Well, not revolving but an open able one like a door. I am building about
12 ft long.x 8ft. high set of bookcases for the family room. We have a
badly placed closet and I would like to have one of the book sections hinge
out like a door.
Troubles I envision are the relief angle needed for the swing to clear the
adjacent section. Also, what about hardware. Since I have hardwood floors
I could very well live with a plastic roller on the non-hinged edge.
Has anybody done this and would you please share your ideas?

Thanks,
Ivan Vegvary

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Well, not revolving but an open able one like a door. I am building about
12 ft long.x 8ft. high set of bookcases for the family room. We have a
badly placed closet and I would like to have one of the book sections hinge
out like a door.
Troubles I envision are the relief angle needed for the swing to clear the
adjacent section. Also, what about hardware. Since I have hardwood floors
I could very well live with a plastic roller on the non-hinged edge.
Has anybody done this and would you please share your ideas?

Thanks,
Ivan Vegvary

I'm guessing you are thinking you'll hinge at the wall or else the
relief isn't that much of an issue. Hinge at the front then you only
have to taper the non-hinged side to clear the other corner --
Pythagoras says for a 32" opening and 10" deep shelf the relief at the
back would only be about 1-5/8".

hex
-30-

Ivan Vegvary wrote:

Troubles I envision are the relief angle needed for the swing to clear the
adjacent section. Also, what about hardware. Since I have hardwood floors
I could very well live with a plastic roller on the non-hinged edge.
Has anybody done this and would you please share your ideas?

Many years ago, in a land far away I saw a similar situation. The shelf
units were hinged together with piano hinges. The one on the left
pulled out and met the one on the right face to face. Then the two
swung together off to the right on pins in the floor and top casing.
The location of the pins was the key to the whole thing. Unfortunately
I didn't have time to figure it out.

This led to a secret bonus room over a garage in a 4000 to 5000sqft
home. The best I remember, the shelves were about 8" deep and the stile
on the left side of the cabinet doubled as the casing over the
plastered opening. The homeowner used the space to enjoy fine cigars
and flammable liquid entertainment without bothering the others in the
house. I also think he was hiding his scotch and fine bourbon from his
guests there.

Tom in KY, looking for just enough room in my house to hide my stash
of old hand planes.

"hex" wrote in message
ups.com...

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Well, not revolving but an open able one like a door. I am building
about
12 ft long.x 8ft. high set of bookcases for the family room. We have a
badly placed closet and I would like to have one of the book sections
hinge
out like a door.
Troubles I envision are the relief angle needed for the swing to clear
the
adjacent section. Also, what about hardware. Since I have hardwood
floors
I could very well live with a plastic roller on the non-hinged edge.
Has anybody done this and would you please share your ideas?

Thanks,
Ivan Vegvary

I'm guessing you are thinking you'll hinge at the wall or else the
relief isn't that much of an issue. Hinge at the front then you only
have to taper the non-hinged side to clear the other corner --
Pythagoras says for a 32" opening and 10" deep shelf the relief at the
back would only be about 1-5/8".

hex
-30-


Rather than taper the entire unit, I would keep it square and use a wide
piece of trim on the non-hinged side to cover the gap. Think of opening a
door and having the casing open with it. A caster or two on the bottom of
the non-hinged side should help to support the weight. These could be hidden
behind a base molding that blends in with the rest when closed.

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Well, not revolving but an open able one like a door. I am building about
12 ft long.x 8ft. high set of bookcases for the family room. We have a
badly placed closet and I would like to have one of the book sections hinge
out like a door.
Troubles I envision are the relief angle needed for the swing to clear the
adjacent section. Also, what about hardware. Since I have hardwood floors
I could very well live with a plastic roller on the non-hinged edge.
Has anybody done this and would you please share your ideas?

There's a rather nice bookcase-door fitting that description in the
library in Kenneth Branagh's movie of Hamlet; when my wife rented a copy
of the movie, I looked at the scene a few times to see how it worked.

The trick for the relief angle, in that case, seems to be that there are
fairly wide pilasters on either side of the shelves (about six inches or
so), and one of those is attached to the outside edge of the door and
conceals the relief angle thereby.

- Brooks


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