[montgomery_r]

Thanks for the informed commentary. I'm surprised that the tools haven't dropped in price faster, but perhaps there is a de minimis based on amount of material / strength / precision engineering required. I got to the site because I have a plan to make a bed frame (poor first project choice I know) and found this whilst looking for joints that might work gluelessly.

[wizardwes]

In my experience, the cost has significantly dropped, it's just that back then they were even more absurdly ridiculous

[WillAdams]

If you're making a bed, consider that this is a problem people have worked on for a very long time and there is an entire vertical industry on it.

One reputable company has an entire section in their catalog on it:

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/hardware/bed-hardware