futon project starting, some thoughts.

[drumpriest]

Quite a while ago I discussed here that I was going to build a futon. Long story short, my need for a comuter desk outweighed our futon need. Now that I am sitting at this lovely computer desk, the futon looms.

So I'm off to purchase lumber for the futon construction, though the wife and I are at odds with design. I am basically building from the rockler plans, slightly modified.

Here are some thoughts and questions to which I would highly value feedback.

1. I am considering making the sides frame and panel with some fancy veneer on the panels. I worry that the slats could be damaged by someone sleeping on it and getting restless. This would also be a problem with a panel.

2. I am considering making the support slats and side slats (if we use them instead of panels) wider than the plan. The plan calls for them to be glued into a dado and nailled into place. I am considering making them large enough for a #20 biscuit, and using biscuits to connect them all. What do you all think about this idea in terms of potential differences in strength??

3. Red Oak or Cherry, not sure which we'll be using yet. The entertainment center is oak, but the futon doesn't have to be. The side tables that I'll be building will probably be some combo of maple and walnut veneers, so I think that the style will be ecclectic anyway.

thanks all.

[jackellis]

Don't know anything about questions 1 and 3 but on 2, I think dados will be significantly stronger than biscuits. A biscuit is around 1/4 or 3/8" thick. The slats will be 3/4" thick.

[jziegler]

Keith,

Slats will not be a problem for people sleeping and getting restless. My wife and I sleep on a futon every night (on a fixed frame, not couch style). I built a platform out of pine 1x4 stock to support the futon on a regular bed frame. It's going strong about 4 and a half years later, half of that time with just one person sleeping on it, half with both of us. You are looking at woods that will be stronger than the pine.

According to the place I bought my futons, (White Lotus Futon www.whitelotus.net), slats are better than a solid frame, they allow air to circulate better, which is good for the futon mattress. Make sure you get a good quality futon. I really like the white lotus ones, they are hand made, much better than the mass market ones. And don't let anyone tell you that the futon mattresses with springs in them are better, a quality futon doesn't need springs at all.

Jim

[drumpriest]

I don't like the idea of the dado because it's a guarenteed dust collector. If not biscuits, I'll probably do it all loose mortise and tenon.

[gmack5]

Try this.......

Keith, I think you'll find that loose tenons are not quite as strong as conventional ones.

My thoughts on this are as follows:

1. Cut a SLOT from end to end in your strechers (a Dado), the thickness of your proposed morteses and the depth of your morteses, plus 3/4".

2. make a board the same thickness and depth as your Dado that will fit the full length of the Dado in your Strecher, then cut notches the same depth and location as your mortises would have been, the same width as your Tenons will be. This will give you Mortises that are accurate and you won't need to chop mortises in the strechers, it's all done on the Table Saw.

Just be careful that you don't load up the pockets (mortises) with glue when you assemble the two parts to make your mortised Strecher.

[drumpriest]

Thanks George, you are the second to suggest that today. According to a recent study, loose tenons are 5% weaker than their integral brothers. Most of what I build uses loose tenons.

Another suggestion was to pocket screw them in. The U-build futon plan uses double dowel for the support slats