Bed Wood Router Bit

[Johnny Reb]

Does anyone have a pic of the bit or bits used to router the bed wood. I have many bits, but not sure besides measurements what the bit looks like. Can it be done with one bit or is two needed. Anyone who has done there own, please clue me in . Kits are $300+, but wood is no more than $70 for hard yellow pine like original. I have bought new strips and bolts. What bit does this , or does it take two??????????????

Edited June 19, 2020 by Johnny Reb

[Young Ed]

Which part are you trying to create? I made the edges of mine with a table saw. I haven't routered in the bolt washers though

[59bisquik]

When I did mine, I put the strips on top of the wood without using a router. It helped protect the bed a little better since the pine is kind of soft.

[Los_Control]

11 minutes ago, 59bisquik said:

When I did mine, I put the strips on top of the wood without using a router. It helped protect the bed a little better since the pine is kind of soft.

I like this suggestion .... often on some projects I use a 1/2 lap joint, and make them on my table saw ... I might be tempted to use the router bit set I bought for Tongue & groove oak flooring, I had some repairs in the floor to make.

Honestly I think 59bisquick nailed it, You want room for expansion and contraction, rip your boards to width leaving 3/16" - 1/4" and cover with the shovel strip.

 

When I do mine, I am going to leave the wood floating, then on shovel strips apply fasteners in the groove I created so the wood can expand and contract. The strips will hold in place.

Sadly there is 4 corner bolts that go through the wood and bolts bed to frame, These are wider boards, bolted down they still have room to expand & contract.

 

Thats just what I am going to do, K.I.S.S ... now I ask, did original have any sort of over lap between the boards under the strips?

[Young Ed]

23 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

 now I ask, did original have any sort of over lap between the boards under the strips?

As far as I know the originals had gaps under the metal strips too although I've never seen an original bed. Mine is made with gaps but the metal strips are set into grooves so they are just above the wood surface.

[Los_Control]

14 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

As far as I know the originals had gaps under the metal strips too although I've never seen an original bed. Mine is made with gaps but the metal strips are set into grooves so they are just above the wood surface.

Yes sir you are correct. I forgot about the shovel strips being embedded into the wood to just leave it proud of the surface. There is some router action going on.

While it is just a straight cut bit to plow out material at selected depth, nothing fancy, but it is 6' long and needs to be accurate so it looks right. Here is a photo of my original bed trailer, I did look under it and there was a decent gap under the strips and no router joint.

Just saying I was wrong, My post was correct except for needing a router to counter sink the strips.

 

 

[Young Ed]

1 minute ago, Los_Control said:

Yes sir you are correct. I forgot about the shovel strips being embedded into the wood to just leave it proud of the surface. There is some router action going on.

While it is just a straight cut bit to plow out material at selected depth, nothing fancy, but it is 6' long and needs to be accurate so it looks right. Here is a photo of my original bed trailer, I did look under it and there was a decent gap under the strips and no router joint.

Just saying I was wrong, My post was correct except for needing a router to counter sink the strips.

 

 

I believe I did mine with a table saw and dado blade. 

[Los_Control]

1 minute ago, Young Ed said:

I believe I did mine with a table saw and dado blade. 

good choice, you will need a good fence to keep it straight. I do not at this time have a decent router table with a decent fence, something am working on to correct for household problems.

Like any project, use what you have.

[ggdad1951]

15 hours ago, Young Ed said:

I believe I did mine with a table saw and dado blade. 

ditto on the dado 

[kencombs]

Straight bit set to the correct depth and a good edge guide will work.     Might need more than one pass, depending on your bit size and router capacity.

The boards have to be absolutely straight to do it with a router though.  So ripping on a table saw, portable saw with a guide or jointing the edge may be needed.

 

Most trucks have a gap the width of the bolts as there is no drilled hole.  The bolts space the boards apart.   I think (but not really sure) that the original boards had a lip cut so that the boards were below the strip surface a little bit, but not the full height of the strip.  And, additionally had a groove that just fit the vertical edge of the strip.  If you want or need that feature, it can be done as a second step with a smaller straight bit.  That is how my 56 boards look at least.