In this second project of the first episode, Ron explained that rather than hopping aboard his motor home and heading out for another HouseCall, he would be spending more time a little closer to home, here in his new workshop. That's because he and his wife Lynn were expecting the arrival of young Danielle Hazelton, who was born shortly after the taping of this project.
Click Here For a list of what
you will need in order to complete this project.
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Ron didn't have a moment to waste, so Lynn encouraged him to get started right away.
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1. Drawings and templates:
- Ron created several drawings. The first was an overview of what the finished cradle would look like both from the end and from the side. The cradle would be made up of a headboard and footboard with scalloped edges, gently curved sides and two rockers attached to the bottom.
- View, download and print Ron's baby cradle drawings
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these PDF files. If you do not have it, you can download Adobe Reader now.
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- Ron started with full size drawings of the cradle headboard, footboard, sides and rockers. He used these to cut templates from quarter inch hardboard. He decided to make templates first because they are much easier to trace around than paper patterns and they can be saved and used to duplicate the project in the future. He placed the first full-scale drawing face down on a scrap of hardboard and then sprayed the back with adhesive.
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- He positioned the piece of hardboard that he was going to use for the template onto his working surface and then laid the full size pattern down on top of it. Beginning in the center, he used his hands to smooth the paper securely onto the hardboard.
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- Ron then used his band saw to cut out the hardboard template.
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- After gluing a drawing for each cradle component onto a piece of hardboard, Ron cut directly along the lines through both the paper and the hardboard to create his templates.
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2. Solid wood panels:
- Ron and Lynn placed the templates on top of pre-made solid wood panels, which they purchased at their local home improvement center. They traced around the outside of each template onto the wood panels.
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- Next Ron returned to the band saw to begin cutting out each of the cradle parts.
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3. Cradle assembly:
- With all of the pieces of the cradle cut out of solid wood, Ron was ready to start assembling the cradle pieces together. The first step in the process was to add a bottom support bracket or brace. Ron would later attach the cradle bottom onto these braces. Ron cut two cleats to match the angle of the sides, which was approximately 12 ½ degrees.
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- Ron applied a bead of yellow wood glue to the bottom edge of each of the two support braces and then set one in place on the inside of each side panel. The attachment was then reinforced with screws.
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- Next, Ron and Lynn needed to attach the sides of the cradle to the headboard.
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- After applying a bead of wood glue to the edge of the headboard, Ron recessed it about ¼" from the edge of the first side, while Lynn tried her hand at driving in the screws. First she drilled a pilot hole…
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- …and then she drove in her first screw.
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- Ron and Lynn took turns holding the cradle pieces in position and drilling and driving screws until the sides were completely attached.
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- They applied a little wood glue to each edge to ensure that the attachments were secure.
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