Request for help - Custom bed frame plan validation and advice and possibly induction to the metal mitre saw too

Projects
1

Hello @MetalMitreSaw

Please help validate this plan for a custom bed frame.

This is my first metal project ever. I have taken the basic metal shop induction, but not been introduced to the metal mitre saw.

I’m planning to fabricate a custom-sized bed frame from milled aluminium 40x20x2mm:

  • 45 degree mitred cuts on all corners to form a flat horizontal bed frame.
  • The rails and end caps will be joined at each of the four corners with 5-6mm L-shaped aluminium brackets internally with rivet nuts. Alternatively, I could use something else that can fit inside the 16mm cavities, or tig weld it.

Frame Orientation: 20mm surfaces are on top and bottom and 40mm surfaces are facing in and out of the frame.

Cut list:

2× outer rails, 1862mm – 45 degree mitre both ends to meet the end caps

2× end caps, 1177mm - 45 degree mitre both ends to meet the rails

2× internal ribs, 1822mm to fit between the 2 end caps – no mitre required

BOM:

1 x 5000mm: 2 outer rails and 1 end cap = 4901mm

1 x 5000mm: 2 internal ribs and 1 end cap = 4821mm

Cut plane: Mitre (blade swivelled 45° in plan, blade itself staying vertical): the cut face is the tall 40mm plane, the diagonal seam shows on the top and bottom 20mm faces, and the two outer 40mm faces meet in a clean vertical corner line.

Handedness: On each rail and end cap, the two mitres must angle toward each other — mirror images — so the outer face is the long point and measures the full 1862mm or 1177mm.

Please advise and thank you in advance!

Cheers,

Rod

2

Ok. A quick scan looks good. There’s only so much a list like this can tell you though. Heads up … don’t rely on having the TiG available. It’s not atm…

In the space this evening if you’re around and want to chat it through…

3

Thanks Dave. Let me know the approx time you are there and i will swing by. Can you do a mitre saw induction this evening or are you busy?

4

Question to all metal work projects: When i was in the shop for the basic metal induction, I noticed a box of short lengths of scrap extruded aluminium with holes drilled in - looks like off cuts. Does this belong to anyone, and please can a use a couple of pieces to practice on the chop saw?
many thanks :slightly_smiling_face:
rod

5

I’m going to say 7pm to be safe… hoping to get there earlier, but I can’t rely on myself managing that.

Most of the metal lying around the metalshop is available for members to play about with. If it’s marked or is a large chunky bit, it’s likely to be someones. We need a better system…

If you can drop by I’ll show you around the saw and point out what materials are definitely available for you to use…

6

I’ll aim for 7
thanks

7

Dave

A massive thank you for your time this evening! As discussed, attached is a .pdf file for the bed frame i’m designing. I checked for sanity, however, I can’t attest on the quality of the metal engineering from Claude Fable 5!

I have a .scad file, but that file type is blocked from uploading here.

Bed_Frame_Drawing_rev10.pdf (119.9 KB)

Cheers,
Rod

8

Updated the frame design - much simpler now:
Bed_Frame_Drawing_rev12.pdf (118.7 KB)