I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.
Some books on one side would have a concealed handle behind.
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.
Any other potential problems?

"Matty F" wrote in message
...
I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall
and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by
1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot
so
I'd better have large hinges.
Some books on one side would have a concealed handle behind.
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books
don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.
Any other potential problems?

Suggest a roller on the non hinge side to take the weight of books

AWEM

Andrew Mawson wrote:
"Matty F" wrote in message
...
I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall
and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by
1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot
so
I'd better have large hinges.
Some books on one side would have a concealed handle behind.
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books
don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.
Any other potential problems?

Suggest a roller on the non hinge side to take the weight of books

AWEM

or a diabonal steel strap and ****loads of hinge at the top.

On 20 June, 14:25, Matty F wrote:
I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.
Some books on one side would have a concealed handle behind.
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.
Any other potential problems?

Get some "builder's band" & run it diagonally from top of hinge side
to bottom of lock side. Secure behind the shelf assembly at ends and
where it crosses each shelf with screws.This stops the shelves from
"drooping" under the weight of books. You then only need a thin ply
back, but glue and nail to entire perimeter and all shelves.
I have an identical arrangement.
Builder's band is metal tape with pre-drilled screw holes. Comes in a
roll.

On Jun 20, 2:25*pm, Matty F wrote:
I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.
Some books on one side would have a concealed handle behind.
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.
Any other potential problems?

Books are heavy, I'd make the opening as narrow as possible. Any sag
would give it away. I'd look at a ply back, not weak mdf.


NT

On 20/06/2010 14:25, Matty F wrote:
I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.

Just thinking that it could be a heavy door to start moving, and once
moving would make a bit of a thump including bad news for fingers if
accidently caught in the frame.

So, either some closure dampening material or mechanical
intervention/assistance?

Or, some electronics that responds to "open sesame!" maybe?

--
Adrian C

Matty F wrote:

[...]
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.

I can't help with the matter in hand, but bookshelves absolutely should
not have a lip because books should overhang the shelf slightly so that
they can be removed without the top of the spine being pulled on and
thus damaged.

--
I can't go on, I'll go on.

"Frederick Williams" wrote in message
...
Matty F wrote:

[...]
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.

I can't help with the matter in hand, but bookshelves absolutely should
not have a lip because books should overhang the shelf slightly so that
they can be removed without the top of the spine being pulled on and
thus damaged.

I agree about the lip, but have never (I think) seen a bookshelf where all
books are overhanging the shelf slightly.

JW

"Frederick Williams" wrote in message
...
Matty F wrote:

[...]
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.

I can't help with the matter in hand, but bookshelves absolutely should
not have a lip because books should overhang the shelf slightly so that
they can be removed without the top of the spine being pulled on and
thus damaged.

--
I can't go on, I'll go on.

And it has always puzzled me why the bind hardbacks with the boards
overlapping the pages thereby guaranteeing that the weight of pages pulls
them off the spine in the end, even if you do leave them sticking out.
Anyway, it is not the depth of the case that makes people grab the top of
the spine, it's the tightness of the sides as they squeeze against
contiguous books. Leaving them sticking out just transfers the attention of
fingers to the bottom spine instead. Solution: bind books with flat
bottoms, and handles: and have more shelves than books: sadly something
against some unsung universal law...

S

On Jun 21, 6:04 am, Frederick Williams
wrote:
Matty F wrote:

[...]
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.

I can't help with the matter in hand, but bookshelves absolutely should
not have a lip because books should overhang the shelf slightly so that
they can be removed without the top of the spine being pulled on and
thus damaged.

I have just decided that this will be a bookcase for paperbacks only.
The shelves will be much smaller and half the weight.

On Sun, 20 Jun 2010 06:25:50 -0700 (PDT), Matty F
wrote:

I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.

I think these things generally use a vertical pivot rather than hinges - with a
large (hewn stone) counterbalance on the opposite side of the pivot.
At least that is my memory from Saturday moning pictures...
How about pivoting in the middle of the bookcase?

--
Geo

On Jun 20, 7:41 pm, Geo wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jun 2010 06:25:50 -0700 (PDT), Matty F
wrote:

I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.

I think these things generally use a vertical pivot rather than hinges - with a
large (hewn stone) counterbalance on the opposite side of the pivot.
At least that is my memory from Saturday moning pictures...
How about pivoting in the middle of the bookcase?

visions of Scooby Doo monster chase scenes sprang to mind....;))

Jim K

"Geo" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 Jun 2010 06:25:50 -0700 (PDT), Matty F
wrote:

I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.

I think these things generally use a vertical pivot rather than hinges -
with a
large (hewn stone) counterbalance on the opposite side of the pivot.
At least that is my memory from Saturday moning pictures...
How about pivoting in the middle of the bookcase?
--
Geo

That sounds more like it: and there may be another thing that is being
missed. Presumably this door is not going to open outwards as the width of
the shelves would prevent it opening if it was concealed amongst other
bookcases. And an attic rather implies stairs are going to be in the way
behind unless you have a bit of corridor going spare. Those old movie
staircases generally led *downwards* or to horizontal passages.

I would also urge making the sides and shelves of proper wood, as I stopped
our builder walling up an old doorway after a new one had been made when I
realised the width of the wall was ideal for a bookcase. We used mdf for the
back (we weren't hinging) and pine for the shelves and it has turned a dead
end corridor wall into one of the most attractive features of the house.
(And yes it was instantly full!)

Incidentally: sort your books by size, and then you can make most effective
use of the shelf space and have shelves mostly the same distance apart.

S

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Matty F
saying something like:

Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.

Perhaps a pair of castors.

On 20 June, 14:25, Matty F wrote:
I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.
Some books on one side would have a concealed handle behind.
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.
Any other potential problems?

Sure the metalwork is absolutlely problem to yourself:

http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Hidden-Door-Bookshelf

Can get round some of the precision joinery problems with facings that
cover the oops bits.

Strangely enuff Americans have it down to a real business plan, would
love a sliding fireplace :-)

http://www.hiddenpassageway.com

http://hideadoor.com/index.html

Cheers
Adam

On Jun 21, 10:32 am, Adam Aglionby wrote:
On 20 June, 14:25, Matty F wrote:

I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.
Some books on one side would have a concealed handle behind.
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.
Any other potential problems?

Sure the metalwork is absolutlely problem to yourself:

http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Hidden-Door-Bookshelf

Can get round some of the precision joinery problems with facings that
cover the oops bits.

Strangely enuff Americans have it down to a real business plan, would
love a sliding fireplace :-)

http://www.hiddenpassageway.com

http://hideadoor.com/index.html

I'm coming around to the idea of using two big metal pins instead of a
row of hinges.
I have some 5 ply that I will use for the back.
The hole in the wall is right next to where I want to put a
ballustrade, and I can't narrow the door any more or I'll not be able
to get things in and out.

"Matty F" wrote in message
...
I'd like to make one of those bookcases that is hinged to the wall and
conceals a small door to the attic. I need somewhere to put another
bookcase anyway.
Basically it would be a piece of plywood or MDF 1500mm high by 1100mm
wide with shelves attached to it. The books would weigh quite a lot so
I'd better have large hinges.
Some books on one side would have a concealed handle behind.
Maybe I'd better have a small lip along each shelf so the books don't
fall out when the bookcase is opened.
Any other potential problems?

I've seen this done with a vertical pole taking the weight instead of hinges
and was about 9" out from one side. Obviously this narrows the doorway and
you may not have room for this. Didn't pay attn to the technical details at
the time but I guess the pole had welded on flanges to take the weight. THe
pole was within the book case and didn't show.

mark