Morris Dovey wrote in news:zeGkc.73$ snipped-for-privacy@news.uswest.net:
Or, you may want to consider starting with just a headboard, for the time being. The joints are less structural, the materials commitment smaller, and you get a high percentage of the return that you would get by building the whole bed. I've done several in the last year, and the 'clients' (family members) are happy with them.
Beds take a LOT of shop room, especially if you are building king or queen sized. On the other hand, I've gotten to know my neighbors much better, as they stop by and talk while I'm doing dry fitting, joinery, assembly and finishing on rollabout tables and sawhorses in my driveway.
Some of them are pretty helpful, too.
Enjoy the discovery process, but I'd start by looking for 'small wins'.
Patriarch