Completed my new bedwood.

[Joe Kriston]

Hey, Jzjames, I'm starting to work on my old truck bed...Are those boards supposed to be routered running parallel with the tailgate to accomodate that bent up back trim piece that isn't installed yet in your pic?...Thanks....

[jzjames]

Yeah. Well all the 'routing' for the bedstrips along the sides was done on my little tablesaw, so thats why I didnt get the ends done. Not really feasable holding the boards vertically on the tablesaw and getting a straight cut across the ends. So Im actually going to do the dados on the ends by hand with a small backsaw and a small rabbit plane which I have. I'll just draw a line all the way across at the ends of the bedstrips, make my cut to the depth I want with the backsaw, and then just plane it out with the narrow rabbit plane and clean it up to fit the endcap.
You'll see in the pics that I also hadnt gotten the six bed to frame bolts in yet, which I have done now.  For those you also needed a round countersink in the wood for the bed-to-frame bolt WASHERS.  I just traced the washers and hand chiseled out the countersinks carefully. (Helps to be a woodworker for those).
Otherwise the instructions is to use a 1 7/8" forstner bit to make your shallow countersink.  If you get started on your bedwood, I will mail you a copy of my MAR-K instructions if you want. Let me know through email.

[Joe Kriston]

Jzjames...I think I'm getting it figured out...I was getting puzzled about those-bed-to-frame bolts and exactly how they attached, but your last post explains it...I sent you an e-mail, but I'm going ahead and working on it today since I'm off work and it's beautiful outside...If something goes wrong I'll be sure and blame it on your instructions ....

[Joe Kriston]

Jzjames, one more question...There's seven bolt holes in each bed strip, but there's only two cross braces on the truck, plus the front and back...Are the rest of the bolts to simply tighten the bed strips to the wood strips?...Thanks..

[jzjames]

Yes, with a big washer under the nut on the underside.

[Joe Kriston]

Jay,

Muchos gracias for sending those instructions...A wise man told me many moons ago---or maybe it was my wife--to read the instructions before putting something together...After wrassling for an hour trying to squeeze the last board underneath the bed side lip, I realized I needed to router a rabbett, or recess on the edge so the 3/4" thick wood will fit into a 5/8" opening....Anyway, once I'm finished, I'll post some pics of the "poor man's" bed floor...