Popular Post h3nry Posted December 29, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 I have a closet area that currently has no door ... just a roll-up bamboo blind. So it's time to fill the hole with something proper ... I plan on hiding it with a secret door behind a hinge-out bookcase. I got the Murphy Door hinge from Lee Valley, and I have a stack of cherry ... it's going to require some degree of precision to get the case to swing smoothly as well as to hide the doorway when closed ... let's see what happens ... So far it has been mostly milling boards, and I have got as far as creating the door frame ... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 This should be interesting! Especially given the length of your top board. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 I don't know what was included in your hinge kit, but if the floor is flat and level, I would incorporate a wheel under the side opposite the hinges, to help support the weight of the swinging case, especially if it is used often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wood Basher Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 On 12/29/2021 at 8:03 AM, wtnhighlander said: I don't know what was included in your hinge kit, but if the floor is flat and level, I would incorporate a wheel under the side opposite the hinges, to help support the weight of the swinging case, especially if it is used often. Eventually the wheel would leave a "track mark" on the floor, working against the desire for a "secret" door. I think it would be better to diagonally brace the back of the door/bookcase, possibly with strong metalwork, to make it very rigid and prevent it drooping over time. A bookcase can be a lot of weight so strong bracing and substantial himges would be needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 Usually you want the hinges in the corner. The picture tells me that won't work. Hinge away from the corner will work but not as smooth as hinges in the corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 5 hours ago, Wood Basher said: A bookcase can be a lot of weight That was my thought. If you're not yet committed to a plan or room design a framed full length mirror could hide the closet opening while being a fixed weight. Added bonus is nothing falls over when you open a mirror. Just an unsolicited suggestion; feel free to ignore it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post h3nry Posted December 29, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 The hinges are engineered for the job ... the manufacturer specifies doors up to 500lbs ... it's going to be heavy, but not that heavy ... It probably won't actually be used to store books. I plan on making the back out of ply, rabbetted, glued and screwed (lots of screws) to keep it rigid and square. I am concerned about preventing it from sagging and keeping it moving smoothly ... but I'm here for the challenge, the easy way out would be to just buy a door. I don't use the closet much, and once done it will probably just get used for things I want to hide and forget about ... so at the end of the day if it isn't perfect, I'll live. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post h3nry Posted December 30, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 The hinges mount into the lintel and threshhold. I'm sure that lining the top and bottom hinge accurately will be key ... so I measured twice, and then twice again, knowing that the doorway hole isn't quite square or plumb ... then cut mortices for the hinge parts. I fully expect that I will not have got the placement perfect and will have to move them slightly later ... but that's a bridge to cross later if needed. Then I cut the boards for the top and bottom of the case. and morticed the other side of the hinges into them. The bottom board fit nicely, but bacause the frame isn't quite square the top one didn't quite ... so I had to chop 1/4" of both. That's about as far as I got today ... I guess the case sides are next. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post h3nry Posted January 1, 2022 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 Dovetailing the case ... I found I definitely prefer having the board vertical when cutting, which is a bit of a problem when the boards are nearly 80 inches long. Finally got all the tails fitting (not perfect, but they never are), and tested the case in the door frame ... It fits, but despite all my best measuring I think I'm going to have to move the top hinge slightly ... but that's tomorrows problem 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 1, 2022 Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 Will the overhead casing that you have installed, continue down on each side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post h3nry Posted January 1, 2022 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 On 12/31/2021 at 7:34 PM, Coop said: Will the overhead casing that you have installed, continue down on each side? There's going to be a "column" on each side to cover the gap between the doorframe and the case ... the left hand one will be attached to the frame, and the right hand one will be attached to the case. I've got the columns roughed out ... but at the moment the asymmetry between the frame and the case is going to make them look a bit askew ... which is why I think I'm going to have to move the top hinge to try and straighten things up a bit, even if it means being ever so slightly off plumb. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 1, 2022 Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 Ok. Now that’s sweet! Most casings are mitered at a 45* and I was wondering if your upper piece wasn’t too long. Looking good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post h3nry Posted January 3, 2022 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 Rabbeting the case for the plywood back ... the side pieces were straightforward with the rabbet plane but the top and bottom rabbets need to be stopped at both ends, so the plane is impractical ... an easy task for a router, but for some reason I masochistically persist in using chisels ... And finally for today some boards need thicknessing ... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 3, 2022 Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 I don’t know what the white vertical thing is in your last pic is but it reminds me of the water gauges located at a lot of low water underpasses here in Houston. Perhaps you use it to tell you when you have removed enough shavings? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h3nry Posted January 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 The white thing is a bench mounted work lamp ... I guess when the shavings pile up high enough to block out the lights, it really is time to take a rest. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post h3nry Posted January 4, 2022 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted January 4, 2022 Dados cut for the drawer "shelves" and the shelf boards fit to shape. Before cutting out the back and gluing up the case, I now have to make some decisions on how I want the drawers to look, and the overall aesthetics I want for the front ... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post h3nry Posted January 5, 2022 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 Only a small amount of progress ... I doesn't help that it is -25C and the garage isn't properly heated. the sides of the case have a face frame, which needed to be cut to length and notched to fit the top and bottom. It will be held on by dowels ... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted January 6, 2022 Report Share Posted January 6, 2022 Hey, at least all that hand work generates some heat! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 6, 2022 Report Share Posted January 6, 2022 Your door is looking darn good! Last February it got down to 12*F in Houston and half of Texas lost power. Most of us would have froze to death had it gotten to -25C. I’m in my shop now, barefoot with a tee shirt and shorts and a cold beer! ( no machines going). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted January 6, 2022 Report Share Posted January 6, 2022 30 minutes ago, Coop said: Your door is looking darn good! Last February it got down to 12*F in Houston and half of Texas lost power. Most of us would have froze to death had it gotten to -25C. I’m in my shop now, barefoot with a tee shirt and shorts and a cold beer! ( no machines going). Keep rubbing it in Coop and I’ll come down there with my tent, high temp of 9 today with windchill of minus 20 and it’s only going to get worse, I check the temp in Houston every day and can’t wait for spring to come here 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 6, 2022 Report Share Posted January 6, 2022 And in July and August, we line our arms with wax paper so that they don’t stick to our sides due to heat and humidity. It’s all what you get used to I guess! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post h3nry Posted January 13, 2022 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted January 13, 2022 A few finishing touches to the main case ... A divider for between the drawers ... The hardware has arrived for the cabinet doors and drawers ... seems like a lot of bits ... Some of it needs to have mortices cut before the case gets assembled. First the door catches ... ANd the strikes for the drawer locks. The dang locks are asymmetric ... I realised this, but was holding the lock the wrong way round when I measured, so cut the mortises too far to the wromg side ... so now my mortices are too long. Since these will not be seen by anyone other than a stringent furntiure critic, I think this is a mistake I'll just live with rather than try to correct. And finally all the holes for the adjustable shelf supports ... It's getting close to glue-up time for the case. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 13, 2022 Report Share Posted January 13, 2022 You’ve done great so far. I’m sure the glue up will be a breeze! No pressure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post h3nry Posted January 14, 2022 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted January 14, 2022 Time to make a back for this case ... my shop is only just big enough to cut up a full sheet of plywood. Measured twice and cut once ... then just a little bit of finessing with the block plane, and it fits in its rabbet snugly: 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 14, 2022 Report Share Posted January 14, 2022 Yes sir. If I were to rip a piece of ply with a handsaw, I would defiantly measure at least twice! Looking good! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.