Sometimes Ikea quality just won't do. I needed a new bed, and didn't fancy shelling out for something that probably wouldn't last my next change of address. This was a neat opportunity to get a bit more familiar with the process of bringing a product from CAD to prototype in a short time.
I had to be able to completely disassemble the bed with a single tool for easy transport, and it needed to still be completely solid when reassembled. I chose to build it out of Silky Oak, a readily available Australian hardwood capable of producing a beautiful finish, with clear Radiata pine for the slats. I used M8 galvanised cup-head bolts for the joints to create a rustic feel in harmony with the raw timber. In the end it took roughly a touch over a week of afternoons and spare moments from modelling in Solidworks to the finished product, a figure that could definitely be improved with some woodworking practice!
