Bed to frame bolts, Part I

[thumper56]

Ready to make my bed on the 56 short box. I have some rough sawn cherry that's been drying for ten+ years- so decided I'd mill some up and put it to good use. Planed, sanded, and grooved it up and applied some marine varnish. Painted the bed rails and bolt heads the same as the body (50's GM Seafoam Green). Put the 4 center boards on the sills with bed front, and by golly, beauty being in the eyes of the beholder- pretty darn sexy!

Now for my next boards- Just ordered bed to frame bolts with off centered flat washers which brings me to my question...

Since the washers are punched off center, I am thinking that my process on the lumber must go as follows
1) carefully mark where bolt holes need to be, but do not drill them yet as I need to make the washer recess first (being off center).
2) place the eccentric washer's hole over my mark and trace outer diameter of the washer.
3) Use a fostner bit ( about 1/8" larger) to cut a recess the thickness of the washer.
4) Drill hole for bolt (again about 1/8" oversize).

Just asking if I am correct from anyone else who has done this, any hints welcome!!! Hardwood ain't cheap, and already have a lot of work in these pieces.

Thanks much for your time and thoughts.

[_Ogre]

can't really say for sure, but 1/8'' and 1/8'' add up to 1/4'' of slop in your plan
i'd drill them the exact side of the washer and bolt, tap them in if needed
the washer is eccentrically drilled so you can use the square stove bolt and lock it in from turning
do a test hole in scrap oak or cherry to see if your plan is doable, as is, i think the head will turn

typically the bed rails are above the bed wood as a shovel guide (shudder )
so as your shoveling gravel (ouch) or asphalt (gross) out of the bed the shovel doesn't dig into the bed wood
if you painted the strips and bolts, recess the strips and bolts a bit under the surface of the bed wood



this is a little deeper than the plans on the bed wood site



and if you sprayed the bed strips... did they take as much paint as half your truck or what???

[thumper56]

Thanks for reply Ogre- I'm all set with the dados for the bed rails. Mine stand about 1/16" proud of top of wood surface. Don't plan on shoveling much gravel or sand, but may haul some manure and have to use an iron rake in the bed-ha!

My worry is with the bolts in the two second from outside boards that pass through the frame and secure the bed, understand the idea of the eccentric punched washers, as if they are in a recess, they will hold the bolts square "under-head" from turning as it is tightened.

The only way I can think to do this is to cut the recess with a fostner first- then drill the bolt hole off center to match the washer. This will require very accurate measurement and marking. If I drill the bolt hole first, I fear the fostner will "walk" if it's center point is on the edge of that bolt hole.

I'll try a piece of scrap when the new hardware arrives- if I'm lucky, the bolt hole is off center enough that this won't be an issue.

Thanks again and Happy New Year!

[Russell Ashley]

I believe that Mar-K has a good write-up on how to position the bolts and washers. Check their website. I did mine a couple of years ago and I think I used their instructions to get them right.