Mark locations for holes, being sure to center each hole for maximum strength.

Hand drill

Drill press

Next, prepare the stakes. Use a cutting torch or chop saw to prepare 70 5/8-inch by 36-inch long sucker rod stakes. If you're building more than one bed, consider using a cutting torch to make the job quicker. Use a grinder to remove the burrs from the ends of the stakes. A stand-mounted grinding wheel works best for this task. (Note: If sucker rod is not available, rebar can be used as a substitute. An 11/16-inch hole will not readily accept a 5/8-inch diameter rebar so you will need to use a ¾-inch bit. Because drilling larger diameter holes further compromises the strength of the lumber, it is imperative that the holes be drilled accurately).

Cutting torch

Chop saw

Use tin snips to prepare four 12-inch-long pieces of angled metal flashing. The flashing is used to seal the bed corners.

To prepare the bed liner, cut the corrugated sheet metal in half lengthwise using a circular saw. Do not attempt to cut the sheet metal without reversing the blades. Hot fillings are ejected as the metal is being cut, so be sure to wear safety glasses. Cutting the metal is also very noisy, so be sure to wear earplugs.

Complete the fabrication of the liner by cutting a 3-foot-long section off of two of the sheets. When finished, you should have four 13-inch by 12-foot sheets, two 13-inch by 9-foot sheets and two 13-inch by 3-foot sheets.

Use tin snips to prepare flashing.

Use of circular saw to cut sheet metal