Barrister bookcase door - hardware?

Almost yes to both

Dick Coers

There is fancy hardware.

On wood version there are pins that ride in grooves, PLUS there are fixed pins in the front of the track for the doors to rest on when the track pins are heading towards the rear.

Re: Barrister bookcase door - hardware?

Buckaroo

OT--DEREK, WHAT DOES/IS ROSSMOYNE, 6148 ??

PLEASE WITH SUGAR ON IT!!

Re: Barrister bookcase door - hardware?

Buckaroo

OT/ DEREK, SURE HOPING U'D HELP OLD COUNTRY BOY WITH THIS!!

Re: Barrister bookcase door - hardware?

Craig Spacek

You can get hardware that helps prevent racking as you slide the door in and out. I’ve used this type with success. The metal on metal squeaks a bit but I can open and close the doors with one hand from a corner without the door sticking at all. Maybe someday I’ll try a little wax to see if that quiets it down a bit.

https://www.vandykes.com/restorers-classic-bookcase-equalizer-hardware/p/225721/

They also sell a more expensive version that I’ve not used.

https://www.vandykes.com/equalizer-hardware-for-bookcase-s4871/p/204777/

Re: Barrister bookcase door - hardware?

Josko Catipovic

There's a FWW article (Sept '92) on how to do it with a spring from a tape measure and a very thin (1/16") router slot cutter.

Thanks - my choice for hardware

Henry (Raleigh NC)

Having been through a bit more searching, including Van Dykes (where the listed instructions were simply a parts diagram...), I searched the term 'flipper door' on Lee Valley (another great source of hardware). Calling them (that is LV) I was provided answers all my questions and I am likely going to implement their Concealed Door slides, with a set of soft close Blum hinges (as suggested by customer service). Total hardware costs are about $35 plus whatever shipping costs, which is more than the least expensive option, but significantly less than the bigger package deal at Van Dykes.

- LV Concealed Door slides: https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/hardware/slides/side-mount/48629-concealed-door-slides

- the associated hinges also needed: https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/hardware/hinges/european/66792-blum-self-closing-clip-top-soft-close-hinges

The reason that LV customer service suggested these specific hinges is that rather than mounting the hinge base directly to the cabinet, these hinges have a mounting plate that is first installed and then the hinges are slid onto these plates. This eases the hinge installation, and that was a concern; I will have my head inside a cabinet and the rest of me inside a too small bathroom, and will be installing top mount hinges. Ease of installation will make a difference here, even though this is a one-off.

I have not yet determined the final dimensions of the already installed built-in cabinet (opening for inset door and depth of cabinet), but will update this thread when I manage to finish this project.

Henry

Keeping the doors from racking

Yonak

Henry, on my barrister-style bookcase, the doors are constrained from racking by the cabinet. The doors are within 1/16", either side, of the cabinet width.

Re: Keeping the doors from racking

Henry (Raleigh NC)

Yes I though of that constraint later.

Can you tell that I have never even been in front of such a beast? Only exception I think is the case of the office cabinet, a metal Steelcase unit, but even there I ignored the hardware.

Henry

Re: Barrister bookcase door - hardware?

jessecloud

I did a barrister door project about a year ago. Main thing I learned was that with off-the-shelf metal slides (I tried Rockler), you are constrained to the depth that the hardware was designed to handle.

After fooling with that issue for a while, I used a plan from wood magazine that has all wood shop made pieces. With this approach, you cam make the mechanism fit whatever dimensions you need. You can find the plans (on sale for a small fee) by googling "barrister bookcase plans".

I recommend throwing together a "dummy box" with the desired dimensions just for the purpose of trying out the mechanism. I learned a lot that wasn't obvious (to me at least) until I tried the real thing.

Never had a problem with racking or alignment.

Fun project once I figured out the mechanics.