| Project by MichaelAgate | posted 01-16-2012 06:43 PM | 3276 views | 8 times favorited | 14 comments |  |
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Our little big dog Dexter – Part Great Dane, part Boxer, needed a place to sleep as his old floor mattress was just not cutting it. We had to replace the sofa in the living room so I decided to keep the cushions for Dex. Laid them on the floor floor, when he jumped on them to lay down, they slipped in the middle and he remained on the floor. lol. I had to devise a way to fix this. So I decided to purchase a piece of pine, nail it together and keep the cushions in side. At the hardware store, I came across this beautiful piece of clear pine. I thought, this is too nice for screws and nails, so I went with hand cut through dovetails. I made a little relief cut using a handsaw and spokeshave on the front so that when he hung his head over it wouldn’t be resting on the wood. I laid it on the floor, had him test it and it was a hit. He loved it. I said, Dex, there is still something missing. I ran out to my shed, grabbed an old dry 2×4 of spruce, drew a quick pattern on them, then spent about 5 hrs per making a bracket foot. This really added to the over all look of what was supposed to be a simple 20 minute project. No bandsaw starting off so I coped the feet and chiseled out the side profiles then sanded from 40 grit up to 220. lot of work for something so simple but i’m happy with the results. Dex is too.
Regards,
-- Michael and Matthew
14 comments so far
MichaelAgate
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398 posts in 3773 days
#1 posted 01-16-2012 07:00 PM
In the tools pic, I missed the spoke shave. Also, the bed is not completly finished. I need to trim the dowels that are holding the bracket feet in, and I need to apply a finish. Also, please forgive any bad design or construction. This is my first project in about 8 years :)
Regards,
-- Michael and Matthew
MasterSergeant
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#2 posted 01-16-2012 07:33 PM
I see Dexter is enjoying his new bed, that is all that is important!
Nice project, well done! I made on very similar for my old Lab “Billy the Bob” not too long ago.
-- Kelly, woodworker under construction
MichaelAgate
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398 posts in 3773 days
#3 posted 01-16-2012 07:45 PM
I figure, if my wife kicks me out of our bed, maybe Dexter will share with me, so I had to make it nice. :) Labs are great dogs as well, we had one for many years. The horse we have now is very similar in temperment to the lab. :) Thanks for commenting.
-- Michael and Matthew
Rob Vicelli
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#4 posted 01-16-2012 11:45 PM
Nice build, Dex looks really comfortable. I may have to borrow your Idea…
-- Rob V
MichaelAgate
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#5 posted 01-17-2012 12:22 AM
Thanks Rob. Feel free. :)
-- Michael and Matthew
Ken90712
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#6 posted 01-17-2012 12:26 AM
Dexter looks very happy, well done!
-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"
s_grifter
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#7 posted 01-17-2012 03:25 AM
Very nice, looks like Dexter like it as well.
redryder
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#8 posted 01-17-2012 10:26 AM
Nice build and photos…..........lucky dog
-- mike...............
StumpyNubs
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#9 posted 01-17-2012 04:53 PM
That’s one lucky dog! Thanks for posting!
-Jim; aka “Stumpy Nubs”
(The greatest woodworking show since the invention of wood is now online!)
-- Subscribe to "Stumpy Nubs Woodworking Journal"- One of the crafts' most unique publications: http://www.stumpynubs.com/
workerinwood
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#10 posted 01-17-2012 05:18 PM
Lucky dog, great job!!
-- Jack, Albuquerque
OldKranky
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#11 posted 01-18-2012 04:17 AM
My shop dog Guiness caught me looking at this and now he wants one too….
Great job.
-- Better looking at it than for it....
Tom "BUG" Janos
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#12 posted 01-20-2012 03:06 AM
Great job. We have 3 dogs so would not have room for them to have one. lol. My wifes Blue and Gold McCaw Bird is named Dexter. lol
-- Bug from Minnesota. Creating Designer Firewood Since 2006
WoodJediNTraining
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#13 posted 02-01-2012 04:34 AM
Great looking bed!! Very lucky dog.. Nicely Done Mike!!
-- Newbie, aka Wood_Jedi, http://www.asimpledesignofocala.com
Uffe
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#14 posted 03-10-2012 10:24 AM
Love it! Thanks for sharing!
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