bed wood questions

[pat123]

hey guys
i was wonder weather the width of the boards from gmc pauls plans are measured from the top surface width or the bottom surface widht?
i was also wondering if fir would be good?
and what did you guys do to get the wheel well paturns? just make them yourself?

[myoldchevytruck]

I don't understand your first question about the width's of the boards?

[Dingfodgy]

The width of the boards are measured as overall width, as in outside edge to outside edge. This is the dimension the boards should be ripped to. After that you'll dado in the two rabbets along each edge (except for the ones that go up against the bedsides- those are rabbetted on just one edge). Fir would be and excellent choice as long it is relatively knot-free. CVG Fir is the about the strongest wood per pound, is very dimensionally stable and finishes quite beautifully. (I'm biased, though, being from the NW where Doug-Fir is king!). Regarding the pattern for around the wheel wells- you'll just have to improvise. I suggest laying out the first two boards and tracing the profile of the outside flange of the wheel tub. Cut the opening about 3/4" - 1" inside of this line. It doesn't have to be exact being as it'll be covered by the wheel tub.

[Gray Ghost]

Yep, Doug Fir is the hardest of all softwoods and a fine wood for bedwood. It will hold up better than the Pine that came with the truck. I use it for large spans on carports and pergolas....very strong & heavy duty wood.

[cardude66]

I used oak on mine. If you stain it , oak (and ash) sort of gives you 2 colors because they have streaks of bigger pours. They are also hardwood which should last longer. Just my 2 cents.

[pat123]

ok is the width measured from the inside of the groove or the overall length? the fir i am using has a few little knots.
i was planning on making a pattern but like u said it dosent have to be perfect
also is their a proper router or dato bit for the groove?

[Dingfodgy]

Originally Posted by pat123

ok is the width measured from the inside of the groove or the overall length? the fir i am using has a few little knots.
i was planning on making a pattern but like u said it dosent have to be perfect
also is their a proper router or dato bit for the groove?

A few knots should be ok if they are tight and relatively small. Try to keep them away from the edges of the boards if you can. For the rabbetted edges- if you have a table saw, I'd use an adjustable stacked dado blade and make the grooves with two passes. On the first pass you'll set your dado for the overall width of the rabbet and adjust the height to the shallower of the two depths. Once you've run all your boards, reset your dado to the width and height of the narrower and deeper groove and run your boards again. My best advise, get some scraps and make several runs till you get the profile you like- taking notes all along so you can repeat the results on the real stuff.

[cardude66]

I grooved mine with a tablesaw

[dingo_dan_22]

I tried using a table saw for milling my maple... however I found the depth to be uneven, so I used a hand held router with a piece of wood clamped to it as a guide.

[lawest]

Does anybody have any info on converting from metal to wood bed? I heard that the bed sides have to be modified or they will sit up too high. Any thoughts?

[sneakysnake]

Originally Posted by pat123

hey guys
i was wonder weather the width of the boards from gmc pauls plans are measured from the top surface width or the bottom surface widht?
i was also wondering if fir would be good?
and what did you guys do to get the wheel well paturns? just make them yourself?

Here are a different set of dimensions

http://www.classicheartbeat.com/bed_wood.htm