I’m obsessed with anything space related. Even though I’m not planning on having any babies any time soon, I saw this and knew I had to save it for later.
The best part of this is how cheap it is. Most of the wood is pallet pieces, and you can usually get those from shipping docks places for free!
If if being practically free wasn’t enough, this is the most adorable cradle I’ve ever seen. When your baby sees this when they get older, they’ll want one for their kids too!
If you’re in need of one in the near future, I think you’ll be able to make it. I’m not much of a wood worker, but this isn’t actually all that hard!
Here’s how to make it:
Disassemble pallets (he used 3). Sand the rough wood. Take a piece of 122x244cm MDF and set out center points for the circles (you can find the exact measurements in his guide here).
Draw 2 outer circles from the center point. The inner circles have a radius 45mm less than the outer circles.
Determine where the bottom of your cradle should be. His was 185mm from the bottom of the circle, so the bottom is around 840mm long and the mattress fit easily.
Cut out the moon-shaped base with a jigsaw, and repeat the steps to make another base of the same size. Sand so there are no sharp edges, especially on the inside.
Cut out the bottom of the crib from a piece of plywood or MDF, and cut the edges so it can fit within the moon-shaped frame. Drill large holes in the bottom for ventilation of the mattress.
Put the moon-shaped bases and the bottom together. Screw them tight. Screw pallet wood onto the center ends of the frame. Make sure to pre-drill the holes for the screws and to countersink them.
Cover the complete outside of the frame with pallet wood except the bottom for stability and ventilation. You can also leave space in between the boards for more ventilation and light.
Cut and sand pallet wood pieces to fit the sides and screw them in. Make sure to pre-drill the holes and countersink the screws.
Cut out stars or whatever design you’d like on the sides. Make a wedge so the cradle can’t tumble backwards, and finish with a varnish or stain if you’d like.
You’re done!
You can find a full downloadable guide with pictures to make this moon cradle here.