Murphy style hinges

I'll have to ask my son what he paid for the hardware we used to build his Murphy bed.  I know it was nowhere near what you have stated.  

The size you are building is larger than any bed, even a king size bed.  You might want to lighten the framing.  I used 36" hollow core doors to build my layout on, but they are in a fixed position.  It allowed me to have no framing underneath.  You don't need to use framing lumber to lay the plywood on.  A better and much lighter material would be to use 1" x 4" white pine boards to build the frame, then apply the plywood.  

With a lighter system you can forgo the Murphy bed hardware and simply use a couple of standard hinges and maybe a cable/pulley system to lift the layout when you are not using it.  You will need some sort of latch to keep it in the raised position.  

If you are not going to have all sorts of scenery like plaster mountains and such, I can't see the entire platform weighing much more than a hundred pounds.  

I would use heavy gate style hinges for wood gates from Home Depot.

Use 3 or 4 hinges to spread the weight.

I too would like to do this. If you hinge it at the bottom then it would have to be about 2' off the floor to fold up, assuming 8' ceilings. I'm trying to figure out how to have it be maybe 36" high when in use, which means having to raise it after opening. When closed I would like it to be no more than 10" from the wall.

Ideally then it would have a smooth bottom and a frame around it so closed it looks neat and tidy.

GVDobler posted:

I too would like to do this. If you hinge it at the bottom then it would have to be about 2' off the floor to fold up, assuming 8' ceilings. I'm trying to figure out how to have it be maybe 36" high when in use, which means having to raise it after opening. When closed I would like it to be no more than 10" from the wall.

Ideally then it would have a smooth bottom and a frame around it so closed it looks neat and tidy.

Are you planning to have a six foot deep platform as is Kris ?   If so, I can see your dilemma.  But of you can make it even five feet deep, then you might be able to squeeze it in.

By the way, I see you were a marine at about the same time I was a Seabee.  I served a tour in Dong-Ha, 68/69.  Any chance you were in country also ?

If you can put the hinges on the long side of the layout, it won't be so tall when it's in the stored/folded position.

Build your platform out of aluminum 2x4s and 2" rigid pink foam board.  It will be as strong or stronger than 1/2" ply over a 1x4 frame.  The whole thing will weigh in under 15 pounds.  Now you can standard murphy bed hardware.  The whole project will cost under $300.00.

Thanks for the replies, sorry in the delay on getting back to you. I have a cabinetry carpenter building this for me and it would look more like furniture than a layout. I have another thread about the pulley system, I was try to get away from that and use the Murphy bed style hinge. https://ogrforum.com/...ulley-storage-system

Dear Dan

Sorry not in Dong-Ha during that time period.  Did you get a chance to speak to your son about him Murphy train layout? I would like to hear what advise he has on the topic.

Dear Totrainyard and Royboy

Thanks I will look into it, I have to wait until my carpenter comes back from vacation to see what he thinks.

Dear GVDobler

That is exactly what had in mind as well but I have 12 foot ceiling which allow me to build it that wide.

Dear WildMary

I did see that system and I did look into it but the max weight is something like 215-250 lbs because of the gas shocks. The spring system can take a few hundred lbs. without a problem.

I also have a 6 year old so safety is big concern, I do not want him messy with this and get hurt or even killed by it.

nvocc5 posted:

Thanks for the replies, sorry in the delay on getting back to you. I have a cabinetry carpenter building this for me and it would look more like furniture than a layout. I have another thread about the pulley system, I was try to get away from that and use the Murphy bed style hinge. https://ogrforum.com/...ulley-storage-system

Dear Dan

Sorry not in Dong-Ha during that time period.  Did you get a chance to speak to your son about him Murphy train layout? I would like to hear what advise he has on the topic.

Dear Totrainyard and Royboy

Thanks I will look into it, I have to wait until my carpenter comes back from vacation to see what he thinks.

Dear GVDobler

That is exactly what had in mind as well but I have 12 foot ceiling which allow me to build it that wide.

Dear WildMary

I did see that system and I did look into it but the max weight is something like 215-250 lbs because of the gas shocks. The spring system can take a few hundred lbs. without a problem.

I also have a 6 year old so safety is big concern, I do not want him messy with this and get hurt or even killed by it.

 

Kris, it was from Amazon, $265.00.  Not quite as inexpensive as I thought.  

Dear Dave Padova

I have been in contact with that seller and he/she stated that the springs could only take 600 lbs. They also stated that this is bigger than a King size bed could not grantee that there system could take the size and weight of what I have planned.

Dan Padova posted:

GVDobler posted:

I too would like to do this. If you hinge it at the bottom then it would have to be about 2' off the floor to fold up, assuming 8' ceilings. I'm trying to figure out how to have it be maybe 36" high when in use, which means having to raise it after opening. When closed I would like it to be no more than 10" from the wall.

Ideally then it would have a smooth bottom and a frame around it so closed it looks neat and tidy.

Are you planning to have a six foot deep platform as is Kris ?   If so, I can see your dilemma.  But of you can make it even five feet deep, then you might be able to squeeze it in.

By the way, I see you were a marine at about the same time I was a Seabee.  I served a tour in Dong-Ha, 68/69.  Any chance you were in country also ?

I was in Dong Ha as a jumping off place in '67. Much thanks for the Seabee folks. Semper Fi