Simple Camp Bed

[Silver]

Well yea beat mine for sure on price mate got mine at an antique mall real deal from the periord for around a hundred bucks. Note the the rails bees rounded and have pegs much faster to rope up. The end rails and side rails bees treaded wood and screws into the up rights.

This been her dresed out in me camp in Charleston SC at the tall ships I has to kick the top rail off the foot boad at night as me feet sticks out some as they were shorter in them days ;-}

may i ask where did you get the rounded stock for the sides?

[Bright]

may i ask where did you get the rounded stock for the sides?

I bought the bed from a antique mall mate I didn't make it someone in the 1700s did all I had to do was put it toget and add the rope.

Edited October 18, 2009 by Bright

[Commodore Swab]

Ive made a couple of those and used to sleep on one every night, the tighter you get the rope the better. The problem being that as you tighten the rope it can bow in the boards in themiddle. To solve this problem I added a 2x4 laying horizontally just under the rope holes and this added strength to prevent bowing. Tightening is relativly easy, I did the long sides first and simply tied one end of the rope and used my weight to pull it tight thru each hole. You can't do this in the other direction however as it must be fed over/under each line. For mattresses since the line was good and tight all I needed to do was lay several blankets on top that removed the feel of the rope.

[LadyBarbossa]

Hmmmm...

Now ye lot have me thinkin'. Tis impossible for me to find a mattress and box spring for my antique bed (supposedly a three-quarters bed), 4 poster, looks nice, walnut. Might have to think about altering it with rope and a futon mattress then otherwise, may use for a bed at reenactments.

Damn, now I wish I had bid on that smaller nearly twin size rope bed at an auction late last month.

So, um... one just drills holes in the square side boards for the ropes?

~Lady B

[LadyBarbossa]

I hate double postin' here.... But I've a valid question (An' no one's posted b'fore me)...

What is the best recommended type of rope to use for a rope bed?

I'm thinking about converting an old three-quarters bed that I have into a rope bed. Not sure whether to drill holes in the sideboards or to add pegs at the top of the boards (I've seen both).

~Lady B

[michaelsbagley]

I hate double postin' here.... But I've a valid question (An' no one's posted b'fore me)...

What is the best recommended type of rope to use for a rope bed?

I'm thinking about converting an old three-quarters bed that I have into a rope bed. Not sure whether to drill holes in the sideboards or to add pegs at the top of the boards (I've seen both).

~Lady B

Sorry this might not be the answer your looking for... But as there are only a few types of rope generally available it might help through elimination... But I found that sisal rope (the kind most commonly found at hardware stores) stretched very badly on the rope bed I used to have. Hemp, jute, or something else might not be as bad, but I would wait to see if someone else pipes up with any experience in using those for that purpose. As a wild guess, my money would be on Hemp being the best for not stretching much... But that is based totally on a guess.

In fact, I had so much bad luck with sisal, I trashed the rope bed as I wasn't even going to risk spending the money on hemp or another type of rope.

[michaelsbagley]

As an addendum, part of my problem may have been the use of a softer wood frame. If you use a good hardwood frame, you may not get as many problems with sagging as I did. I still stand by my assessment of sisal rope stretching, but just wanted to add on the softwood versus hardwood thing as well.

[MorganTyre]

As an addendum, part of my problem may have been the use of a softer wood frame. If you use a good hardwood frame, you may not get as many problems with sagging as I did. I still stand by my assessment of sisal rope stretching, but just wanted to add on the softwood versus hardwood thing as well.

I originally set the bed up with sisal and had no real problems with stretch once I got past the initial break-in period. I set everything up very tight and have had no problem at all with sagging. I've since strung the bed with manilla because it's actually cheaper for me than the sisal.

[MarkG]

As an addendum, part of my problem may have been the use of a softer wood frame. If you use a good hardwood frame, you may not get as many problems with sagging as I did. I still stand by my assessment of sisal rope stretching, but just wanted to add on the softwood versus hardwood thing as well.

I originally set the bed up with sisal and had no real problems with stretch once I got past the initial break-in period. I set everything up very tight and have had no problem at all with sagging. I've since strung the bed with manilla because it's actually cheaper for me than the sisal.

For around 20 years we set up a rope-strung bed when camping. I used Manila and never had much trouble with stretching. I used softwood but it was 2x8s so they didn't warp much.

I used pegs for the ropes. Originally I wove the rope individually. Later I started doing it in pairs. This sped things up a lot. I didn't have to run the entire rope back an forth. I would just run a doubled over piece, hook it over two pegs, then tighten. It worked just as well.

Mark

[LadyBrower]

Cool, guys... I too just got a three- quarter bed (antique... for $35 it was awesome). Right now, I have a board down on to support the mattress (Which is in fact, the insides of my love-sac knock off chair) and it's rather perfect. But a rope bed might be just the thing.... :-)

[LadyBarbossa]

Ok....

So again, what type of rope? How many yards or feet will I need? and to those woodworkers out there, suggestions on where to drill the rope holes?

That's what I'm doing at the moment, too, Brower. Not exactly comfortable (since I have the board but not a mattress), but hoping to change that.

~Lady B

[MorganTyre]

Ok....

So again, what type of rope? How many yards or feet will I need? and to those woodworkers out there, suggestions on where to drill the rope holes?

That's what I'm doing at the moment, too, Brower. Not exactly comfortable (since I have the board but not a mattress), but hoping to change that.

~Lady B

I drilled mine on 3" centers which I am happy with but your mileage may vary. The closer you space the holes the less stress each individual line experiences so line type really doesn't matter. Less stress = less stretch. Also, the load is more evenly distributed to the wood so you get less bowing. The downside to a bunch of holes is that setup takes that much more time. Length of your line = the length of your bed x the number of strands you have running the length of it + the width of your bed x the number of strands you have running horizontally.

[callenish gunner]

Best to buy a bit more rope than you need it never hurts to have a wee bit extra ...sucks to wind up short! Manila hemp is a good choice 3/8" will do the job Contractor Rope

[MorganTyre]

Best to buy a bit more rope than you need it never hurts to have a wee bit extra ...sucks to wind up short! Manila hemp is a good choice 3/8" will do the job Contractor Rope

I should probably move this to plunder but if you are needing 1/4" manilla (which is what my bed is strung with) I can make you a better deal per foot on a cut length than that site has for a full 1200 foot spool. Just send me a PM. The price on 3/8" would be better as well.

[Capt. J...]

Help Brethern.........ok....i bought me a rope bed.........now how do i rope it ??????.....about 8 pegs in the headboard and 8 in the foot board wood posts.....about 14 pegs on the left and the right side rail posts..........any thoughts????

Capt. J...

[Capt. J...]

may i ask where did you get the rounded stock for the sides?

I bought the bed from a antique mall mate I didn't make it someone in the 1700s did all I had to do was put it toget and add the rope.

Hello Bright

Just bought my bed and it looks almost exactly like yours....couple of questions....do you know what period its from...no one at the store knew....also do the side rail pegs have to be facing down ????? my bed puts together with the side rails in the up offset 15 degree configuration. Head and foot boards pegs are upright. Also what dia. rope and rope length did you use ? i studied your photo and made a stringing detail.....and are the ropes on the side pegs wrapped around two pegs as are the ones on the head and foot boards?????????????

Grate and helpfull photo...

Capt. J...

[adam cyphers]

not that i have a rope bed lady b but id say go with manila ive used it alot on various jobs etc....on a side notewhat is manila made of...is it period for us?

[Bright]

After much research looks like me bead was actual made in the 1820 not the 1700 as told by the sales person at the antique mall. Part of this conclusion was derived by the wood being poplar and the way it's treaded together and the its head and side rails are rounded not squared as told to me by a more reputable and knowledgeable future collector and dealer, he also stated that rope beds are unlike other future as their are well know stiles and can be easily dated and traced to know cabinet makers were beds could be simply made by almost anyone. One draw back on any type of rope bed is it must be tightened periodically, this is were the term sleep tight originated as the ropes need tightening and the bugs in the tick mattress did bite. So that said I use 100 feet of 3/8 sisal as it is easily found at most hardware stores.

Now I do string it good a tight maybe too much so as I have popped a peg or two or three however other that popping pegs I have not had to re-rope or tighten our bed once stung over a weeks encampment.

That’s with all those lubbers a looky-loos and kids that wish to try it out when visiting our tent .

Here bees a link to help others with questions and holes spacing weaving etc…

http://www.crookedtreefarm.com/history/furniture/ropebed.pdf

Hope this anwers most of the questions ;-}

[capn'rob]

MORGAN!!!! I thought you said it went together easily!!!! Egads, the line setting must have taken hours!!!! otherwise damned fine job!!! hats off to ya mate

Honestly the line setting works much quicker with two people but you can get all set up in under 15 minutes.

Does application of a Spanish Windlass help in this process? Also, rather than undo and re run, once slackened can you package it as a unit until next use?

[capn'rob]

made one of these years ago....Damn fine job there

now...if ya tied a stopper knot...about every other hole er soo...ya could tighten em as needed when the ropes start slacking to time and weight...my granny had an olde rope bed down south...loved sleeping on it..after ya tightened the bed..as in...Sleep tight...

Let truth be known! The "Tight" Sir d'Dogge finds his sleep in is usually in the overconsumption of strong spirits! Not to say he isn't the jolliest of comrades but I've yet to see him a'bed of many night but more likely in a state of collapse about the towns and camps we've been met in.

[Cap'n Black Jack]

I need to make a bed ASAP. I like the one that started this post. I have a question! The bed needs to be wider, around four ,feet, has anyone tried this? I am worried about drilling all those holes and breaking down the integrity of the wood, as well as sag that might be caused by the extra width. I tried to make a rope bed before and had little success. I will be using oak if that helps. Can anyone help?

Captain Black

[MarkG]

I need to make a bed ASAP. I like the one that started this post. I have a question! The bed needs to be wider, around four ,feet, has anyone tried this? I am worried about drilling all those holes and breaking down the integrity of the wood, as well as sag that might be caused by the extra width. I tried to make a rope bed before and had little success. I will be using oak if that helps. Can anyone help?

Captain Black

I made mine from 2x6 pine. It is double-bed width. My wife and I used it for years. I used pegs instead of holes. This is also period and much easier to string. Putting pegs in the holes helps to replace the strength lost to the holes. Oak is a lot stronger than pine so you can probably get away with 1" oak.

Mark