>
254466 Ed Minch <ruby@m...> 2015‑04‑22 Re: Building a crib
I have made a small six-board chest fors each of my two grandsons when they were
born.  The first thing they did when they could stand was to spend a lot of time
with their armpjts locked over the edge taking things in and out.  Each has a
small till on one side, and the younger one (1-1/2)  keeps stuffed animals in
it, and the older one (6) keeps his weapons in it.  And we have plenty of
pictures of the 2 when they were very young inside the boxes.  Bill Ghio turned
me onto the Rockler hinges that stay open like  your laptop computer lid :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/17233216721/in/set-7215765210221
3942">https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/17233216721/in/set-7215765210221394
2


Ed Minch




On Apr 22, 2015, at 8:16 AM, Gye Greene  wrote:

> John,
> 
> 
> Matthew makes a good point about "outgrowing, quickly" -- and Brian
> suggests rocking chairs.
> 
> Bill suggested the "cradle --> toybox".
> 
> I support the general suggestion of something that will have a longer
> duration of use.
254468 Gye Greene <gyegreene@g...> 2015‑04‑22 Re: Building a crib
Nice chest!  :)

Good hinges.  I was going to suggest maybe a removable lid, until the kids
are older.  But "safe" hinges would also be OK.


FWIW -- with my brother's toy chest, we would sometimes hide in it for hide
and seek:  curl up at the bottom, and then get someone else to cover you
with toys...


--Travis

On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 10:35 PM, Ed Minch  wrote:

> I have made a small six-board chest fors each of my two grandsons when
> they were born.  The first thing they did when they could stand was to
> spend a lot of time with their armpjts locked over the edge taking things
> in and out.  Each has a small till on one side, and the younger one
> (1-1/2)  keeps stuffed animals in it, and the older one (6) keeps his
> weapons in it.  And we have plenty of pictures of the 2 when they were very
> young inside the boxes.  Bill Ghio turned me onto the Rockler hinges that
> stay open like  your laptop computer lid :
>
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/17233216721/in/set-72157652102
213942">https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/17233216721/in/set-72157652102213
942
>
>
> Ed Minch
>
>
>
>
> On Apr 22, 2015, at 8:16 AM, Gye Greene  wrote:
>
> > John,
> >
> >
> > Matthew makes a good point about "outgrowing, quickly" -- and Brian
> > suggests rocking chairs.
> >
> > Bill suggested the "cradle --> toybox".
> >
> > I support the general suggestion of something that will have a longer
> > duration of use.
>
>
254469 Brian Welch <brian.w.welch@g...> 2015‑04‑22 Re: Building a crib
On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 8:16 AM, Gye Greene wrote:
>
> I'd personally slightly vote **against** a rocking chair, as regardless of
> what size you make it, there's only a limited window of use:  a rocking
> chair suitable for a 4yo is too small for an 8yo.
>

I meant a rocking chair for the parents to rock the child to sleep!
254470 Mickey Elam <mickeyelam@g...> 2015‑04‑22 Re: Building a crib
John,

I would take a look at the Rockler crib plans and hardware kits. I used one
such kit to build a crib for son that worked out very well and was very
attractive as the Lyptus wood it is built of has some fairly nice figure.
The particular plans I used were for a convertible crib that could change
to a day bed once the child became a toddler and then be converted once
again to a full size bed once the child graduated to a big kid's bed.

The Rockler plans expect quite a bit of power tool work but I was OK with
that given the repetitive nature of making spindle after spindle after
spindle after... Well you get the idea. The kit also included the mattress
frame and the drop gate hardware, but I think the CPSC has determined that
drop gate are dangerous, so that bit is probably no longer included.

Mickey

On Apr 20, 2015 7:35 AM, "John M Johnston (jmjhnstn)" 
wrote:
>
> 'Lo Galoots Assembled,
>
> My youngest daughter is due to deliver her first child (and my third
grandchild) around the middle of July and she has asked me to build a
crib.  Having never made such a piece, I thought I would turn to the
collective wisdom of those Galoots who have gone before.
254471 "John M Johnston (jmjhnstn)" <jmjhnstn@m...> 2015‑04‑22 Re: Building a crib
Mickey, thank you so much; exactly the information I was looking for.  I do
appreciate the Galoots here assembled and their perspectives on the long-term
utility of a crib, I do understand and agree; my daughter, however, is
particular in her request for a crib handmade by her daddy, and that request I
cannot deny.

She is interested in the crib-to-day bed design, as am I.  I ‘ve found one such
set of plans (though they also portray the now unacceptable side hardware), and
will certainly check out the Rockler package.  If I have the hardware package,
various plans as guidelines, lots of images, and the likes and dislikes of the
client, I am confident I’ll be able to bring it off.  We discussed crib ideas
again when we met for dinner last night, she’s leaning toward having the back
side paneled with thin verticals on the ends and front side, she doesn’t want
clunky, she likes curves;  and she wants cherry.  She is unsure if shellac is a
child/eco friendly finish.

Again, thank you Mickey and all Galoots here assembled,

John

John M. Johnston
jmjhnstn@m...<mailto:jmjhnstn@m...>
“P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried;
therefore I beg you to write and let me know.” - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.

From: Mickey Elam [mailto:mickeyelam@g...]
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 12:06 PM

I would take a look at the Rockler crib plans and hardware kits. I used one such
kit to build a crib for son that worked out very well and was very attractive as
the Lyptus wood it is built of has some fairly nice figure. The particular plans
I used were for a convertible crib that could change to a day bed once the child
became a toddler and then be converted once again to a full size bed once the
child graduated to a big kid's bed.
254472 Phil Schempf <philschempf@g...> 2015‑04‑22 Re: Building a crib
John-

Shellac is used as a coating in some candies and pharmaceuticals so it
should be okay for a youngster to chew on.  I had heard it was used on
M&Ms, but that turns out not to be true.  I'd be inclined to use potable
alcohol for the solvent rather than denatured, but that may be needless
worry as I suspect the toxics in denatured alcohol evaporate with the rest
of the alcohol, but for this special job why take a chance.

Some info here:  htt
p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_glaze

Phil
254473 "Mickey Elam" <mickeyelam@g...> 2015‑04‑22 Re: Building a crib
John,

 

I can say with a high degree of confidence that shellac is pretty child
friendly; in fact, many people don’t know this, but the coating on many
pharmaceutical pills is shellac.  I finished my son’s crib in shellac with no
ill effects, but he was never one to bite on the edges like some children do.  I
will make on remark; with the demise of the drop gate, having an adjustable
height mattress becomes, in my mind, critical.  I can’t imagine trying to put a
sleeping baby into a crib with the mattress on a very low level and not waking
the child.

 

The Rockler plans are also pretty well aligned with current CPSC guidelines, but
it sounds like you’ve got a pretty good handle on those already.  I really like
the idea of making the part of the crib that goes against the wall solid paneled
rather than slatted as that makes for a more functional day bed setup if it’s
ever converted to such.

 

Mickey

 

From: John M Johnston (jmjhnstn) [mailto:jmjhnstn@m...]">mailto:jmjhnstn@m...]
Sent: Wednesday, 22 April, 2015 11:32
To: Mickey Elam
Cc: oldtools@s...
Subject: RE: [OldTools] Building a crib

 

Mickey, thank you so much; exactly the information I was looking for.  I do
appreciate the Galoots here assembled and their perspectives on the long-term
utility of a crib, I do understand and agree; my daughter, however, is
particular in her request for a crib handmade by her daddy, and that request I
cannot deny.

 

She is interested in the crib-to-day bed design, as am I.  I ‘ve found one such
set of plans (though they also portray the now unacceptable side hardware), and
will certainly check out the Rockler package.  If I have the hardware package,
various plans as guidelines, lots of images, and the likes and dislikes of the
client, I am confident I’ll be able to bring it off.  We discussed crib ideas
again when we met for dinner last night, she’s leaning toward having the back
side paneled with thin verticals on the ends and front side, she doesn’t want
clunky, she likes curves;  and she wants cherry.  She is unsure if shellac is a
child/eco friendly finish.

 

Again, thank you Mickey and all Galoots here assembled,

 

John

 

John M. Johnston

jmjhnstn@m... <mailto:jmjhnstn@m...> 

“P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried;
therefore I beg you to write and let me know.” - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.

 

From: Mickey Elam [mailto:mickeyelam@g...]
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 12:06 PM

I would take a look at the Rockler crib plans and hardware kits. I used one such
kit to build a crib for son that worked out very well and was very attractive as
the Lyptus wood it is built of has some fairly nice figure. The particular plans
I used were for a convertible crib that could change to a day bed once the child
became a toddler and then be converted once again to a full size bed once the
child graduated to a big kid's bed.
254474 Thomas Johnson <drthjo@g...> 2015‑04‑22 Re: Building a crib
My only advice would be .... talk to the Moms who are already raising
crib-sized kids.  See what they love about their cribs and what they don't.

When my first daughter was born I bought the remains of an early 19th
century cradle .... a big one ...like, halfway between an infant sized
model and a full-blown crib.  Yep ... duplicated a pile of spindles and
poured my heart into it, and - shazam, it's beautiful if I do say so
myself. Now, 45 years later, it's on the 3rd generation of Johnson babies,
but guess what.  Each Mom that has come into the family uses it as sort of
an honorific .. and then it goes back up into the garage rafters because it
doesn't rock easily ... it's too big for an infant ... too tippy for a
toddler etc,.  ..and too big to be used as a decorative piece in a family
room.  Sooooo, on average, it's sits in the attic and comes out for a week
or two when a  newborn arrives.
Practical - safe - easy to clean etc, all come ahead of purty ....

With the planning you're doing and the advice you're seeking I bet it will
be practical, safe, easy to clean, *and* beautiful!
.02 and out
Tom

On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 11:06 AM, Mickey Elam  wrote:

> John,
>
> I would take a look at the Rockler crib plans and hardware kits. I used one
> such kit to build a crib for son that worked out very well and was very
> attractive as the Lyptus wood it is built of has some fairly nice figure.
> The particular plans I used were for a convertible crib that could change
> to a day bed once the child became a toddler and then be converted once
> again to a full size bed once the child graduated to a big kid's bed.
>
> The Rockler plans expect quite a bit of power tool work but I was OK with
> that given the repetitive nature of making spindle after spindle after
> spindle after... Well you get the idea. The kit also included the mattress
> frame and the drop gate hardware, but I think the CPSC has determined that
> drop gate are dangerous, so that bit is probably no longer included.
>
> Mickey
>
> On Apr 20, 2015 7:35 AM, "John M Johnston (jmjhnstn)" <
> jmjhnstn@m...>
> wrote:
> >
> > 'Lo Galoots Assembled,
> >
> > My youngest daughter is due to deliver her first child (and my third
> grandchild) around the middle of July and she has asked me to build a
> crib.  Having never made such a piece, I thought I would turn to the
> collective wisdom of those Galoots who have gone before.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
>
> To change your subscription options:
> http://old
tools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
> To read the FAQ:
> http://swingleydev.com/archi
ve/faq.html
>
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/ot/">http://swingleydev.com/ot/
>
> OldTools@s...
> http://old
tools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
254490 Joseph Parker <joeparker@s...> 2015‑04‑23 Re: Building a crib
I'll add a few comments from my experience.  A few years ago, I built a
crib for our first grandchild.  The primary motivation was that our
daughter-in-law is short and commercial cribs (without a drop front) were
too tall for her to use comfortably.  Here is the result:

http:
//fangornworks.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Projects/i-ZPTDM5X/A

And, the granddaughter approval:

http:
//fangornworks.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Projects/i-WZCmcr7/A

Comments:
1.  It is loosely based on commercial convertible cribs.  The front and
back bolt onto the sides.  Thus, the sides could be replaced with longer
rails to make a larger bed.  However, by the time the first grandchild was
ready to exit, the second was waiting in the wings.  It may get converted
someday.

2.  Start by getting the mattress and design the crib as a tight fit for
the mattress.  The tight fit is a safety factor.

3.  I used almost no hardware.  The slatted mattress deck sits on top of
"legs" at the corners.  The "legs" are connected to the front and back
using bolts and threaded inserts.  I supplied 3 sets of "legs" so that the
mattress height could be adjusted as the child grows.

4.  Shellac is my normal go-to finish.  However, I seemed to recall that
ammonia was also a solvent for shellac and babies seem to contain a sizable
quantity of ammonia.  So, I went with polyurethane.  Any non-lead based
finish is going to be safe once fully dry.

Joe Parker
Left Coast

On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 9:32 AM, John M Johnston (jmjhnstn) <
jmjhnstn@m...> wrote:

> Mickey, thank you so much; exactly the information I was looking for.  I
> do appreciate the Galoots here assembled and their perspectives on the
> long-term utility of a crib, I do understand and agree; my daughter,
> however, is particular in her request for a crib handmade by her daddy, and
> that request I cannot deny.
>
> She is interested in the crib-to-day bed design, as am I.  I ‘ve found one
> such set of plans (though they also portray the now unacceptable side
> hardware), and will certainly check out the Rockler package.  If I have the
> hardware package, various plans as guidelines, lots of images, and the
> likes and dislikes of the client, I am confident I’ll be able to bring it
> off.  We discussed crib ideas again when we met for dinner last night,
> she’s leaning toward having the back side paneled with thin verticals on
> the ends and front side, she doesn’t want clunky, she likes curves;  and
> she wants cherry.  She is unsure if shellac is a child/eco friendly finish.
>
> Again, thank you Mickey and all Galoots here assembled,
>
> John
>
> John M. Johnston
> jmjhnstn@m...<mailto:jmjhnstn@m...>
> “P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried;
> therefore I beg you to write and let me know.” - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.
>
> From: Mickey Elam [mailto:mickeyelam@g...]">mailto:mickeyelam@g...]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 12:06 PM
>
> I would take a look at the Rockler crib plans and hardware kits. I used
> one such kit to build a crib for son that worked out very well and was very
> attractive as the Lyptus wood it is built of has some fairly nice figure.
> The particular plans I used were for a convertible crib that could change
> to a day bed once the child became a toddler and then be converted once
> again to a full size bed once the child graduated to a big kid's bed.
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
>
> To change your subscription options:
> http://old
tools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
> To read the FAQ:
> http://swingleydev.com/archi
ve/faq.html
>
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/ot/">http://swingleydev.com/ot/
>
> OldTools@s...
> http://old
tools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools

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