Bed Wood Kits (which supplier??)

[bajabob]

I have researched just about every one of them and now I need some input on keepers and junkers. My truck will be a driver, with occasional trips to the beach hauling surfboards and maybe the D.O.G.!! I would make sure the bedwood is protected and I am good with the install, just not sure who to go with??? Big pricing difference between suppliers (I do not need the show quality stuff).

Current list of possibles:
National Parts Depot
Classic Chevy
Brothers

Next step up:
Bedwood Parts
Mar-K
Bruce Hokery

ps
I checked and no one seems to have any "real" specials going on right now ???
I know shipping adds to this, so that is a factor as well.

thanks for the input
bb

[Donaldo]

I got my wood kit from Classic Ind., Huntington Beach isn't that far from Ventura. I haven't finished it yet but it looked good laid out. Shipping prices are pretty high for such large parcels.

[Dan in Pasadena]

My truck isn't ready for bed wood yet but I've heard nothing but good things about Mar-K so I plan on using them. There'd have to be 100s of dollars difference for me to consider otherwise. I want NO issues with figment or quality once I'm that close to finishing my truck. YMMV.

[_Ogre]

least expensive vendor is the local lumber supply
edges can be done with table saw or router

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

least expensive vendor is the local lumber supply
edges can be done with table saw or router

agreed. in my case it was out of necessity because I had widened tubs on one truck and added inner tubs on another, so a stock kit wouldnt fit. the hardest part for me was keeping the wood pressed down through the table saw. I would set the blade, cut all the boards, reset the blade (the blade is 1/8" thick so the grooves needed two cuts), reset the blade for the other profile and cut all the boards, then cut them to length. stain, seal, install!

[bajabob]

Dan
That is kinda of the problem, when I run the numbers the kits are several hundred apart from each other... which makes me nervous because I start to wonder whats wrong with the cheaper kits ???

I know its just a truck bed but I curious if there are any to stay clear of ???

Joedoh
You guys make a compelling argument for DIY bed, cuz your stuff looks awesome. Did you just pick out the correct thickness (3/4??) and go from there ??? I have all the tools to do this with the exception of a planer.

rb

[Rickysnickers]

Being an amateur furniture builder, the reason for the cost differential could be the types of wood the companies sell, oak, mahogany, walnut, or any other species. It might also be that you have to apply the finish to the wood. If they do that for you, then expect to pay for it.

I'm with Ogre. Go to your local hardwood dealer, not Home Depot or Lowes, but an actual wood seller and look at all the different choices you have. There a many beautiful pieces of wood out there. Here is one example in you area, http://www.woodcraft.com/category/SU...ured=On%20Sale

[bajabob]

Ricky
When I did my comparisons, I tried to use the same wood across the board (oak) to compare. I just wondered if the cheaper companies are using a different grade of wood ?? or sourced outside the country?? Hardware pricing seems to be all over the map as well as does where the stuff is being shipped from.

My truck will not be a show truck, although I wouldn't mind entering one, just not sure I need the one of those more expensive kits.

[Rickysnickers]

Yes, there are different grades of wood, but they should vary dramatically in price. I don't know if you have any woodworking tools or have any friends that might, but if you or they do, I would really encourage you to do it yourself.

[bajabob]

Ricky
I am kicking around the DIY deal. I will try to get some prices on wood this week. There are two different hardwood suppliers in town.

My son and I put this together last year. Solid Teak.

[bajabob]

We kinda of like the way it came out.

[Rickysnickers]

Wow, very nice!!!

[_Ogre]

nice diving platform

basic woodworking (or common sense) is all that is needed to cut bed wood
i went with plastic trex decking from home depot, the gray matched my yellow/gray interior
trex is only available in one size/color around here 5.2''x1''x16ft and gray
i used one extra board and strip in the trex install



since i used painted strips i recessed the strips a hair
standard strips would be up from the surface to run a shovel on the strips
adjust the depth accordingly





i used ss fasteners thru out the bed install, the ss bolt kits are way overpriced
i bought boxes of 100 bolt, nut, washers and locks for a fraction of the 66 bolt kit price from boltdepot.com
shipping isn't bad but try to combine all bolts in one order to save $$
ss fender, step and misc bolts were all ordered at the same time

you can also get flange bolts in ss for bolting the front end together

[bajabob]

Ogre
Thanks for the information. Your bed turned out beautiful. I will sniff around this weeks to see what wood prices are.
bb

[Jemezcrusher]

You could get some really nice wood at a hard wood supplier for what they get for a wood bed kit. the only issue with that is that the wood there is generally STS, or sufaced three sides so will have one raw edge.

Table saw with handle that and can do the relief and groove for the stainless with the saw, or a router if you have one

Not sure how the off center recesses for the washers need to be placed but not sure is very improtant either

[Cape Codder]

Saw mill is also good source. For a stock restoration just run the rough stock through a thickness planer and you have the correct surface to paint. As soon as you start sanding and varnishing or clearing the truck stops being a truck. Just my opinion but I am not a show car guy anymore. I use the truck to tow the boat for weekend fun the wife enjoys also.

[yossarian19]

A table saw to rip boards is all you need. I didn't bother grooving them for the strips. They grip just fine on the top of the board and don't stick up enough to bother me at all.
Heck, I didn't even rip the boards to width - just moved the bed strips relative to the cross pieces.
Doing it again, I'd probably get new cross pieces and rip to width with either hardwood + 3 coats of urethane or some scheme involving plastic decking.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I LOVE the look of deeply glossy wood but it's really not at all "practical". Not that I'm trying for super practical with a frame off job but I don't want it to look like crap quickly. I'm considering a preservative oil finish that I can reapply just like a tire dressing. The truck will be covered when not being seven but still, the Sun eats urethane quickly.

[Jemezcrusher]

friend of mine used spar varnish on the wood, then automotive clear coat over that. Granted, is a show truck, but I think the bed would hold up pretty well with that treatment

[bajabob]

thanks for the replies