crib design suggestions

I'm about to embark on making a crib similar to this:

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will be for personal use (not me, but for our impending little one), so I hope the original artist won't be offended by me borrowing some of his design ideas.

It doesn't necessarily need to be convertible like the original, although that would be an added bonus. SWMBO has also requested a drawer in the bottom like this one has:

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the original photo, it appears that the crib sides (parts with the slats) simply fit into the main carcass somehow and can be easily removed. So I'm wondering if the best way to go about this is to construct the outer carcass and then simply create the rails and slats as a separate frame that could slide in an out, perhaps in a wooden frame kind of like a window.

Another alternative that would of course prevent the crib from being convertible is to simply attach the top stile and have the slats fit into the outter carcass. This would create its own set of challenges.

Regardless of which approach I decide on, I think it would be easier to make the mattress/frame be able to be adjusted up and down instead of the slat frames.

Thoughts/suggestions?

thanks,

Eric

Reply to
Eric Yancey
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If my kids are any indication, I'd be concerned that they'd rattle their cage so much that any material you used to hold in the "bars" would bust out. Therefore, my only suggestion is that you make sure it is reinforced at this point. Perhaps a semi-permanent mounting? You won't be removing the slats until later in their life so maybe sliding dovetails in a cap over the frame? Good luck!

Reply to
Werlax

Eric,

Just one word of caution on the spindle spacing. Sorry I can't tell you the numbers but there are standards for the spacing of the spindles. The concern I believe is that if they are certain distance it is possible for the baby to wiggle its body thru feet first but their head won't make it through. (not good!!).

Maybe someone else has the specific spacings.

Glen

Reply to
glensmith

Thanks Glen. The spacing limitation is that the spindles cannot be any closer than 2 3/8". One common test is that the a soda can should not be able to fit throug them.

Eric

Reply to
Eric Yancey

I think you meant the spindles cannot be any more than 2,3/8" *apart*. Also the mattress needs to fit snuggly into the frame around all 4 sides for the same reason.

Reply to
Fly-by-Night CC

Yup, you're right, I meant *apart*. A little proofreading every now and again on my part would help :)

Reply to
Eric Yancey

Are you sure it is not "cannot be further than 2-3/8". "

Reply to
Mo' Sawdust

Make sure that they won't spring past that point without the exertion of more force than a baby is likely to be able to exert, and don't underestimate the force a baby can exert.

Reply to
J. Clarke

I finished a building crib a few weeks ago. I went into the baby stores to get construciton ideas, and ended up with a good design (IMO). My crib has four separate panels that come together with 8 bolts. The back panel side panel (long side) will serve as a headboard in the future, and the front side panel will serve as a foot board. The front panel is fixed (does not move vertically), and is lower than the back panel by about 12". The store bought matress spring support has threaded holes that bolt through the end panels (short sides). I made four sets of vertical holes in the end panels, so that I will be able to lower the mattress in the crib as the child grows. I prefer to move the mattress than to have a moving section on the crib in which little fingers could get caught. The end panels bolt into the side panels which have threaded inserts that I epoxied into holes. And with these plastic crib washers I bought at the baby store, I am able to really torque the bolts down so that the assembled crib is rock solid. With this design, also, I didn't need to buy any crib specific hardware (other than the mattress springs).

Hope that gives you some construction and design ideas. I do highly recommend going to the stores and seeing how the high priced manufacturers make them. You'll find some good ideas there, as well as some corners they cut which you can improve upon. :-)

Brian.

Reply to
Brian

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