The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Plans for cutting bed wood / best bed wood

Got this one in from Jeff:

I have a 1953 3100 short bed I am new to this sight I would like to know if anyone has plans for cutting the wood for the bed.

I I have a friend that owns a cabinet shop and he can run all the wood for me. I just need the plans.

What is the best wood to use and what wood was factory.

Original bed was pine painted black. I'm doing my '39 with a south american exotic wood called ipe (eye pay). Very dense and heavy (won't float), expensive but needs no sealer. Used on dock construction and will last 50 years. The EPA has taken all the good stuff out ot the clear polys so nothing will last anymore. Teak or redwood may also work, just oil it once a year. There are no varnishes or polys that will look good very long, and then you have to strip them to recoat. Get something you can oil. I'm a home builder in Florida and have tried many woods in this climate.

Like gaffbro says yellow pine was the wood from the factory painted black. But far as the best, I think its more a matter of what you like the best. As long as you use a hard wood and put on a proper finish, it really doesn't matter. Look at all the bed woods out there and pick the one you like best, then go for it. Cecil.........

'47-'72 bed wood info. on the website for all to view:

http://www.gmcpaulstruckparts.com/47-72%20BedWood%20Info.htm


Also, Mar-K sells this:

Bed Assembly Instructions / Price: $10.00 EACH

Complete Bed Instructions

Instructions for complete bed assembly including bed panels, cross sills, and wood, strips and hardware. Includes measurements and many pictures for your specific truck bed. Sold separately or included free with bed side order.

http://www.mar-k.com - maybe our friendly mar-k tech can elaborate on the information available in the manual.


from our buddies over at chevytrucks.org:

1947-1951 (9 boards) & 1955-1959 (8 boards):

http://www.chevytrucks.org/tech/bedwood.htm

-W

Woogeroo: The bed assembly manual is just that, detailed instructions for assembling your bed. It shows how and where to make the bed to frame holes in the wood, but not how to cut the bed wood and it does not have dimensions for cutting the wood. The instruction consists of about 6 or 7 pages (more or less depending on the truck) with measurements and photos. We now include that manual free with nearly every parts order. If you have to take the bed apart to install the part, the manual is included. We have a manual for most, but not every truck model.

As I mentioned in the other thread, I would like to see comments from someone that has actually used the bed wood dimensions on the two sites that you recommend. So far, one person has responded and indicated the dimensions are wrong.

At Mar-K we use the dimensions shown on our site http://www.mar-k.com/bedwood_dimensions.pdf for cutting bed wood. We have developed cutting dimensions for stock trucks by this method and use these formulas for custom applications as well. As with any parts you are preparing to install, test fit before finishing, especially if you are just using some numbers taken from an internet site. The drawing I have in the PDF uses measurements taken directly from your own truck and if done accurately, the wood will fit.

Mar-Ktech

Mar-K - I have a 58/9 fleetside - the GMCPaul site sez 12 boards, but only shows widths for 10 - there is in fact 12, but the width pattern doesn't fit Paul's list either L to R or R to L - looks like the missing ones may be in the middle

the board widths on the bed I have does not quite match the layout I've seen other places, tho the chevytrucks.org has the correct number of boards in the note from a user, with slightly different widths than I judged mine to be, tho that may be because I took off the gap allowance when I recorded them - haven't started cutting the wood yet, so I'll have more info later

have tried to check your 58-80GMfleetside pdf and acrobat tells me its "damaged and can't be opened"

is there a way to identify your bed strips obtained thru a repro supplier? if they're yours, thanks for the excellent piece of oak they're attached to!

Bill

Red58:
Can you send a link for the damaged file to [email protected] describing your problem with the pdf. I know how to make parts but am pretty clueless about these things.

If you have metal parts of your bed floor like cross sills or rear cross sill, use the hole pattern to establish board widths. It sounds like you are already well into that. Our drawing will guide you through the process of calculating the board widths http://www.mar-k.com/bedwood_dimensions.pdf and your gap allowance will be right.

I do not know how to tell if the strips are ours. Most suppliers use some kind of reinforcing in the packaging to support the strips, although carriers usually can find a way to bend them if they try.

Mar-Ktech

right on that!
I sent a mail, and I'll post more info on the fleet bed as I do it

Bill

red58:
This would be great information for the tech tips section. Think about putting together an article on this that would be helpful for other stovebolters. Many people would like to cut their own bedwood and need accurate information from personal experience.

Mar-Ktech

Sound good to us!

John

I used yellow pine. I cut all the strips according to plans that I think I downloaded from GMC Paul. Then I layed the wooden planks in the bed with the metal strips I purchased from one of the venders. I had to make adjustments to the width and recut the strips. I used a router to make my end indentations. I would post pictures but have no idea how to do that.

I finished my strips with polyurethane that I purchased from Lowes Home Improvement. When they look worn or the finish appears odd, I will refinish them.

This works for me.

Bill:
I was just wondering if you had a chance to start developing the dimensions for your wood boards yet. Let me know if you have trouble with our wood width calculation procedure.

Mar-Ktech

no tech, I'm waiting for my trusty [but inexpensive, ie: slow ] bodyman to finish the tin bashing and turn the thing right side up so I can put the cross sills back in and fiddle w/ the wood - I will relay the whole layout once I get it together, and your calc setup looks like it'll work for the fleet

BTW, I still get the 'file is damaged' error trying to check the fleetGMbed_kits.pdf

Bill

Bill;
I am not sure what is going on with the file. I believe you have to have Adobe reader 5.0 or newer to view it. The webmaster will look at it Monday. Thanks for the reminder.

That file is a PDF of about 3 or 4 pages of our regular print catalog. You can get one free by signing up on line. http://www.mar-k.com/order_a_mar-k_catalog.html We do not sell or share any mailing list information with anyone, although you might get our monthly email newsletter out of the deal.

Mar-Ktech

didn't think of the Reader version because I can get all the others I've tried, but I checked and what I have is 5.05, but see I actually have the ver7.0 install file that I never bothered to install, so I installed that and it works!! so I guess it needs above ver 5 - thanks!

Bill