wood bed

[oj70chevy]

Alright I know there are a lot of places to buy from. I just wanted to ask any one that have bought the bed kits where and why they bought from that place. I am getting ready to buy the polished strips and angle, oak wood kit, and polished bolt kit as well. I just want the best deal for my $$$$$ however I don’t want to sacrifice quality for price. Any advice would be appreciated Thanks.

[shifty]

I also will be getting a bed kit soon and I've been asking around. Mar-K basically has the absolute best reputation out there for their bed kits, not only for quality, but for price, fit and what you get. http://www.mar-k.com/

They are also a forum supporter.
They also have a lot of information for studies they've conducted on sealers at their website they share with the general public.
They are a forum member and typically quick to answer posts for members who need information or help regarding bedwood.

Get this - I'm pretty sure they also have plans on how to manufacture the bed wood yourself at their website if you wanted to make it (it's not much more to have them make it and ship it to you).

I've made up my mind - I'm going with Mar-K when it comes time for me to get my kit.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by shifty

I've made up my mind - I'm going with Mar-K when it comes time for me to get my kit.

[Green Machine]

Mar-K for me, everything fit great, holes in ALL the parts are where they should be, front bed panel might as well have been NOS, same with rear support and all the parts, nice stuff.

[Sequoyah]

Originally Posted by Green Machine

Mar-K for me, everything fit great, holes in ALL the parts are where they should be, front bed panel might as well have been NOS, same with rear support and all the parts, nice stuff.

If you are friends with a furniture builder or even someone who has the required tools i.e. Jointer, Planer, Band saw, Table saw and drill press...you could buy the wood from a supplier local to you. Not just red oak, maybe white oak or an exotic if you want to do something different. I'm just learning about doing a wood bed, but the vendor that was mentioned seems like the way to go, but you could save some $ by milling your own wood and in the end it will be much more satisfying.

[hd78glide]

[QUOTE=shifty]

Get this - I'm pretty sure they also have plans on how to manufacture the bed wood yourself at their website if you wanted to make it (it's not much more to have them make it and ship it to you).
QUOTE]

I just looked, I can't find those plans anywhere...

[oj70chevy]

[QUOTE=hd78glide]

Originally Posted by shifty

Get this - I'm pretty sure they also have plans on how to manufacture the bed wood yourself at their website if you wanted to make it (it's not much more to have them make it and ship it to you).
QUOTE]

I just looked, I can't find those plans anywhere...

I did find one on GMCPaul's website. Only thing is I don't know of anyone that has the tools to do it .
and I just noticed I have 200 posts.

[hd78glide]

[shifty]

Originally Posted by hd78glide

I just looked, I can't find those plans anywhere...

Right here in the installation section!:

http://www.mar-k.com/bedwood_dimensions.pdf

Lots of other information they give to the world free of charge here:

http://www.mar-k.com/installation_hints.html

Every tip you could possibly want to install your own bed wood, make your own bed wood, finish your own bed wood, you name it.

I'm telling you, Mar-K is class! Anyone that can be this helpful deserves my business.

[shifty]

PS - they give you what you need to know about notching the wood to work with the brackets. GMC Paul's website will give you the dimensions I think (maybe the last person posting on it can link up to it), because, as you can see, the boards are NOT the same width all the way across on one of our trucks. The easy part is cutting the width and length correctly - hard part is actually milling the edge so your metal strips fit into the board properly!

[MAR-Ktech]

As you cut the wood, be sure that you allow a little room beside the bed strips for expansion of the boards and for the buildup of finish in the grooves. The overall width of the boards is not as critical as the width of the "raised" part of the board that is visible between the strips. You don't want it to be a tight fit, allow at least 1/16" on each side of the strip, more if your finish tends to build much thickness. I sure do not like to see plans that only show the overall board width and the groove width since a small error on each of those dimensions could add up to an unacceptable error on the finish product. We always cut our wood according to the dimensions calculated by the same formulas that are in our website, and it allows 1/16" each side of the bed strips.

Good luck with your project

Mar-Ktech

[TugOwar]

I replaced the wood bed in a 66 chevy swb fleetside I had years ago. Found raw oak boards at an old sawmill. I took them to a friend who had a small wood working shop in his garage. Cut to length on the radial arm saw, then planed to thickness and ripped to width on the table saw. I want to say he cut the grooves on a router table but I really don't remember that well.

I duplicated the dimensions from the original boards and it came out well. Went to the hardware store and bought whole boxes of the correct size carriage bolts, flat washers, lock washers and nuts. Sanded and painted the original metal strips.

It was all still there last time I saw the truck 12 years later.

A guy here locally just redid his wood bed in Mesquite. Looks killer!