a moving built in for hanging clothes - Woodworking Talk

carpentercross · 05-23-2007, 10:27 AM

i have built a closet that is 6' by2' for hanging clothes. it has 6 steel wheel that ride on an oak track. i would like to make it more easly moved. by installing a motor or springs of some sort. i think once it is loaded with clothes it is going to be hard to move. any ideas
thanks

**TexasTimbers** · 05-23-2007, 10:53 AM

What do you mean it rides on an oak track. I can't picture that. So the closet is confined to a track? Post a picture please.

Big Dave · 05-23-2007, 11:04 AM

Yeah, a picture would help to give some ideas.

**TexasTimbers** · 05-23-2007, 01:24 PM

That's pretty cool. I would probably clutter up the area over the tracks too often though and it would be inconvenient for me to use.

I can't see that it will be very heavy being no wider than it is. Can't fit that many clothes in there. If it is hard to move only thing I can think of is to use larger diameter wheels. You can do it without adding height by recessing them up through the bottom of the closet and building a false bottom over them.

Big Dave · 05-23-2007, 01:32 PM

Larger diameter wheels will not help in this situation. If you were going over rough terrain then yes but a smooth level track does not offer any resistance doesn't need larger wheels.

After looking at the pictures my first thought was a screw type garage door opener. If you have the room then you could mount the motor in the back and attach the part that runs up and down the screw to the closet. Not sure how to hook up the detent switches but you would even have a remote control for it.

You might even be able to find a used unit.

carpentercross · 05-23-2007, 01:34 PM

ya it dosnt look very wide but its acualy 6 feet so i think by the time its full it will be pretty heavy. i would like to do something that makes it automatic. i here ya on keeping the floor clean but it is right at the end of our bed and is kind of a walk way so it stays fairly clean. theres alos a cold air return behind it so we cant put any furniture there anyway.
thanks for the help though

**TexasTimbers** · 05-23-2007, 01:42 PM

Yep it does look smaller. Should have read your original post better duh. It could get heavy all right. Sorry i cannot offer a better suggestion. I did orient your pictures to be upright for ya tho!

carpentercross · 05-23-2007, 03:50 PM

thanks for fixing my pics i wasnt sure how to do that

Daveb · 05-23-2007, 07:02 PM

Might be too late or impractical, but how about dispersing some of the load onto overhead rails? The closet would ride on the overhead rails through wheels, bearings or some other low friction slide.

As to the motor, you may have to consider safety issues.

brewmebaby · 05-24-2007, 12:47 AM

pretty cool setup. regarding a way to power it in and out, how about a simple rack and pinion powered by a soft start motor. i'm sure that you could find all the parts you would need including the right motor or motor/gearbox combo, and some inexpensive limit switches in the McMaster Carr catalog/website.

good luck

carpentercross · 05-24-2007, 09:53 AM

cool website i had never been there thay have some cool stuff thanksa

johnep · 05-25-2007, 03:36 AM

Libraries sometimes use moving shelf units for book storage and these would take tremendous weight. have a look in google at library furniture suppliers.
johnep

daryl in nanoose · 05-27-2007, 11:27 AM

What about incorporating a garage door opener??

edp · 05-27-2007, 03:03 PM

The garage door opener idea has merit. The travel limit switches are easily adjusted and the newer units with the screw drive are very quiet. I have one in my shop that functions as an elevator allowing my wife to store items in the loft over my equipment. I have a rope connected to the bracket that accepts the door lift arm and moves back and forth on the track. The rope then goes over a pulley and is attached to the elevator which is fabricated from 2" schedule 40 PVC pipe with a plywood platform. It works pretty well.

BULLHART · 05-31-2007, 07:42 AM

BTW I think the idea and the execution are both pretty slick. Neat project, I saved that one.

Good Job!

Hubert · 05-31-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edp

The garage door opener idea has merit. I have one in my shop that functions as an elevator allowing my wife to store items in the loft over my equipment. I have a rope connected to the bracket that accepts the door lift arm and moves back and forth on the track. The rope then goes over a pulley and is attached to the elevator which is fabricated from 2" schedule 40 PVC pipe with a plywood platform. It works pretty well.

PICTURES!!??

edp · 06-01-2007, 07:42 AM

I should have figured that was coming. Will snap some pictures this weekend to post.

Ed

Hubert · 06-02-2007, 12:58 AM

I think anyone that is "in to" woodworking and any other kind of building things are strongly visual people.