Flyover
Trying not to screw things up worse
Pretty sure one of my next projects in the coming year will be a DIY bed frame. I'm envisioning the main part being 4x4 posts with 2x6s or 2x8s as rails/connectors. For some reason, in my mind I always picture the corners as castle joints. Provided I have bought or can borrow a table saw by then (because that's how I'd cut the joint), that's my default joint option right now.
But how strong are castle joints really? If the kids climb onto the bed to jump or wrestle (jumping is officially not allowed but I can't guarantee its prevention) will a castle joint be enough to withstand the shearing forces? It's easy to imagine those four skinny little 1" pins (what's left of the 4x4 which surrounds the 2x6s) snapping -- especially since I know myself well enough to know I probably won't engineer the joints perfectly. Is this fear unfounded? Would simply using a 6x6 pretty much alleviate any issue?
If not, what are the best alternatives to a castle joint for this type of application? (And don't say mortise and tenon, because I can't cut mortises.)
But how strong are castle joints really? If the kids climb onto the bed to jump or wrestle (jumping is officially not allowed but I can't guarantee its prevention) will a castle joint be enough to withstand the shearing forces? It's easy to imagine those four skinny little 1" pins (what's left of the 4x4 which surrounds the 2x6s) snapping -- especially since I know myself well enough to know I probably won't engineer the joints perfectly. Is this fear unfounded? Would simply using a 6x6 pretty much alleviate any issue?
If not, what are the best alternatives to a castle joint for this type of application? (And don't say mortise and tenon, because I can't cut mortises.)
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