Murphy Bed w/ a Twist

[Mike Gregory]

Hi all,
I searched and found a lot of posts for folks that have built Murphy beds. Most/all of them used hardware kits from Lee Valley, Create-a-Bed and others. My question is, has anyone build a MB without purchasing these (rather expensive) kits. For as often as I'd lower and raise it, I would be willing to forgo the gas struts. I could always fit some in later if I decided they were needed. If you have ideas or plans for this, mainly focusing on the pivot/hinge, lock for the up position and the feet for the down position, I'd be interested in hearing from you.

Thanks,
Mike

[Geoffrey Frey]

I just installed a physio therapy table at my wife's school and all that the table used was 3 heavy duty hinges. just make sure you leave enough room for the mattress and make sure you have a way to secure the mattress in place so it doesn't slide anywhere. The physio table locked into the upright position with a piece of wood that would pivot. There were also legs on the mat/table that you had to extend ptior to lowering it. There likely wasn't more than $30 of hardware for the table.

You definately had to be careful lowering it as the table probably weighed 100 lbs or more, but was by no means impossible.

Hope this helps!

[Mike Gregory]

Geoff, thanks for the reply. I figure an entire mattress weighs less than 50 lbs and the wood frame that I will build that pivots, will weigh around 20 lbs. If half the weight is held by / at the pivot, then I'll carry 35 lbs when I pivot it down. I will only have that much weight in my hands at 90 degrees (when it is down). As I lift it back up, the weight moves back towards the pivot, eventually having me lift 0 lbs when it is finally back up, vertical. I started my design and hope to start & finish it by the end of the year.