Understairs storage

[imamartian]

This used to be a full sized cupboard, but i knocked it out and put in a new baluster in. And wanted to make use of the space under the stairs... the following pics show the two cupboards and the mechanisms to operate them. The little cupboard is a push to open and it pushes itself out, and a push back in and it locks.
The big one has a lever (door handle bottom right) and the cupboard is pushed out 3 inches by a gate spring and locks on a gate latch.

the small cupboard latch

And push and pull lock

and big cupboard scoop for spring, and bar for gate latch

and the gubbins to operate the latch

 

[Steve]

Ingenious.

I wouldnt have the patience.

It looks well used already - wheel marks on the floor.

 

[imamartian]

Thanks... it's taken a bit of tweaking for example getting the wheel guides properly aligned etc... although probably the most time consuming was the lever to adjust the length of pull on the gate latch... and the springs etc to give it the right 'feel'...

And it gets used many times a day for shoes and gloves etc. and so far stands up to it all...

(didn't realise how dusty it was until i saw the post )

 

[Steve]

Quick question, why not use the push/pull lock for both sides? IMO its more durable than the string/gate latch option.

(By the way, I've just figured out how the push/pull mechanism works and I am impressed - a lot of thought obviously went into it!)

And the strips of wood on the floor - are these a sort of braking / soft close function? Or purely a wheel guide? If so why are they sloped up at the back?

 

[imamartian]

i think you are right, but it started as a bit of an experiment where you press a lever and the drawer gets pushed out. I didn't have the room to do the same for the small unit, so came up with the push/push thing...

it took quite a while to get the shape right - and making sure the bolts didn't get in the way etc

Yeah the wooden strips are purely wheel guides so the units don't collide (the braking is done by the springs) - and the slope at the back partly stops the wheels climbing over the strips, but initially happened because aligning the guides was a lot easier on the kitchen floor and screwing them to a batten before installing under the stairs... and i obviously left them on the batten...

 

[imamartian]

ermmmm! partly because it was an experiment, partly i didn't want to lay out too much cash (had most of this stuff in my garage), partly i didn't think they made drawer runners big or strong enough.

Where can i get those items from? and how much are they?

 

[imamartian]

Site now in my favourites.... many thanks

 

[foxhole]

A bit heath robinson, a simple draw runner attached would serve to have kept them in line a operate easily.

 

[ifatfirst]

You'd be jolly handy to have around on a desert island.

Your project photos very helpful. I'm planning to make a partition - hinged on one side, on wheels on the bottom to support. Much easier to envisage now, thanks to seeing your project.

 

[Robbie uk]

Have you ever played MOUSETRAP !! lol loks good though.