Have been "commissioned" (read 'Dad, I've got a project "we"
can work on.") to build two record (yes, those round vinyl
things with the grooves in them) cabinets. The design
constraints a
1. two cabinets because they'll be easier to move
than one foot long cabinet
2. can't be wider than the width of his bed (48")
beause they'll reside at the foot of the bed a la
a blanket chest.
3 . can't be tallel than 30"
4. depth is to be kept to a minimum since there's
a bench directly opposite with dual turn tables,
mixer etc.
5. Due to space constraints, there can't be a door
on the front
6. A clean design in a light colored wood
7. The Kicker - they have to be lockable - but they
can't have visble locks.

Started out wanting to do a pull down tambour door,
inspired by a recent article about a similar cabinet
in Woodworkers Journal or the like. But the tambour
door tracks took up too much precious space. Decided
on a tilt out front panel. The stumper was criteria
#7, a hidden "lock" mechanism.

After playing with ideas for hidden latches it hit me.
MAGNETS!

Am waiting for the glue to dry so I can test out the
idea - drawing posted to a.b.p.w.

fun stuff this woodworking

charlie b

Sat, Jun 19, 2004, 10:58am (EDT-3) (charlie=A0b)
says:
snip fun stuff this woodworking

Now I'm gonna spoil some of your fun. Hehehehe

snip 7. The Kicker - they have to be lockable - but they =A0 =A0 can't
have visble locks. snip

OK, that's what really caught my interest.

Decided on a tilt out front panel.

I'm a bit confused on that one, seems like that wouldn't work.
"5. Due to space constraints, there can't be a door =A0 =A0 on the
front"
So, why not a lift up top?

After playing with ideas for hidden latches it hit me. =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 MAGNETS!

OK, I looked at the picture, would seem to be workable.

I'm guessing he has a kid(s). Which is why a lock in the first
place. I'm not clear on the no visible lock tho; after all, it's a
chest, has to be some way in it. Partial solution would be have it
hinge from the front, rather than the back (top that is). I'm thinking
a few problems. If the "peg", or whatever you call it has the magnet on
it, it'll probably pop out the first time a kid runs a steel toy car
over the chest. If you use a magnet to pull out a steel pin, you run
the risk of losing the magnet. Plus, the first time a kid sees it
opened, betcha he/she'll figure out how it was done.

I would think a possible solution would be a tiny hole, so you
insert a stiff wire in, and release a catch from the inside. If you
lost the wire, make it so coat hnger wire would work. Again, don't let
a kid see you doing this. There's something along those lines, that
might work, posted on one of the R/C links. Used to have it saved, but
believe I dumped it. I'll post it, if I still have it.

Another possible solution, a catch at the back, at the bottom of
the chest, again with front hingeed top.

Deadbold inside, held in place with a powerful spring, and only
able to open with a powerful electro-magnet, to pull the bolt back.
Wouldn't matter if you couldn't open it during a power failure, because
you wouldn't have any power to play the records anyway. That's if you
only have something nonessential, like records, in it. Very bad idea if
you needed to get inside during a blackout.

My personal thoughts would be a small, inconspicuous panel, hald in
position with a rare earth magnet or two, that would take quite a bit of
effort to open, so kids aren't apt to run across it by accident. Then,
inside, something like a window latch. No problems about opening if the
power goes, the latch would keep the door, or top, from ratteling. If
it was apt to be lifted by the lip on the top, and the top opens, I'd
probably opt for two window latches, and a sturdy hinge. If it's gonna
be moved often, I'd think about wheels.



JOAT
Use your brain - it's the small things that count.
- Bazooka Joe

On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 10:58:41 -0700, charlie b
wrote:

Have been "commissioned" (read 'Dad, I've got a project "we"
can work on.") to build two record (yes, those round vinyl
things with the grooves in them) cabinets. The design
constraints a

[snip]

7. The Kicker - they have to be lockable - but they
can't have visble locks.

Started out wanting to do a pull down tambour door,
inspired by a recent article about a similar cabinet
in Woodworkers Journal or the like. But the tambour
door tracks took up too much precious space. Decided
on a tilt out front panel. The stumper was criteria
#7, a hidden "lock" mechanism.

After playing with ideas for hidden latches it hit me.
MAGNETS!

[snip]

Saw the drawing and it looks effective. FWIW ... there is hidden and there
is HIDDEN. The magnet idea is good, but how about making it completely
invisible? I've seen child-safety latches added to kitchen cabinets that
require a magnet to open and there is nothing seen on the outside. They do
come with a stick-on so you can see where the magnet needs to be held on
the cabinet door/drawer front, though when you hit the right spot a "click"
can be heard. It is a strong magnet. Here is a source that I quickly found
with a froogle search: http://www.hofshomesafety.com/Cabinetbath.htm

You could try making a version of this yourself with a gravity-fed locking
pin and a sweet-spot for the magnet just above the latch-side of the door.
To reduce the magnetic requirements, you could drill a hole inside the
cabinet over where the ferrous pin would be so the wood would be thinner
there so that the head of the locking pin in the locked/down position would
not be so far from the outer surface of the cabinet.

For an electronic approach, one idea that just came to mind would be to use
a part from a doorbell. Maybe this part exists on its own somewhere, but I
am thinking that when you press the doorbell button, on a ding-dong
version, it causes a striker (i.e., a pin) to be pulled back and then when
you let go the pin springs forward. With a not-too-small battery you could
power this thing and build it with parts from the cheapest doorbell from
the local big-box store plus some parts from Radio Shack. ("Where you have
questions, we have answers, and the answers always are, 'Uhhh, I duuno.'")
If you can find the same kind of pin part separately at an electronics
source it might well require less amperage, which would simplify things.

Sat, Jun 19, 2004, 10:58am (EDT-3) (charlie=A0b)
claims:
Have been "commissioned" snip

And, now you can be launched.
http://www.rc-submarines.com/id119.htm

JOAT
Use your brain - it's the small things that count.
- Bazooka Joe

In article , wrote:

I hope that your rules are not totally hard.

Have been "commissioned" (read 'Dad, I've got a project "we"
can work on.") to build two record (yes, those round vinyl
things with the grooves in them) cabinets. The design
constraints a
1. two cabinets because they'll be easier to move
than one foot long cabinet
2. can't be wider than the width of his bed (48")
beause they'll reside at the foot of the bed a la
a blanket chest.
So you want two units, each 2' wide. I suspect you would benefit from
some partitions within each unit to distribute the leaning load. A
width of around 8" between partitions would be reasonable.
3 . can't be tallel than 30"
The records are just short of 12" diameter. This means that you have
comfortable room for two shelves.
4. depth is to be kept to a minimum since there's
a bench directly opposite with dual turn tables,
mixer etc.
The depth will need to be around 14" to allow for the record as well as
front and back.
5. Due to space constraints, there can't be a door
on the front
A door can be pretty small. Each unit can have a pair of bifold doors
so the maximum extension into your walking space will be around 6". A
tilt out panel will take more space than that.

Assuming that you have a base assembly with kick panel you could hide
the lock underneath the door. I suspect that you are in love with
magnets by this time.

Dick

In article , igor
wrote:

Go to your local auto store and get a remote door locking mechanism.
Then you can carry the "key" around in your pocket.

Dick


For an electronic approach, one idea that just came to mind would be to
use
a part from a doorbell. Maybe this part exists on its own somewhere, but
I
am thinking that when you press the doorbell button, on a ding-dong
version, it causes a striker (i.e., a pin) to be pulled back and then
when
you let go the pin springs forward. With a not-too-small battery you
could
power this thing and build it with parts from the cheapest doorbell from
the local big-box store plus some parts from Radio Shack. ("Where you
have
questions, we have answers, and the answers always are, 'Uhhh, I
duuno.'")
If you can find the same kind of pin part separately at an electronics
source it might well require less amperage, which would simplify things.

Richard Cline wrote:

In article , wrote:

I hope that your rules are not totally hard.

So you want two units, each 2' wide. I suspect you would benefit from
some partitions within each unit to distribute the leaning load. A
width of around 8" between partitions would be reasonable.

The shelf and the bottom will be stopped sliding dovetails and made
of
3/4" honey or black locust. This stuff is incredibley stiff, though
a
quarterinch center partition might be a good idea.

The records are just short of 12" diameter. This means that you have
comfortable room for two shelves.

Actually, an LP in it's sleeve is about 12 1/4" tall and a smidge
deeper. Need at least 3/4" above the album sleeve so that's 13"
per level or 26 for the two levels. Add a 3/4" bottom. a 3/4"
shelf and a 3/4" top and you're at 28 1/4". 1 3/4" for the
toe kick and you're at 30".

The depth will need to be around 14" to allow for the record as well as
front and back.

Will go 15" so so the first level can stick foreward of the over-
hanging second level of albums. Will make getting albums out
of the bottom row easier.

5. Due to space constraints, there can't be a door
on the front
A door can be pretty small. Each unit can have a pair of bifold doors
so the maximum extension into your walking space will be around 6". A
tilt out panel will take more space than that.

Bifolds are not easy to lock, especially with a hidden lock.
The tilt out panel only needs to tilt out about an inch to
lift out and put on top of the cabinets or slip along side.

Assuming that you have a base assembly with kick panel you could hide
the lock underneath the door. I suspect that you are in love with
magnets by this time.

Hey for magicians it's all done with mirrors. With me
it's all done with magnets.

I grew up with a chinese blanket chest on top, drawers below
unit that had two hidden drawers in the bottom amongst
a carved patterns band near the bottom. If you pressed on
the center of the correct flower in the pattern a hidden
drawer would pop out. Magnets are a lot easier...

Thanks for the suggestions. The more eyes on a problem
the more apt a hole in a solution is found.

charlie b