Hidden Door Bookshelf

Step 3: Installing frame

The ceiling anchor was sized to span 3 floor joist and had a short arm out to avoid rocking (scrap steel). The pivot point on both ends was a 3/4 inch brass flange bearing inserted into a 1 inch hole in the 2x2 box. The floor anchor was much smaller as bolting to the concrete floor made it pretty damn solid. Good luck to the person that has to remove this someday.

This let me position and place the top anchor, base anchor, and frame. I attached top anchor loosely letting it rock, slipped in frame and bottom anchor on pin (with 2 washers on pin above bearing), then slid the whole set into place. A plum bob hanging along the edge of the frame made it quick to tell if it was vertical in both directions. When true, I secured bolts on both ends. I tested the swing of the door frame with ~500 lbs of people standing in it. Dead smooth action.

Comments

[lbjmorris]

Good plans thanks for sharing.  I've been wanting to try something like this.

[pedla]

well impressed nice work congrats. One question though did you spend any time at a door hardware specialists they sell hinges brackets closers to suit almost every application.Not the same as home made but more efficient, hydraulics etc. Balance is everything,  while in china i moved a temple door that was apx 20 feet high by 6 feet wide it moved as easily as an internal hollow core door but must have weighed apx 1 tonne

[darkwolf74]

This is the most well designed, robust styles of bookcase doors I'd seen... I've got no doubt that it will take as much weight as you want to throw at it.