At the request of a client, I am building two hidden bookcases to conceal some security closets. I found the thread here about the pivot hinges and have seen some examples of others doing this.
How do you beef these things up? The cases are 76″H x 36″W x 9″D. I started with 3/4″ ply sides, base and top, glued and screwed. 1/2″ ply on the back also glued and screwed. I mounted them onto the hinges (pivot hinges from Forma) and they sag. They are also way to wobbly to swing open once they are weighted.
As of now, I am thinking of using some steel “X” braces or turnbuckles to strengthen them. I also considered double layers of plywood for the sides and top/bottom, but I don’t think that will accomplish much.
Any suggestions out there? In one previous post, someone said their helper was standing on the unit and it opened really smooth, I’ve got a long way to go to get there.
Advice appreciated.
Replies
That was me.
Mine was somewhat larger - 48" x about 7' high and 10" deep.
I use 3/4" ply for the back and then a couple of 3/4" pine 1x8 vertical behind the backs. The casing on the front helps too.
But I think the main diff is that I had some fixed shelves that make the center solid.
I'm not sure how you made joints, but all of mine were dadoed tight fit and then glue and screws to hold.
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Piffin,
Thanks for the reply. I was thinking about making at least one shelf fixed. I might consult with the owner and see if we can make it two.
Space is at a premium behind the bookcase so I can't even spare 3/4" thickness for the 1x backers, but I might try some 1/4" plate steel.
I didn't dado the joints, just glued and screwed. Trying to keep it simple but it might come back to haunt me.
I see that you probably don't have space on the outside either. I see the two most critical things would be thicker back and a fixed shelf or two. if you can do a fixed shelf, line this to the inside with 3/8" or 1/2" birch ply on the back up to the shelf, and again from shelf to top - all surfaces glued. When building mine, I had a perfectly flat table to clamp it up on to assure true shape.Then when we hung it, it still wanted to sag a quarter inch on off side and out a quarter at the top. That is when I added the extra 1x8s on the back. Used slower setting glue and screws for that, then swung it closed and shimmed slightly up and in from where it should be for th eweekend to give it a set. Then we added the casing trims to the front and that is when it turned out fine with Mark riding on it. Will this be paint grade? or trying to stain?
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These will be paint grade. I used B-2 birch with that in mind, but the homeowners saw them and wanted to stain them, because they thought the wood looked "so nice". I talked them out of that since all the other trim in the project will be painted and I wasn't very careful about the glue.
When you added the 1x's and used a "slower setting glue", what did you use?
A perfectly flat table would have been nice. I now have a slight twist in one of the cases but I think I can pull that out with a turnbuckle or some diagonal bracing on the back.
PL Premium. It is slow to set - giving me time to twist and shim the box to the place and shape I wanted, but it cures up hard and doesn't creep. Most of the joist were TitebondII and screws though.
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For something like this - I ask at begionning if they want stain or paint and don't start until they let me know.Still, no matter how muych i tell them ahead of time about 20% of them wil want to change to stain and I just tell them it is impossible because different materials and proicedures and costs make it a whole different job. If they want to pay twice to do it all over again, that is fine. Otherwise, they get to go home with the same girl they came to the dance with.
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when you wedjed it in for the weekend... did you put some "counter twist" for lack of a better word.... into it? anytime i think something will rack or twist ...i try to build some into it (counter) .... learned that from building race cars almost like building spring into something......
p
Yes - that's what I meant about wedging and shiming it into position - just a tweak and a half opposite the way it wanted to settle to counter-tension it.
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I like that idea of shimming it thicker ... with say 3/4 ply ...
on the inside of the back.
cut tight and jammed in there ... that'd really tighten up the back.
thinking out of the box here ... if sagging was really an issue ... a metal flat strap ... strung from the top "far" corner ... the point that really hangs out there ... diagonal across the top ... then down the back ... would hold her up nice and tight.
morticed in ... preplanned ... could even be skined over with some 1/4 ply.
tough part would be keeping the tension as U mounted it.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
You did see the large article about this in FHB a couple of issues ago, right?
I did. That article showed an inswing bookcase, the construction shown would not work for an outswing.
The box is too open and prone to rack. You need a couple of fixed shelves to divide up the space.
I ended up installing a fixed shelf in the case today and reinforced the back w/ 3/4" ply. I also used a turnbuckle to take the rack out.
Vintage
I've probably built 10 or 12 hidden doors in the last several years and I always build them with double 3/4" ply on the sides with one single 3/4" ply on the back, if anybody thinks that 3/4" ply is going to cause a sag they dont understand plywood very much.
Glue and screw everything together and you'll have a box that cannot sag. If you are getting sag its probably your hinges not your box.
I've hung 10" deep bookcases that were 7' tall by about 36" wide, all on 4 of the biggest SOSS hinges that I could find. No sag in the hinges what so ever.
I've also hung hidden doors with a steel rod that sits in a thrust (not sure if I have the right termanology, the bearing that fits on your wheel shaft, tappered)bearing. The bearing is epoxied into the floor and if the steel rod fits tight there is no way for sag. I've hung bookcases that could handle 2-300 pounds with little effort.
For the type of bookcase that you have pictured I'd use the bearing mounted in the floor with epoxy. If you build your box tight you should have no problems.
Doug
All these guys have great ideas and know what they're talking about, BUT...
Why bother?
Even a spacially distracted autistic can tell there is a volume inside that structure that has some form of entry or purpose.
If they gotta hide their contraband, fir in a wall a couple of feet. That space invites questions.
you ain't no fun!;)
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Pete,
I don't have the benefit of being a "spacially distracted autistic" but I don't know how you would know that this book case isn't just built into the wall, maybe the photo doesn't show enough detail.
Not sure what you mean by furring in a wall a couple of feet, but we are already on this path, and trying to make it work.