DIY log furniture?

[farmer]

Anyone ever built a log bed before? I've never done anything like this before, but I picked up a draw knife the other day and want to give it a go.

Am I asking for failure if I use a draw knife to make the tenons rather than pay several hundred dollars for one of those fancy pencil sharpeners? I prefer the look of ones made with a draw knife, so I thought I would give that a go first.

Any other tips? I have access to plenty of wood, and nothing but time on my hands to do the building.

[2FUNKY]

I worked with the best log builder in Big Sky MT, for a few years. Guy was amazing, taught me so much about log craft. The structures we built were amazing with such attention to detail you could not tell that the supports were not actually part of the log, they looked like branches.

I have built several beds, super easy. A draw knife, good quality compass, set of sharp chisels. Fuck those tenon tools, that's for the lazy mass production guys. Makes a bed look cheap.

You don't necessarily use the draw knife to make the tenon per say, do not draw the ends down super small. This is where the compass and chisel comes into play. It's pretty hard to describe in text. I have seen some videos of it so may be better to you tube them to get yourself a better idea. If done properly you will not be able to tell that you put a tenon on the end for attaching to the other main log. You are only counter sinking the main log for purchase 2"-2.5".

Good luck, a nice log bed frame is fucking beautiful but a pain in the ass if you ever move. I no longer have mine, sold it due to major move. Might make another now that I am settled in an area I will stay in for ever, says the wife!

[irul&ublo]

Anyone ever built a log bed before? I've never done anything like this before, but I picked up a draw knife the other day and want to give it a go.

Am I asking for failure if I use a draw knife to make the tenons rather than pay several hundred dollars for one of those fancy pencil sharpeners? I prefer the look of ones made with a draw knife, so I thought I would give that a go first.

Any other tips? I have access to plenty of wood, and nothing but time on my hands to do the building.

Give up on autocad?



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[farmer]

I couldn't find a video (everyone is too proud of their pencil sharpeners), but I think I understand what you're talking about. Mark the diameter on the end of the log with the compass. Mark the depth back from the face, and then start chiseling material away.

[farmer]

Give up on autocad?



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No, got the answer I was looking for there. That was work related. This is for the few hours between work and sleep.

[Hugh Conway]

if you haven't figured out, drawknives are much easier to use with a shave horse. You can make one from a 2*10 or 2*12. making the legs is decent practice for the log furniture.

[BigDaddy]

You could do them same thing with a chop saw in one tenth the time...

[Hugh Conway]

chop saw, draw knife, those both have a purpose. what's the cut-river-branch fishing pole that sucks ass of the tool world? The $5 Harbor Freight "hand saw"?

[RootSkier]

The structures we built were amazing with such attention to detail you could not tell that the supports were not actually part of the log, they looked like branches.
log.

Unless you were using kiln dried logs, they don't look like that anymore.

Farmer, you sure a log bed is gonna fit in your singlewide?

[old goat]

Look up videos of making windsor chairs. Same technique of round tenons and holes--just bigger for the bed. If I recall correctly--from a Fine Woodworking article--this kind of work is usually done with green wood. As the wood dries and shrinks the joint gets tighter. I believe there's even a technique where the end of the tenon is fatter than the base, so the joint locks when the wood dries. But don't take my word for it.

[2FUNKY]

Unless you were using kiln dried logs, they don't look like that anymore.

Farmer, you sure a log bed is gonna fit in your singlewide?

All wood was salvaged dead and down from the build site, stored on site all summer, out of the rain. I thought the same thing when we were building. Went back to the 3 homes we worked on 2 years later and all joints were still tight with little to no shrinkage.

[Timberridge]

Well if you can't move the bed anyway, why not just make the tenons and glue them? The whole green wood dry wood birch shrinks less than cherry windsor chair craft thing takes a bit o' experience to get correct. The last thing you want when banging the missus on the log bed is for the thing to fly apart during coitus.

[guroo270]

The last thing you want when banging the missus on the log bed is for the thing to fly apart during coitus.

Really? I broke a bed once. One of the hottest nights of my life. She dug it too.

[Bronco]

You can make do with a 2.5" hole saw to make both the mortise and tenon. Just use a sawzall to cut the excess around the tenon and a 1" paddle bit to auger out the mortise, clean up each with a sharp chisel. Sort of redneck technique but effective. Make sure your tenon log is clamped down real solid when you're drilling the end grain or be ready for the hole-hawg rodeo. This is cheaper and quicker than your other options. It takes a lot of practice and patience to become skilled at scribe joinery, probably not worth your time unless you're planning to make a career out of it.