You either need a crib or you don't. If you do, this one is hard to equal.

A crib is an indispensable item, and this one will cost you far less than the cribs commercially available. It has been carefully designed to last for many years without repairs. In the model, 3/4-inch birch plywood was used for the head­board and footboard and bottom rails. The higher side rails as well as all other parts are solid birch. The crib was finished with two coats of clear varnish. The spring frame was made of 2x2-inch clear fir, with plastic webbing, and the mattress is a piece of U. S. Koylon foam core-stock, 21/2 inches thick (see page 140).

From a 4x7-foot piece of 3/4-inch birch plywood, cut both the headboard and foot­board and tack them temporarily together. Cut the top corners round on a 5-inch radius for 90 degrees of arc, and sand them smooth. With both pieces together, mark the top edge for l1/2-inch round decorative balls, 31/4 and 93/4 inches from the center, on each side. On these lines, drill y pilot holes about 1 inch deep.

Bore 3/8-inch holes 9/16 inch deep lor dowels in rail post ends. Ones shown are tor fixed fence.

When assembling rails, use clamp to pressure all points by moving it along; then clamp each end.

Mark the side edges at 4 and 10 inches from the bottom. Take both headboards apart and transfer the markings to the in­side surface with lines about 3 inches long, and also draw lines 21/2 inches from and parallel to the front and back edges as guides for 3/4-inch solid wood cleats.

On the inside surface of both the head­board and footboard, 21/2 inches from the front and back edges, mount 3/4-inch square cleats 291/2 inches long, 4 inches from the bottom of each board. Use glue and 11/4-inch No. 12 flathead screws, about 8 inches apart. Drill screw holes in adjacent sides of the cleats so that the fixed side rails can be mounted on later. However, in the area where the folding side rail is to be mounted, drill the cleats only on one side (to allow them to be mounted against the bed rail). Round oft the top end of all cleats before mounting them.

Fasten a 3/4x21/4-inch solid wood base­board around the bottom of the head- and footboard. Make miter joints and either round off or bevel the top of the baseboard; attach with glue and 4d finishing nails, boring small holes first if hardwood is used, and sink the nails, putty over, and sand.

Round wooden balls are sold in diam­eters of 13/8 to 13/4 inches; buy or make eight of these and drill a 1/4-inch hole in the centers. Cut decorative rail strips from matching solid wood, 3/4xlx26 inches, and round both ends to a complete half-round from top to bottom edge. Bore holes for wood plugs and screws to match up with the pilot holes in head- and footboard. For hardwood, countersink the inner 1/4-inch holes. Mount the strips and balls with 3-inch No. 10 flathead screws; fill the holes with long-grain plugs after the entire bed is assembled.

To make the fixed and folding fences, cut six strips to 3/4xl3/4x511/2 inches. Clamp the pieces together and drill 3/8-inch holes 9/16inch deep in the bottom edge, locating the holes 3/4 inch from the end and 41/2 inches apart.

Cut nine strips 5/8x3/4x201/2 inches and eighteen strips 5/8x3/4x81/2 inches, and drill similar holes in the center of each end. Cut seventy 3/8-inch dowels, 1 inch long, and glue them into the fence pole holes only. Cut four pieces 3/4xl3/4x81/2 inches and two pieces 201/2 inches long. On the ends, bore a 3/8-inch hole 3/4 inch from the outside edge, and then glue a dowel into crib hole. Assemble all three fences with glue and use clamps to tighten. Check for squareness and straightness. Round all in­side post corners as well as the inside edges of rails and end posts before gluing. Plane and sand all surfaces flush around the top fence edges and bore -3/16-inch holes through bottom rails of each fixed fence in the cen­ter of every other space.

After the bottom frames are mounted, attach high back fixed rail to cleats, snug against frame.

In every other space between posts of fixed rails, drill 3/16-inch holes for securing rails to frame.

On the inside of the bottom rail, 1 inch from the top edge, mount lxl1/4-inch cleats with glue and l1/4-inch No. 12 flathead screws. Let the cleats recess 7/8 inch from each end. Assemble the bed by placing the outside surface of the footboard down and mounting the lower side frame rails onto it with 11/4-inch No. 12 flathead screws through the cleats. Mount the larger fixed fence into position with l1/4-inch No. 12 flathead screws, but no glue. Mount the lower fixed fence. Mount the completed assembly onto the headboard. With the bed right side up, insert 21/2-inch No. 8 roundhead screws through the holes in every other space, lining the fences up with the lower side frame rails, and tighten.

Take 1/8 inch off each end of the folding fence. Attach a 3/4-inch piano hinge on the bottom of the folding fence. Mount the en­tire folding fence on top of the fixed fence, keeping equal clearance on each end. Mount a thumb latch on the outside of the folding fence, on each end. Also mount casters 3 inches from each end in the exact center on bottoms of the head- and foot­board. Mount a Ixl1/2x243/4-inch cleat in line with the cleats in the lower side frame rails, on the inside of the head- and foot­board, with glue and l1/4-inch No. 12 flat-head screws.

Make a spring frame from 2x2-inch clear fir. After notching out as shown, screw the frame together with 2-inch No. 10 flathead screws. Place 4-inch angle irons on the inside of the frame for additional support. Stretch 2-inch plastic webbing, interwoven, onto the frame—space 2 inches apart.

For additional support for the bed, notch and mount 6-inch angle irons on the inside of the bed just below the lxl1/2 -inch cleats. •

Notch out for thumb latch in each corner of top folding rail; bore holes for bolt in head, foot.

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