WALKING THE WILLOW

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

BUILDING TIPS

To minimize splitting and cracking of wood, it's important to drill pilot holes before nailing or screwing. A pilot hole is a hole drilled slightly smaller and longer than the nail or screw to be inserted.

Before attaching any willow that requires bending, try the following technique to relax the wood fibers. (This increases flexibility, which enables you to make a more even or uniform curve.) First, place one end of your freshly cut or green willow whip on the floor, grasp the other end with your hand, and bend it a little at a time. The larger willows will require you to actually walk along this bend until flexible. The building instructions will refer to this procedure as "walking the willow." Despite your efforts to increase flexibility, some willows will break during this process. It's essential to cut extra materials for that reason. The material fist on page 29 includes these extra pieces.

BEGIN FRAME

As you begin construction, keep in mind you are working with wood that is not exactly straight. There are natural bows and irregularities. Therefore, during construction you should often stand back and view the overall appearance. You'll build the headboard first. Lay the bedposts (52" willows) on the floor or on a large workbench. If posts are bent or curved, simply rotate them until you achieve the position that looks best.

Measure and mark the locations of the horizontal braces (55"). Lay these in their designated positions; again rotate or turn as needed. You will be using a hole saw to countersink these brace ends, so it's important not to change their order once you've established them (see measurements in figures 1 and 2).

HORIZONTAL BRACES

You will be countersinking the horizontal brace ends into the bedposts. Use the hole saw that is closest to the size needed. The diameters of the willow pieces will not be exactly the same. Drill the approximate size hole no more than 1/2" deep, at each of the four locations (figure 3). Use a wood chisel or knife to remove some bark off the brace ends to customize the fit, if necessary (figure 3).

When the fitting procedure is complete, drill pilot holes (7/32") through the bedpost into the ends of the braces (figure 4). Use the length lag that best accommodates each joint. To countersink the lag heads, use the 3/4" spade bit drilled 1/4" deep. Insert lag and washer, and tighten until snug.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print