Question
I'm building some furniture for a nice cottage. Both the desk area and entertainment center could use pocket doors. Space is tight, and my door styles are only 1 1/2" wide, so using a standard kit like Blum 123 will not work. I remember while doing an install once I saw an entertainment center where the builder had used something simpler, like a wooden follower strip that rode in a groove and butt hinges, or maybe it was euro hinges. I can get 26mm euro hinges that will fit the door styles, but they're not made to fit the standard kits, and the kits take up too much room in an already tight situation. The doors I'll be pocketing are small and made of w. pine, and won't get used often, so I don't need a Mercedes, just an old jitterbug will do. What other ways are there to do the pocket/flipper door without the kits? I'm not trying to cheap out here - there really isn't the room to use the kit.
Forum Responses
(Furniture Making Forum)
From contributor D:
Two pins at the top and two at the bottom of each door, riding in routed 90 degree slots, is the simple way to make flipper doors. It can be classed up or made more durable with metal lined slots, bearing shod pins, etc.
You can mock things up in about 15 minutes, and by moving the pins around you will see how their placement affects the geometry and action. Just groove out two pieces of 3/4 panel and drill 1/4" holes into the two edges of the door in several locations. You will see very quickly how things work.
We use these for near zero clearance hidden panels - mostly horizontally acting - used to cover speakers or whatever. If you know where to push, the panel comes up and out right into your hand, and is a very cool operation.
