Introduction: Moon Crib From Pallets
I wanted to make one of these for quite a while but with my child being a cat it had to be slightly smaller. The original idea calls for a piece of plywood which i dont get hold of very often and is in fact not needed for this project.
Its fairly simple carpentry with mostly butt joints used throughout, and as usual the more tools you have the quicker youll be. Heres a list of the tools I used.
- Circular Saw
- Jigsaw
- Router or Biscuit Jointer
- Chop saw
- Belt and Orbital sander
- Drill corded and cordless
- Hammer, nails, screws, string and pencil
I added a few touches like remote control LED strip lighting and some glow in the dark highlights around the stars.
Finish was done with Briwax.
From an idea on here originally I think. Unsure of the exact origin.
Step 1: Start With the Sides
Get a couple of pallets, good ones, clean with thick decent timber and pull them to bits, denail them.
Lay the planks out, push them together, plane them so that they are butting together fairly flush.
Decide on the size crib that you want and get some string.
Find the center and put in a screw, attach the string and add a pen to the length, draw out the main circle.
Cut the circle out using a jigsaw.
Use a router with a biscuit jointing bit or a dedicated biscuit jointer and cut the slots in between the planks.
I then used a Kreg Pocket Jig to secure the planks together using pocket screws and plenty of pva glue.
Leave overnight to dry.
Step 2: Joining the Sides & Making the Base
Cut two long pieces that will be the base for the bed. Add glue and screw to the inside of each moon side.
Decide on the width, cut a load of smaller 3x1 pieces to go around the outside and for the bed of the cradle.
Balance or clamp your two sides and start adding the timber, i started at three different places, this allowed for the item to be made and be fairly structurally stable.
I used the hammer and some straight nails, once it was in one piece i switched to the air nail gun. Each pieces was glued with the outside pieces having a edge planed to fit the curve of the piece.
Allow to dry overnight.
For the base, hold up a piece of wood against the curve of your sides and mark with a pencil. Cut out with the jigsaw, cut the ends at a slight angle and nail in the ends. Make the base about 2 inches each side narrower than the main cradle for aesthetic quality.
Step 3: The Stars
I found a sheet of stars on google image search, printed them out and used them as a template. I drew around them with a pencil, drilled a hole in the center of each one and then cut the shape out using the jigsaw.
I then went further and routered a groove around each star, i then filled them in with a glow in the dark resin mixture.
Step 4: Wax Finish & Lights
The finish i decided on was Briwax, medium brown, good stuff, has a nice warm colour and buffs to a nice shine.
Applied with a brush and buffed up with a soft cloth. More applications will be beneficial to achieving a deep layered finish.
Added multi colour remote control LED lights, about £10 on ebay, used a stapler to attach as the sticky bax wont stick very well to wax. Small hole screwed into the base and the infra red receiving diode is inserted with the control box attached behind.
Be gentle with the led strips, they can be really fragile, you might want to try the outdoor ones with the added protection. Also you can damage them with the stapler quite easily, take your time.
Step 5: The End
I had some foam which i cut to size and then threw in a old blanket, some soft toys and a sprinkling of catnip.
It works a treat, the cats sleep in it and occasionally use it as an ambush post.
A great project for cat lovers!
1 Person Made This Project!
- grumpyrich made it!
22 Comments
5 years ago
Oh! For cat? I thought it was for toddlers because of the size of it . Well, cats are just as cute ;)
The strobe in the end is hilarious :D
Good job mate!
Reply 5 years ago
disco cat, it loves it :) all the best!
5 years ago
When I'll have a child, I'll definitely make one - This crib is awesome!!! :)
Reply 5 years ago
yes good idea, im going to invest in some new timber and make one for a child i think, i dont know whose child though :) wish my kids would stop this career nonsense and get making with the grandkids allready!
5 years ago
Now I have that song stuck in my head!
One of the most creative uses of pallets I have seen yet. Not only that, it is such a cool design, as well as well built.
If I had a cat I would build that. I have a dog, and have built her a mega doghouse, but that looks to be cat heaven on earth :)
Reply 5 years ago
:) wish i had built one for my dogs back when i had one, would have loved it, building one at the moment for my friends chihuahas
sorry for the song, wishing you well with your build!
5 years ago
Thank you, i have a newborn 7 months and 4 cats.
We already have a bed for him, but i want to make one for the cats also!
I will use plywood for the sides, because i dont have a router to join them.
Reply 5 years ago
have a look at the kreg pocket screw system, the router for the biscuits is to keep the joints in line whilst the glue hardens
5 years ago
Splendid idea, I will do it
5 years ago
This is too neat! It makes mw wish I could go back 20 years. There would be no laundry baskets for my little one! :)
Reply 5 years ago
Lol... A cat. Nonetheless, I'd scale it up!
5 years ago
Well done!
5 years ago
FABULOUS !!!!
5 years ago
This is very nice, thank you for sharing it! A man that loves cats is usually a good man. :-)
5 years ago
Oo double purpose! Very nice! :)
5 years ago
Fantastic, heirloom quality piece that you'd want to pass onto future generations of behbehs (or kittehs). Nice job!
5 years ago
Hey. Really like this!!!
Reply 5 years ago
ha ha cool! me too! thats why i made it, im making another one at the moment for some chihuahuas :)
5 years ago
Amazing! I love it!
Reply 5 years ago
thank you x