Questions and Answers

Atrophy Annie · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 1690 Location: Your Mom

I have a feeling this question will have a super obvious answer that I'm just not thinking of, but here goes.

A year later and I still need to get my bed fixed. ...Where do I go to get this done? The people who moved us out broke both the headboard and the foot board (and stole a box of games, but I digress) and the people who moved us in gave me suggestions but uh, I don't want to make it worse. And I don't even think we'd have the tools anymore. But dammit, it was always my dream bed and I want it to be usable again. Sad

That and the various pieces are really in the way.
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Mr. Meddler · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 8:37 pm Post subject:

Like, removing the headboard? I think that sort of thing can be done with simple screwdriver or with socket wrench.
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Atrophy Annie · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 1690 Location: Your Mom

No, not removing the headboard. The bed is already in pieces, as that's how it transports. Ummm but it's sort of hard to explain without showing it. But it's almost as if they smashed it against something when putting it in the truck.
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stripeypants · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 9:36 pm Post subject:

Usagi Miyamoto · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 11:00 pm Post subject:

Atrophy Annie · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 1690 Location: Your Mom

I took some pictures but they're not very good. Also, I can't easily get to the footboard at the moment. That being said, the problem with one is that, it's like the one in the first picture and the bolt going into the bedpost is very stripped. The mover suggested drilling in a larger hole and using a larger bolt but I don't trust myself to do that.

On the footboard, it's actually missing a chunk of wood. Sort of by where the nut is, like in the first picture? Question mark because it's been awhile since I've looked closely at it.

A frontal view of the problem with the headboard:

The bottom hole is the one with the stripped bolt. Obviously not a great shot (see?!):

Tomorrow or Wednesday I'll try to take out the footboard and get some pictures of that and better ones of the headboard. In theory.
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Usagi Miyamoto · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 1:18 am Post subject:

That's informative, yes. So, the bed was moved when it was still assembled, and it got whacked so a couple of the bolts got pulled partway through the posts, or maybe pulled out of the rails? I'd call that a botched move, for sure.

When you look in the little hole (if you can, maybe with a flashlight) do you see the head of the bolt, or is it the end where a nut and maybe a washer are supposed to go? If it's the head end of a bolt, what shape is it, and does it have a slot for a screwdriver in it, or maybe a hole for a hex wrench? And what does the other end of the bolt look like, the end that goes into the rail?

I don't know how accessible this is for you, so you may not be able to answer if it would involve removing mattress and box springs, but here are some common possibilities:

A hex or square-head bolt in the post hole connected to a hex or square nut in the rail:

A hex-head bolt (or a flat-head bolt with a hole for a hex driver) in the post hole connected to a dowel-nut in the rail:

Any sort of head, often something with a screwdriver slot or hex driver hole, connecting to a half-moon nut or curved metal plate in a hole in the rail:

Possibly a hanger bolt screwed right into the end of the rail (unlikely, but who knows):

There are some others, but they're even less common.

For the missing bit of wood, the answer will depend a bit on what's missing and what it did. I'll speak to that if you get another picture.

Anyhow, my suggestion is going to be similar for all of them; it's just a matter of what hardware you'll want to get at the store. You'll want to push the posts back into place and remove the offending bolts. I realize this is easier said than done. You might need to find someone with a socket set to undo them. IF they're hanger bolts, then... ugh. Good luck.

If the problem is that the bolts were stripped out of the nuts in the rails, then you'll want to get new bolts and nuts that match the existing ones, and replace them. Fairly straightforward.

If the problem is that the bolts got dragged halfway through the posts, then you'll need to get new bolts, about half an inch longer than the originals but otherwise the same diameter and thread pitch, along with fender washers maybe an inch in diameter that just fit on the bolts. Then you'll replace the bolts, with the fender washers holding them in place on the outside of the posts. It's not going to be as pretty as the inset and covered bolts, but if the inside of the post is ripped out, that's pretty much your simplest option. It will wind up looking a bit like the second picture above, only with a larger washer.

When the bolts are replaced, you can tighten everything down and the bed won't wobble and scare you.

When you find out more, I can be a bit more specific. I think that most likely this repair is something you and another family member can manage by yourselves. It usually takes two people, one to do the turning of nuts and bolts, and another to hold the furniture parts in place, but it's not especially demanding of strength or unusual skill.
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Jinx · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 4:13 am Post subject:

DeD CHiKn · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 4:58 am Post subject:

sporko · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 2900

patty, did you hire movers? because i think there should be something that makes them liable for damage done. when i moved, they had me look my stuff over when they were done and sign something that said i'd looked at stuff and nothing was broken.

that being said, i'm sorry to hear about the bed. it seems like such a basic thing until you don't actually have a bed...i finally have one after like 2 years of a mattress on a floor and i'd be pissed if some mover fucked it up. Sad

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Yinello · Joined: 09 May 2012 Posts: 3348

DeD CHiKn · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:02 am Post subject:

She lucked out, the designer was moving shop and selling her "model stock" for super cheap. My wife got it, paid a few bucks for alteration and voila, beautiful dress for getting married.

Yinello · Joined: 09 May 2012 Posts: 3348

That's the best kind of luck.

I'm looking at this one: http://www.etsy.com/nl/listing/159312245/free-shipping-new-elegant-custom-made?ref=br_feed_12&br_feed_tlp=women

Still expensive, but way less than the dresses here.
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sporko · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 2900

Yinello · Joined: 09 May 2012 Posts: 3348