Store-bought spindles and knock-down hardware make this figured maple piece easy to build and quick to assemble.
Overall dimensions: 32"w × 40 1/2"l × 52 3/4"h
Designer/Builder/Writer: Ben Svec
There’s a new twist in this family-friendly project. You can knock it down flat, and then reassemble it using only 4 and 5 mm Allen wrenches. The secret lies in the keyhole hangers and connector nuts and bolts. The process takes but a few minutes. When knocked down, the eight parts can fit neatly in your car trunk, or store in a closet. That adds versatility to the cradle’s good looks, making it ideal for setting it up at the grandparents’ house for a weekend of babysitting.
All the solid wood parts in this project are made from 3/4" stock. Even the 1 1/2"-thick feet start out as 3/4"-thick halves that are laminated after cutting the dadoes that make up the mortises. This feature allows you to rough-cut the parts at once, matching the wood grain, color, and speeding up the building process.
(To order the project supplies, see the Convenience-Plus Buying Guide below.)
Note: We reduced the scale of this cradle to create the charming doll cradle
Rough-size the parts
1 From ¾"-thick stock, cut the end parts A, B, C, and D, the side parts E, F, G, and H, the bottom parts I and J, and the stand parts M and N to width and 1" longer than listed in the Cut List below. As you cut the pieces, mark the part letter on each one with chalk.
2 For the laminated feet (L), cut four ¾ × 5 3/8 × 33" pieces.
With a stile blank (C) held with a wedge in the taper jig and the fence positioned to cut 1/32" outside of the taper line, cut the tapers.
Build the cradle end frames
1 Trim the upper rails (A), lower rails (B), and stile blanks (C) to finished length. Mark hole centers for the spindles on the bottom edge of each upper rail and the top edge of each lower rail. On your drill press, drill 3/8" holes ½" deep for the spindles, where shown in Figure 1. Finish-sand the drilled edges.
2 With a dado blade in your table saw, cut 3/8"-deep dadoes in the rails (A, B) to match the width of the 4"-wide pendulums (D), where shown in Figure 1.
3 Mark biscuit centerlines on the rails (A, B) and the stile blanks (C), where shown in Figure 1. Then plunge the slots for #20 biscuits.
4 Make the tapering jig shown in Figure 2 from scrap plywood. Lay out the end frames in the proper arrangement; and, referring to Figure 1, mark the stile blank (C) tapers. Cut the tapers as shown in Photo A. Save the cutoffs for clamp blocks when assembling the frames later.
5 Smooth the tapered edges of the stile blanks (C), as shown in Photo B.
6 Make the keyhole hanger mortising jig shown on Figure 3. Mark keyhole hanger locations on the stiles (C), where shown on Figures 1 and 4. Then clamp the jig to each stile and rout the mortises, as shown in Photo C.
To establish a square edge for clamping, adhere the tapered cutoffs to the stile blanks (C) with double-faced tape. Glue, biscuit, and clamp the end frames (A, B, C).
Use the template to scribe the arc on the end frame (A, B, C). Adhere the end frames together with double-faced tape, and cut the arc to shape.
6 Make the keyhole hanger mortising jig shown on Figure 3. Mark keyhole hanger locations on the stiles (C), where shown on Figures 1 and 4. Then clamp the jig to each stile and rout the mortises, as shown in Photo C.
7 Assemble the end frames (A, B, C), capturing two spindles in the rail holes of each frame, as shown in Photo D. Keep the edges of the rails (A, B) and the ends of the stile blanks (C) flush.
8 To make A template for the end assemblies and the top edges of the feet, use a beam compass to draw a 30"-radius arc about 30" long on a piece of ¼" plywood. See Figure 14 on page 28, or enlarge the pattern on page 74. (For better visibility, we adhered white paper to the plywood with spray adhesive.) For a foot bottom template, draw a 40"-radius arc 32" long. Bandsaw and sand the templates to shape.
9 Use the 30"-radius template to draw the arcs on one end frame (A, B, C), referring to Figure 5 and Photo E. Adhere the end frames (A, B, C) to each other with double-faced tape with the marked frame on top, keeping the ends and edges flush. Now bandsaw and disc- or belt-sand the frames to shape. Separate the frames.
Add the pendulums
1 Trim the pendulums (D) to length. Fit them into the frame dadoes, and mark dado locations on the pendulums. Then cut 3/8"-deep dadoes in the pendulums, fitting them into the rail (A, B) dadoes to make sure the surfaces are flush.
2 Make four photocopies of the Pendulum and Upright Pattern (page 74) and adhere one to each pendulum (D) on the face opposite the dadoes. Set the other two copies aside. Chuck a 1" Forstner bit into your drill press and drill a 5/8"-deep hole, where indicated on the pattern.
3 Bandsaw and sand the curve on each pendulum (D), and remove the patterns. Glue and clamp the pendulums into the rail (A, B) dadoes.
4 Referring to Figure 6, chuck a ½" round-over bit into a hand-held router. Then rout a thumbnail profile along the outside edges of the end assemblies, where indicated on Figure 5. Finish-sand the end assemblies.
5 Cut two 1¾"-long pieces of 1" dowel and epoxy and clamp one of them into the hole in each pendulum (D). With the epoxy cured and referring to Figure 7, mark the center of each dowel and use the drill press to drill a pilot hole for a hanger bolt. Screw in the hanger bolts.
6 Holding the wood knobs in a handscrew clamp on your drill press, enlarge each center hole to ½" diameter and ½" deep. Cover both ends of the hole in each threaded insert with masking tape and epoxy one into each knob.
7 Drill screw pilot holes and fasten the keyhole hangers into the stile (C) mortises with the screws provided.
Make the sides
1 Trim the upper rails E, lower rails F, stiles G, and cleats H to length. Mark hole centers for the spindles on the bottom edge of each upper rail and the top edge of each lower rail. On your drill press, drill 3/8" holes ½" deep, where shown on Figure 8. Finish-sand the drilled edges.
2 Mark biscuit centerlines on the rails (E, F) and the stiles (G), where shown on Figure 8. Then plunge slots for #20 biscuits.
3 Assemble the spindles and rails as shown in Photos F and G. Then glue, biscuit, and clamp the stiles in place, making sure the stile ends and rail edges are flush.
4 Referring to Figures 8 and 9, install a dado blade into your table saw and cut an angled groove into the lower inside face of each side assembly.
5 Rout a thumbnail profile along the top edge of each side assembly. Finish-sand the assemblies and the cleats (H). Now add glue and clamp a cleat into each side assembly groove.
6 Drill pilot holes in the side stiles (G) for #8x1½" flathead wood screws, where shown on Figure 8, and drive the screws, letting the heads protrude 5/32".
Now build the bottom
1 Trim the stiles (I) and rails (J) to length. Referring to Figures 10 and 11, use a regular 1/8" table saw blade to cut centered grooves that match the thickness of the ¼" plywood panel (K) into the inside edges of the stiles and rails. Switch to a dado blade and cut tenons on the ends of the rails (J) to fit into the stile (I) grooves. Drill ¼" holes for connector bolts in the stiles.
2 Cut the panel (K) to size and finish-sand it. Then glue and clamp the bottom assembly (I, J, K). Finish-sand the stiles (I) and rails (J).
3 Assemble the ends and sides, capturing the protruding screw heads on the sides in the keyhole hangers in the ends. (You may have to fine-tune the amount the screw heads protrude.) Tilt your table saw blade 10° and cut bevels along the edges of the bottom assembly stiles (I). Cut each bevel a little at a time, testing the fit of the bottom between the sides. If needed, trim a little off each end of the bottom assembly for an easy fit between the ends. When you have a good fit, use the bolt holes in the stiles as guides to drill mating 3/8" connector nut holes into the cleats (H).
4 Remove the bottom from the ends/sides assembly, and epoxy connector nuts into the cleat (H) holes. Reposition the bottom and fasten it in place with 11/8" connector bolts.
On to the stand
1 Trim the parts for the feet (L), the uprights (M), and the stretcher (N) to length. Move the edge guide of the keyhole hanger mortising jig to Position 2 shown on Figure 3. Clamp the jig to the inside face of each upright, and rout a keyhole hanger mortise, where shown on Figures 12 and 13.
2 Install a dado blade in your table saw and form a tenon at the bottom of each upright.
3 Retrieve the two Pendulum and Upright Pattern copies, and adhere one to each upright (M). Bandsaw and sand the curve on each upright (M). Chuck a 1" Forstner bit into your drill press and drill a hole through each upright, where indicated on the pattern. Rout a thumbnail profile along the edges and top end of the upright stopping at the tenon. Finish-sand the uprights.
4 With the dado blade in your table saw, cut a dado in each half of the feet (L), checking the fit of the upright (M) tenon in the width of the dadoes and the mortise formed by each pair of dadoes. Now assemble the upright and opposing foot halves, as shown in Photo I, and apply clamps.
5 Retrieve the arc templates and draw the foot (L) arcs, where shown on Figure 14. Bandsaw and sand the feet to shape. Rout a thumbnail profile along the top edges and ends of each foot. Finish-sand the feet. Drill pilot holes and fasten keyhole hangers into the upright (M) mortises.
6 Trim the stretcher (N) to length. Referring to Figure 12, mark the end points and midpoint of the curve. Connect the points by bending a thin stick (or fairing stick) and draw the curve on the stretcher. Bandsaw and sand the curve. Now rout a thumbnail profile along the stretcher top and bottom edges. Finish-sand the stretcher. Mark screw locations on the ends, where shown, drill pilot holes, and drive the screws, protruding the heads 5/32".
7 Lay out the 3"-diameter spacers (O) on ¼" birch plywood, using a compass. Drill the center hole on your drill press with a 1" Forstner bit. Bandsaw and sand the spacers to shape. Place the spacers onto the pendulum (D) dowels.
8 Assemble the cradle by inserting the pendulum (D) dowels into the upright (M) holes. Add the knobs. (If needed, sand the dowels so they pivot in the holes without binding.) Stand up the assembly and join the protruding screw heads on the stretcher into the keyhole hangers in the uprights (Photo J).
Apply the finish
1 Disassemble the cradle, and remove all hardware, except the hanger bolts. Cover the hanger bolt threads with masking tape. Finish-sand the part as needed. Apply a clear finish. (We applied two coats of satin polyurethane, sanding with 220-grit between coats.)
2 Reassemble the cradle (See Photo J), and wax the pivot dowels. Lay in a 2" to 4" foam mattress or order an 18×36" cradle mattress from ababy.com.
About Our Builder/Designer
The pendulum baby cradle and matching doll cradle in this issue are Ben Svec’s third contribution to the pages of Woodcraft Magazine. Readers will remember his Flat-Panel TV Entertainment Center (Oct/Nov 2007) and Arts and Crafts Pendulum Clock (Feb/Mar 2008). Ben operates Falls Millwork, a small custom furniture and cabinet shop in Kelley, Iowa. He can be reached at bensvec@hotmail.com.
