Use dry straight logs of uniform size to make your frontier furniture.
The furniture used on the early frontiers of America was rough-hewn out of necessity. People used materials that nature provided, and the furniture was tough and textured. Today's frontier furniture lends a rustic charm to any room and brings nature indoors. More complicated pieces of furniture use the trademark mortise and tenon joints, sometimes combined with lag bolts. You can leave the bark on, or remove it from the logs. You can keep a natural edge on a table or hone it down to a crisp square corner. There is no right or wrong way to build frontier furniture, so it is a perfect project for the beginning woodworker. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Make a Table
1. Cut a wide piece of log into a cross-section that is 3 or 4 inches thick. This will be the top of the table. Leave the edges rough or sand them down, if desired.
2. Build a rectangular base out of four pieces of wood or logs that match the table top wood. Measure the slab and cut wood so that the slab overhangs by about 2 inches on all sides. Use wood screws to affix the four pieces together. If the wood slab is extremely heavy, use a center timber to help carry the weight. Countersink all screws.
3. Cut four logs to the same length for the legs. Set a leg in each corner. Affix to the base with wood screws.
4. Attach a brace at each corner with wood screws.
5. Turn the base upright. Fill in all screw holes with wood putty.
6. Dry-fit the wood slab on top of the base. Mark the position of the slab on the bottom. Remove the slab and run a bead of wood glue along the top of the base. Reposition the slab, making certain it is centered correctly. Use weights on the top, and allow it to dry 24 to 48 hours. Finish with varnish or stain.
Build a Headboard and Footboard
7. Select long logs that are about the same size for rails. Use thinner, shorter logs for spindles.
8. Decide how many spindles you will have on the headboard and footboard. Cut the ends of each spindle in a tenon joint. A tenon is an end like a pencil, with a center that is longer than the ends. If you have a 3-1/2-inch spindle, the tenon in the center of each end should be about 2 inches thick. Use a hatchet to remove as much of the ends as you need.
9. Peel the bark off the rails and spindles, if desired, using a drawknife. Sand the rails and spindles.
10. Cut mortise joints in the rails by using a drill bit to create a 2-inch wide hole every place you will put a spindle.
11. Dry-fit the rails and spindles together, then apply wood glue and lock the spindles into place.
Complete the Bed
12. Select two 48-inch long posts and two 36-inch long posts for the bedposts. Select two rails that are at least 65 inches in length and two that are at least 90 inches in length for a queen size bed.
13. Notch each of these long rails so a box spring will nestle into each piece, using a hatchet or table saw.
14. Drill mortise joints in each bedpost for box spring rails and for the headboard and footboard rails.
15. Cut tenon joints on all rails and position them into the headboard and footboard.
16. Attach lag bolts at all four corners, for ease of dismantling the bed when moving. Cover the bolts with wood plugs.
17.Tie cables diagonally from one post to the other, using eyehooks.
18. Finish with varnish or stain.
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