Bed in Box
Step 3: The Slats
This is where it gets complicated. First, the 1″x2″ lengths must be cut into corresponding lengths to run along the 10″, 26.75″, and 28.25″ lengths. It wouldn’t hurt to miter every one of these before screwing them to the sides of the bed. This will allow the sides to open and close without bumping into each other. I attached these “rails” 3/4″ under the top set of hinges. Try your best to keep these level relative to each other (and especially from one side to the next , so that there’s no incline when you put the mattress down).
Once these are in place, cut your remaining 1″x2″ into 3/4″x3/4″x1.5″ pieces, with a slight miter on both sides. This miter can be anywhere from 20-30 degrees, and must correspond directly with the dovetail that will be cut into each of the slats.
Now the slats. Cut your 1″x3″ lumber into as many 39″ lengths as possible (I ended up using 21, but in hindsight I would have preferred a round 20). Trace and cut a 3/4″ deep dovetail into both sides of each slat, once again corresponding to the depth and angle of the trapezoidal pieces that were just cut.
Now ensues the tedious process that I will summarize in the following 4 steps:
1. Set slat on rail.
2. Place one trapezoidal piece on both ends, engaging the dovetails in the slat.
3. Drill a pilot hole and screw the trapezoidal piece into the rail.
4. Rinse, repeat
**Tip: number your slats 1-20 and mark one side of the bed as the starting point. This will help you avoid some complications in the future.
It sounds simple, but you’ll also have to check often to ensure that the pieces you’re screwing in aren’t interfering with the box’s ability to close and open. This will require some adjusting of the pieces around the hinges (you can probably see a couple of adjustments in the closeups)