Acorn Bed:
A Turned Post Bed From The 1800’s

This bed style is one of my favorites; large diameter posts with deep coves and beads and a long gracefully tapered vase topped by acorn finials. Void of the decorative excesses of reeding, fluting, and heavy carving that plague many period high-style beds, this design is attractive without being overdone, and the somewhat short 5-1/2 foot tall posts are a good match for the eight foot ceilings in the guest bedroom of our home.

Bed posts of this style were very popular in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. Like all traditional turnings, the posts on this bed are a series of coves and beads, which are easily shaped with various sizes of spindle gouges. However, there is some work to be done with the skew, such as the pommels (the transition between the square and round portions) and the double beads at the top of the posts.

In traditional spindle turnings, whether it’s a bed post or a stair baluster, coves and beads are often joined to form an ogee, or vase. There are three ogees on this post, the long vase shape above the spade foot, the long vase that comprises much of the upper portion of the post, and the short vase just below the acorn finial. Once you mastered coves and beads, shaping an ogee becomes easy; it’s simply a matter of joining the two profiles together.

Traditional beds use post-and-rail, mortise-and-tenon construction which is held together with large bed bolts. This construction creates a strong framework while allowing the bed to be disassembled.

Before turning I straighten and square the posts on the jointer and plane them to thickness. Then I carefully mark the centers; a small error will cause the turned areas of the post to be eccentric to the square portions where the rails join.

My first cut at the lathe is with a skew as I cut the pommels (photo 1). Afterwards I use a roughing gouge to create cylinders. I turned the first post from a full-scale drawing. Afterwards, I hung the post on the wall behind the lathe (photo 2) for use as a guide when turning the remaining posts.

Next, I use a parting tool to cut the various segments of the lower post to diameter (photo 3). I use a spring caliper to check each diameter as I’m turning (photo 4).

Now I use a large spindle gouge to shape the long vase above the foot. Starting at the small diameter of the vase I shape a cove and then a bead (photo 5). The spade foot is simply a taper. After cutting the taper with a large gouge I use a block plane to smooth the surface (photo 6). Photo 7 shows the completed lower portion of the post (the easy part!)

Moving on to the upper portion of the post, I begin by turning the major diameters with a parting tool. Next, I use a skew to turn the large bead that flanks the pommel and a gouge to turn the large cove (photo 8). Even though the post is large it will still flex and chatter if left unsupported; a steady rest positioned near the area where I’m working provides solid support.

As I turn the cove I use a skew to turn the vee that flanks the cove (photo 9). A small spindle gouge allows me to shape the cove without catching on the sides (photo 10). 

As I work my way toward the top of the post the next segment is another bead flanked by a large, somewhat deep cove (photo 11). Although I use the completed post as a visual guide I check the cove diameter to ensure that the post look identical (photo 12).

The next step of the turning requires a lot of stock removal. I use a large spindle gouge in this area (photo 13). Like a large plane, the large gouge will provide a truer surface while a small gouge will create a lot of ridges. Creating this shape is one of the most difficult parts of the post. When the shape starts to get close I set the example on top of the turning and compare the profiles (photo 14).

The final segment of the turning has the finest details. After marking the linear dimensions I use a parting tool to cut the diameters (photo15). With each of the major diameters turned to dimension I’m ready to shape the coves and beads (photo 16).

I begin by shaping the large double beads (photo 17). Then I turn my attention to the cove under the beads. Although the cove is deep it is not wide enough for a large gouge (photo 18) so I use a small gouge and a series of light cuts (photos 19 & 20).

Then I use a skew to turn the small diameter double beads below the cove (photo 21).

Above the large double beads is another deep cove, then a short vase and then it’s on to the acorn (photo 22) and a quick check of the details in the upper part of the post (photo 23). With the posts turned it’s time to cut the mortises for the bed rails (photo 24).

Step Two-Joining the rails and headboard to the posts

Once the posts are turned, the next step in the bed-making process is to join the rails and headboard to the posts. First, I mark the location for the rail and headboard mortises (photo 25). Unlike today’s beds, which have disproportionately wide rails for hiding a box spring, traditional beds have thick, yet narrow rails, more like a beam. Besides looking traditional, narrow bed rails appear proportional to the bed posts. However, traditional narrow rails will not mask today’s modern box spring. One solution is to use L-shaped iron brackets to support the box spring; the brackets are available from manufacturers of traditional hardware. The box spring is positioned flush with the top of the rails and the portion of the box spring hanging below the rails, along with the iron brackets, is hidden from view with a bed skirt.

A second solution, the one that I prefer, is to eliminate the box spring. Instead, the inner spring mattress is supported on cross-pieces. The cross-pieces rest on angle iron which is fastened to the inside of the bed rails. This arrangement is both neat and functional and, as I can personally attest, provides a comfortable night’s rest.

Also, keep in mind that regardless of which method of mattress support that you choose, large queen and king beds require a “fifth leg” in the center underneath the bed to provide additional support and prevent sagging.

When laying out the bed rails to accept the posts, I select the two posts with the most pronounced figure for the foot of the bed where they will be prominently displayed. Then I position the posts at the head with the best figure facing into the room.

Once I’ve double-checked the layout I cut the mortises. I use a hollow chisel mortiser equipped with a large 3/4” chisel (photo 26). Next, I use a drillpress to cut the counter bore for the head of each bed bolt (photo 27). Keep in mind that it is important that each of the two bed bolt holes in the post is offset.

Using the centerpoint of the counterbore I drill holes for the bed bolts. After the bed is assembled the bed bolt holes are hidden with decorative brass bed bolt covers.

Now I turn my attention to the head board. The headboard in a traditional bed is a great

place to show off a prized plank of figured wood.  For this bed, I have a wide plank of beautifully figured tiger maple. After flattening the stock I plane it to thickness, rip it to width and crosscut it to finished length. Next, I use the bandsaw to cut the decorative profile at each end (photo 28). Then I use files to smooth the surfaces. The end of the decorative cutout must be accurately sized; it also functions as the tenons which fit the mortises in the posts.

After fitting the tenons on the headboard to the posts, the bed is ready for assembly (photos 29 & 30).

Step Three—Finishing

With the joinery completed the bed is ready for finishing.

Antique furniture made from maple has a rich amber color that has developed from many years of exposure to light, soot, dirt, and repeated coats of wax. I like to simulate the patina of an old piece by artificially aging the finish.

The process that I use for finishing maple involves seven steps:

-Raising the grain

-Sanding the wood to remove the fuzziness

-Application of water-based aniline dye to color the wood

-Saturation of the surface with an oil-based wiping varnish to enhance the curly grain

-Several coats of shellac to add color, protection and sheen

-Glazing the surface to enhance the fine details in turnings, carvings and moldings

-Sealing the glaze with a light coat of shellac

The first step is to smooth the headboard, rails and the flat surfaces on the bedposts with a plane (photo 31). Using a sharp, tuned plane is the fastest way to remove the millmarks, layout lines and construction notes and prepare the surfaces for finishing.

Next, I wipe the surfaces with a finishing rag and clean water to raise the grain. After the water has dried I sand the surface lightly to remove the fuzziness. Then I apply the dye (photo 32). The dye colors the wood and enhances the tiger stripe in the grain.

Once the dye has dried I saturate the surface with wiping varnish. The oil-based varnish further brings out the curl and adds depth to the finish.

After allowing the varnish to cure overnight I apply several coats of 1lb cut amber shellac. A screw in the base of the post allows me to spin the post as I apply the shellac (photo 33). In between coats I smooth the shellac with 0000 steel wool.

Four to five coats of thinned shellac will create a satin sheen (photos 34 and 35).

After the shellac has dried hard I apply the glaze with an artist brush. I work a small area at a time and as I apply the glaze I remove most of it with a rag soaked with mineral spirits (photo 36).

The next step is to seal the glaze. Because the glaze is an oil-based product I allow it to dry overnight before applying a final coat of shellac.

The last step is to wax the surface and buff the wax to a satin sheen (photo 37).