6 ms·

I get what your saying; but this is also how we end up with hacky software at companies.. The 'The I'm pretty sure I can make this better(or cheaper) myself...

I get what your saying; but this is also how we end up with hacky software at companies.. The 'The I'm pretty sure I can make this better(or cheaper) myself... even if there is an off the shelf version done by dedicated professionals.'

MiddleEndian 8y ago
My intention wasn't to get it cheaper, it was to have the size and then features I wanted once I did some research. I could've found some dude to put a British emperor mattress on a boat for me but it would not have been as comfortable. I did reach out to some companies like purple that make a similarly structured mattress but none were able to make one 7'x7'.
- mchahn 8y ago
  My wife bought a cal king purple a few months ago and we love it. I was skeptical because it looked like memory foam but it isn't at all. I was also worried it would sag when you leaned over an edge since there was no special side support. But it doesn't sag at all which is a mystery to me.
  - carterschonwald 8y ago
    I tried out one of their pillows and i couldn’t stand the smell. :(
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
nextos 8y ago
I disagree. If you hang around The Mattress Underground, where lots of mattress aficionados and professional sellers post, you will quickly become aware that most beds are pretty mediocre and overpriced. There's lots of in-depth discussion on their internals, and it's pretty disappointing. It's not surprising, as there's a lot of information asymmetry in the bed market. Customers don't have a good understanding of internals, and manufacturers deliberately augment confusion by producing under tons of sub-brands and models. Furthermore, at least in the US, sells are carried on a 1-by-1 basis where the salesman tries to extract buyer's reserve price. I've spent a few years optimizing the core objects in my life, and my bed is for obvious reasons on the top of the list. To cut a long story short, I tested dozens of beds, bought a high end nordic bed (Hästens) and a natural latex one. Both were good. But, like the OP, I've eventually settled on a custom design. A very different one, though. IMHO, the most healthy option is a thin soft core on top of a hard surface. I also prioritized natural and washable materials. I ended up with a pad made of felt wood panels on top of a modular wooden base. A huge unintended bonus of this design is how easy it is to pack and move around. I can disassemble and carry my bed effortlessly. It's also pretty cheap and durable. And I can disassemble it and put each pad in my washing machine! A good heuristic is that most high quality items are custom made niche things. Either made by you or, usually, by specialized artisans or engineers. I've seen the internals of some beds costing a few grand. Not pretty. Laughable quality compared to the carefully felted panels I commissioned from a great mill. Same applies to industrial tees vs loopwheeled ones, or cheap plastic coats vs ventile. In the PC world, an equivalent would be some bad quality box with horrible thermal paste and mediocre cooling vs a custom Calyos build.
- almata 8y ago
  Did you explain your thoughts about the ideal mattress some time ago maybe? I'd say I already read those same arguments before and found them extremely interesting.
  - nextos 8y ago
    Thanks. I did post a few short comments. Mattresses are something we do totally wrong. We could have much more ergonomic designs that were also affordable, washable, less bulky and recyclable.
- MiddleEndian 8y ago
  Glad to see another enthusiast even if our approaches differ.
  - nextos 8y ago
    Thanks. Your setup seems very well thought. Keep up the good work.
    - MiddleEndian 8y ago
      You too!
- fellowniusmonk 8y ago
  do you have pictures or material lists, I want to make this bed.
- owenversteeg 8y ago
  Great to see someone that took the time to do the research! If I may ask, what's your opinion of my DIY mattress? Mine just consists of two 12x100x200cm pieces of PU foam cut into a triangle shape (I live on a boat.) The 12cm thick PU foam rests on some wooden slats. The foam has 25kg/m3 density and 4kPa compressive strength, if that matters. My girlfriend and I both find it very comfortable, and all the guests I've had also like it. What do you think? Are there any hidden risks here that I'm not seeing, or reasons to evaluate the mattress on factors other than comfort? E.x. potential health risks (back problems???) Thanks!
convolvatron 8y ago
the very notable difference is that when you make software for a company, you're creating something thats supposed to be used by other people and getting paid in return. if you sell someone a crappy homemade mattress, and charge them 4 weeks at $80/hr, you've basically committed fraud. if I make a mattress, or a mug, or a shirt, or a skateboard for my own use and it turns out badly - i've learned something and probably enjoyed myself.
lph 8y ago
> even if there is an off the shelf version done by dedicated professionals Hahaha. Ahem. Hahahahaha Source: am dedicated professional

MiddleEndian 8y ago

My intention wasn't to get it cheaper, it was to have the size and then features I wanted once I did some research. I could've found some dude to put a British emperor mattress on a boat for me but it would not have been as comfortable. I did reach out to some companies like purple that make a similarly structured mattress but none were able to make one 7'x7'.

mchahn 8y ago
My wife bought a cal king purple a few months ago and we love it. I was skeptical because it looked like memory foam but it isn't at all. I was also worried it would sag when you leaned over an edge since there was no special side support. But it doesn't sag at all which is a mystery to me.
- carterschonwald 8y ago
  I tried out one of their pillows and i couldn’t stand the smell. :(

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

nextos 8y ago

I disagree. If you hang around The Mattress Underground, where lots of mattress aficionados and professional sellers post, you will quickly become aware that most beds are pretty mediocre and overpriced. There's lots of in-depth discussion on their internals, and it's pretty disappointing. It's not surprising, as there's a lot of information asymmetry in the bed market. Customers don't have a good understanding of internals, and manufacturers deliberately augment confusion by producing under tons of sub-brands and models. Furthermore, at least in the US, sells are carried on a 1-by-1 basis where the salesman tries to extract buyer's reserve price. I've spent a few years optimizing the core objects in my life, and my bed is for obvious reasons on the top of the list. To cut a long story short, I tested dozens of beds, bought a high end nordic bed (Hästens) and a natural latex one. Both were good. But, like the OP, I've eventually settled on a custom design. A very different one, though. IMHO, the most healthy option is a thin soft core on top of a hard surface. I also prioritized natural and washable materials. I ended up with a pad made of felt wood panels on top of a modular wooden base. A huge unintended bonus of this design is how easy it is to pack and move around. I can disassemble and carry my bed effortlessly. It's also pretty cheap and durable. And I can disassemble it and put each pad in my washing machine! A good heuristic is that most high quality items are custom made niche things. Either made by you or, usually, by specialized artisans or engineers. I've seen the internals of some beds costing a few grand. Not pretty. Laughable quality compared to the carefully felted panels I commissioned from a great mill. Same applies to industrial tees vs loopwheeled ones, or cheap plastic coats vs ventile. In the PC world, an equivalent would be some bad quality box with horrible thermal paste and mediocre cooling vs a custom Calyos build.

almata 8y ago
Did you explain your thoughts about the ideal mattress some time ago maybe? I'd say I already read those same arguments before and found them extremely interesting.
- nextos 8y ago
  Thanks. I did post a few short comments. Mattresses are something we do totally wrong. We could have much more ergonomic designs that were also affordable, washable, less bulky and recyclable.
MiddleEndian 8y ago
Glad to see another enthusiast even if our approaches differ.
- nextos 8y ago
  Thanks. Your setup seems very well thought. Keep up the good work.
  - MiddleEndian 8y ago
    You too!
fellowniusmonk 8y ago
do you have pictures or material lists, I want to make this bed.
owenversteeg 8y ago
Great to see someone that took the time to do the research! If I may ask, what's your opinion of my DIY mattress? Mine just consists of two 12x100x200cm pieces of PU foam cut into a triangle shape (I live on a boat.) The 12cm thick PU foam rests on some wooden slats. The foam has 25kg/m3 density and 4kPa compressive strength, if that matters. My girlfriend and I both find it very comfortable, and all the guests I've had also like it. What do you think? Are there any hidden risks here that I'm not seeing, or reasons to evaluate the mattress on factors other than comfort? E.x. potential health risks (back problems???) Thanks!

convolvatron 8y ago

the very notable difference is that when you make software for a company, you're creating something thats supposed to be used by other people and getting paid in return. if you sell someone a crappy homemade mattress, and charge them 4 weeks at $80/hr, you've basically committed fraud. if I make a mattress, or a mug, or a shirt, or a skateboard for my own use and it turns out badly - i've learned something and probably enjoyed myself.

lph 8y ago

> even if there is an off the shelf version done by dedicated professionals Hahaha. Ahem. Hahahahaha Source: am dedicated professional