I'm finishing off my basement.
In one area of the basement I have a small bump out in the foundation where
the front vestibule is built on.
We use the space for storage of Christmas decorations and that sort. I
thought it would be a cool idea to build a bookcase in front of the area
that would hide the storage but give us access via a secret door. The area
is 6'6" wide where the bookcase would be. I'm trying to figure out what
kind of hinge I could use in order to have the bookcase swing out and gain
access to the storage.
I think what I'd do to lessen the weight is to split the bookcase into 2
doors that swing out. Probably also put wheels of some type under the
bookcases to help in moving the doors as well as taking some of the weight
off the hinges.
Still, I haven't a clue as to what to use. Most of the hinges I've seen are
for normal doors. I thought of using black pipe attached to the bookcase
somehow and then figuring out some type of attachment that had a bearing
mounted at each end going to the floor and ceiling but HD or Lowes doesn't
have anything that I can put together.

I was wondering if anyone out there has ever attempted doing something like
this and had recommendations?

"TheKidd" wrote in message
...
I'm finishing off my basement.
In one area of the basement I have a small bump out in the foundation
where
the front vestibule is built on.
We use the space for storage of Christmas decorations and that sort. I
thought it would be a cool idea to build a bookcase in front of the area
that would hide the storage but give us access via a secret door. The
area
is 6'6" wide where the bookcase would be. I'm trying to figure out what
kind of hinge I could use in order to have the bookcase swing out and gain
access to the storage.
I think what I'd do to lessen the weight is to split the bookcase into 2
doors that swing out. Probably also put wheels of some type under the
bookcases to help in moving the doors as well as taking some of the weight
off the hinges.
Still, I haven't a clue as to what to use. Most of the hinges I've seen
are
for normal doors. I thought of using black pipe attached to the bookcase
somehow and then figuring out some type of attachment that had a bearing
mounted at each end going to the floor and ceiling but HD or Lowes doesn't
have anything that I can put together.

I was wondering if anyone out there has ever attempted doing something
like
this and had recommendations?


google is your friend

http://www.hiddendoors.com/products.htm

Soss makes the type of hinge I think you are looking for.

"TheKidd" wrote in message
...
I'm finishing off my basement.
In one area of the basement I have a small bump out in the foundation
where
the front vestibule is built on.
We use the space for storage of Christmas decorations and that sort. I
thought it would be a cool idea to build a bookcase in front of the area
that would hide the storage but give us access via a secret door. The
area
is 6'6" wide where the bookcase would be. I'm trying to figure out what
kind of hinge I could use in order to have the bookcase swing out and gain
access to the storage.
I think what I'd do to lessen the weight is to split the bookcase into 2
doors that swing out. Probably also put wheels of some type under the
bookcases to help in moving the doors as well as taking some of the weight
off the hinges.
Still, I haven't a clue as to what to use. Most of the hinges I've seen
are
for normal doors. I thought of using black pipe attached to the bookcase
somehow and then figuring out some type of attachment that had a bearing
mounted at each end going to the floor and ceiling but HD or Lowes doesn't
have anything that I can put together.

I was wondering if anyone out there has ever attempted doing something
like
this and had recommendations?

There are heavy duty hinges you can use. If you can't find them at
home-improvement centers, try a farmer's coop. A wheel will help
carry the weight--the kind you use will depend on the floor that it
will ride. A double door will need less room to open, but a single
door is a more simple design.

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 18:34:52 -0400, "TheKidd" wrote:

I'm finishing off my basement.
In one area of the basement I have a small bump out in the foundation where
the front vestibule is built on.
We use the space for storage of Christmas decorations and that sort. I
thought it would be a cool idea to build a bookcase in front of the area
that would hide the storage but give us access via a secret door. The area
is 6'6" wide where the bookcase would be. I'm trying to figure out what
kind of hinge I could use in order to have the bookcase swing out and gain
access to the storage.
I think what I'd do to lessen the weight is to split the bookcase into 2
doors that swing out. Probably also put wheels of some type under the
bookcases to help in moving the doors as well as taking some of the weight
off the hinges.
Still, I haven't a clue as to what to use. Most of the hinges I've seen are
for normal doors. I thought of using black pipe attached to the bookcase
somehow and then figuring out some type of attachment that had a bearing
mounted at each end going to the floor and ceiling but HD or Lowes doesn't
have anything that I can put together.

I was wondering if anyone out there has ever attempted doing something like
this and had recommendations?

On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 01:58:25 GMT, Phisherman wrote:

There are heavy duty hinges you can use. If you can't find them at
home-improvement centers, try a farmer's coop. A wheel will help
carry the weight--the kind you use will depend on the floor that it
will ride. A double door will need less room to open, but a single
door is a more simple design.

"PUT THE CANDLE BACK"

"TheKidd" in :

Still, I haven't a clue as to what to use. Most of the hinges I've
seen are for normal doors. I thought of using black pipe attached to
the bookcase somehow and then figuring out some type of attachment
that had a bearing mounted at each end going to the floor and ceiling
but HD or Lowes doesn't have anything that I can put together.

heh, scrap patrs from a 10 yard truck should be strong.

industrial buoildings have huge part, but are bypass or rollup. still ther
might be something in catalogs at home depot or wherever.

huge "barn door" (strap) hinges?
this http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...barn+door%22+%
7Cstrap%29+hinges
style, but not necesarily faux antique..

....and this is helpful, how?
wrote in message
...
"TheKidd" in :

Still, I haven't a clue as to what to use. Most of the hinges I've
seen are for normal doors. I thought of using black pipe attached to
the bookcase somehow and then figuring out some type of attachment
that had a bearing mounted at each end going to the floor and ceiling
but HD or Lowes doesn't have anything that I can put together.

heh, scrap patrs from a 10 yard truck should be strong.

industrial buoildings have huge part, but are bypass or rollup. still ther
might be something in catalogs at home depot or wherever.

huge "barn door" (strap) hinges?
this http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...barn+door%22+%
7Cstrap%29+hinges
style, but not necesarily faux antique..

Great movie! :-)

"Ish" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 01:58:25 GMT, Phisherman wrote:

There are heavy duty hinges you can use. If you can't find them at
home-improvement centers, try a farmer's coop. A wheel will help
carry the weight--the kind you use will depend on the floor that it
will ride. A double door will need less room to open, but a single
door is a more simple design.

"PUT THE CANDLE BACK"

Ok...Ok...unless I find out, I'll be thinking (and Googling) about this one
all weekend. Maybe I'll just do that one time before I post this......

Oh, NOW I get it.

Disregard this pole...eh...post.

"Nightstar" wrote in message
...
Great movie! :-)

"Ish" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 01:58:25 GMT, Phisherman wrote:

There are heavy duty hinges you can use. If you can't find them at
home-improvement centers, try a farmer's coop. A wheel will help
carry the weight--the kind you use will depend on the floor that it
will ride. A double door will need less room to open, but a single
door is a more simple design.

"PUT THE CANDLE BACK"

I've heard of chicken coops, but never of a farmer's coop. Perhaps you
meant a farmers' co-op?

MB

Whether you vote Democrat or Republican in November, the country will
still be run from boardrooms in the USA and elsewhere, not by your
elected representatives.


On 10/14/04 09:58 pm Phisherman put fingers to keyboard and launched the
following message into cyberspace:

There are heavy duty hinges you can use. If you can't find them at
home-improvement centers, try a farmer's coop.

An update for anyone who cares...
I did look at the web site for hiddendoor.com . Nice stuff but lots of
$$$$. Too much for my limited budget.
I saw mention of the SOSS hinge and mention of a Pivot hinge but they
protected themselves (rightly so I guess) by not showing you how they use
the hinge in their products.
I have googled for plans but haven't found any. I went to the soss hinge
site and looked at the hinges. Never seen them before and they look to work
pretty well! Didn't see any documentation on applications. Not being a
professional door installer, I'm not sure how to use these though.
My guess is that I'll look into using regular hinges. Maybe more of them
along the length of the jamb for the bookcase and somehow hide the knuckles.
The StanleyWorks web site had lots of hinge types. From what I'm seeing,
hidden door bookcases work really well in the movies. Practical
applications are a bit tougher.
I did see in some DYI newsgroup somewhere where someone had used black pipe
and bearings, which is what I had originally thought about doing! The person
who saw this was a plasterer and thought the idea clever when he saw it
work. He unfortunately, never took pictures of it. He said he wished he
had.

Ah well, back to the drawing board.
-TheKidd

Have you seen this from This old house magazine??? there's a picutre
that I can email if you can't retrieve it.

http://216.239.39.104/search?q=3Dcac...dhouse.com/to=
h/tvprograms/asktoh/qaarticle/0,16588,478041,00.html+hinges+for+%22secret+d=
oor%22&hl=3Den

Secret Door
Now that I'm almost finished installing the rail-and-stile paneling in
my living room, I'd like to build a hidden door to cover the wood
storage bin next to the fireplace. But I'm stumped on how to design it
so no hardware is visible. Any suggestions you have would be greatly
appreciated.
=E2=80=94 Terry, Wilmington, DE

=20
Norm Abram replies: Make the door the size you want and fit it with
concealed Soss hinges that slide in and out of a mortise, and a touch
latch, the kind that opens with a slight push (available through
Woodworker's Supply, 800-645-9292). With careful workmanship, the door
will be nearly impossible to find.