Mike Bonvino photo

The design is authentic, the construction simple, and the cradle's finished appearance will delight everybody who comes to admire baby.

While you're expecting a baby, perhaps the baby's expecting a cradle! If your decor allows provincial styling, you can have the very finest of cradles by building it yourself.

Its lines are authentic, and although the appearance is elaborate, the work layout is especially planned for the home hobbyist. It takes surprisingly little time and material to make, and will give you and baby a fine start. The cradle is portable and can be lifted out of the stand and used in the car, etc.

Photos by Milton Salomon unless otherwise noted

It is essential to make a full size lay­out on heavy paper or cardboard, following the drawing and graph. Cut out the end profile pattern, trace on to 3/4-inch plywood, and cut out two pieces. Temporarily tack both pieces together and sand all edges flush. Take the pieces apart and cover the edges with matching Wood-Trim; then re­move the excess and sand the edges.

With the pattern on the outside surface of the end profiles, use a sharp awl to punc­ture three holes for the cradle bottom and two for each top edge rail. On the inside of each end profile, again with the help of the pattern and general layout, mark guide lines for assembly.

On the outside surfaces in the awl marks, drill 1/2-inch holes 5/16 inch deep, then 3/16-inch holes all the way through.

Cut out the bottom from 3/4-inch ply­wood. Cover both curved edges with matching Wood-Trim. On the top surface of the cradle bottom, mark straight parallel lines as shown in the drawing, and bore six 1/2-inch holes 1/2inch deep on each line, on a slant. This is done by propping up a temporary platform on the drill-press table until you find the correct angle with a bevel square which has been adjusted on the pat­tern (see photo page 88).

Cut two top edge rails from matching solid wood. Compare them with the bot­tom to see that they are exactly the same length, then transfer the hole locations from the cradle bottom to the bottom edges of the top edge rails. Bore 1/2-inch holes 1/2inch deep: holes are not to be on a slant.

Make full-size layout on heavy pattern, cut out cradle end, saw out part; then mark holes, lines.

Cut twelve 1/2-inch dowels 123/8 inches long. Sand them smooth; also round the top of the edge rails.

Assemble the cradle by first placing dowels into the bottom holes with glue, then mounting the top edge rails, and then mounting the end profiles with glue and 11/2-inch No. 8 flathead screws. Square up the assembly and set it aside.

Cut out the base stretcher from plywood and cover the top edge with matching

Weldwood trim.

From matching solid wood, cut out the two posts. Sand them and round all edges. From the same wood, make two base pads. Draw guide lines in the center for assem­bly with the posts, then drill two 1/4-inch holes in the center, staggered and counter­sunk on the bottom for flathead screws. Round off all edges of the base pads, ex­cept in the area where the posts are to be mounted.

On the bottom and outside edge of each support post, in the exact center of the thickness, bore three 1/2-inch holes 3/4 inch deep, then 1/4-inch holes all the way through; locate the holes 1, 5 and 7 inches from the bottom. On the inside edge, in the exact bottom center, mortise a groove 3/4 inch wide, 5/8 inch deep and 8 inches long.

Assemble the frame by first mounting the base pads to the posts, using glue and 2-inch No. 10 flathead screws. Square up the assembly and then mount the base stretcher between both posts in the grooves, using glue and 3-inch No. 10 flat-head screws. Again, square up, fill the holes with matching 1/2-inch long-grain plugs on the base assembly and cradle, and set it aside.

Make two brass hangers as shown in the plan. Make sure that the top holes are not closer than 3/4 inch, and mount them in the center of the cradle-end profiles; then take one of them off again. In the center of each post, 23/4 inches from top, drill a 1/4-inch hole 2 inches deep. Screw into the holes regular metal hanger supports which can be bought in the hardware store and let them extend out 3/4inch. Now, hang the cradle by placing the mounted hanger on a hook support; turn the cradle bottom toward you by swinging it out 90 degrees, and screw the loose hanger (which is hanging from the second hook) into the end profile.

Make the ornamental braces from 1/8xl-inch metal by bending it around a piece of 21/2-inch pipe in the vise. Mount the orna­mental braces to the frame (see drawings). The model was made from birch ply­wood, finished off in gold, then glazed over with white and wiped.

To bore 1/2-inch holes on slant in cradle bottom, prop up piece and check angle with bevel square.

Groove 8 inches long is mortised in lower Inside edge of both posts where base stretcher inserts.

Tack a stop jig to saw table to enable cutting 1/2-inch dowels, several at a time, to 123/8 inches.

Base stretcher ismounted into mortised groove in support posts with glue, 3-inch No. 10 screws.

Put tape around jaws of flat-nose pliers to screw hanger hook into both posts; see detail drawing.

Assembly of cradle starts with gluing V^-inch rail posts into slanted holes bored in cradle bottom.

Top edge rails have been glued to dowel posts and end is ready for assembly to the rails and bottom.

Mike Bonvino photo

End pieces are held to top edge rails with two Ornamental brace is bent into desired shape over 11/2-inch No, 8 flathead screws; glue is used first. a 21/2-inch pipe stub in vise; hammer is used, too.

Hole is drilled in brace and it's attached with 3/4-inch No. 7 roundhead screws; see graph sketch.

Put second hanger on hook in post, then swing up cradle to allow room for screwing hanger to end.

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