Hinge a Coke Machine like a door?

[Viriiguy]

I have always been a fan of hidden doors.... And I came across a REALLY good deal on a modern Coke machine... So I have been thinking about what to do with it...

I kind of think I would like to find a way to hinge it to the wall, in front of the door leading to my office stairs, from inside the garage. Ya, I know.. Odd.. But that is me in a nutshell.

Of coarse, I am merely in the pondering stage at the moment.. But I am trying to figure out a way to hinge it to the wall so it can be easily swung open like a door, yet LOOK like it is solidly sitting on the floor.

My initial thought of coarse is.. I can't actually mount it to the wall. It is too heavy.. But I wonder if I couldn't have a peg in the concrete floor with a cup in the bottom of the machine for it to rest in.. And maybe another attached to the wall at the top.

But how am I going to go about making it EASY to open?

It is still a 950 pound piece of equipment.

 

[bad_idea]

The front of the coke machine has a door on it for restocking the machine. Slide the coke machine against the doorway and cut the back of the coke machine out. Hollow out the coke machine. Use the door on the front of the machine as the door to the office stairs. Walk through the coke machine. Take a pic when you are done because I am interested to see this. Have a good day.

 

[Viriiguy]

No I want it to be a working coke machine
If I was going to do that, I would just mount the coke machine door over the office door

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

The weight of the machine doesn't have to be on the hinge- just add casters to the machine then the hinge could be the pivot point.

 

[Viriiguy]

I thought about casters.. But that ruins the illusion... And it will not make the door easy to swing. I know there is a way to do it, I have seen similar done, but I do not know the mechanics of it...

I was in a house a few years back, doing a high end home networking install. The server room was behind a bookcase that swung out just like this. The bookcase was solid oak and FULL of books, but I could swing it out with 2 fingers.

So I KNOW it can be done...

 

[machine_punk]

I don't know the specifics, but I'd do some searches on how vault doors are hinged...very heavy and move easily.

 

[Viriiguy]

Ohhh good idea... Thanks!

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

The bookcases you're referring to are usually on HD ballbearing pivot hinges. And they're off-set to counterbalance the weight.

 

[slopecarver]

I was gonna say barn door but the rail would obviously be visible.

 

[RVDan]

There's a bunch of wasted space at the bottom of a coke machine, there is space for wheels without them being visible

 

[machine_punk]

After a few searches "heavy hinge bearing," I found a few gate hinges which use tapered roller bearings on the bottom and ball bearings on the top. I think that is the direction you should go, if you really want to support the entire weight of the machine on hinges (which wouldn't be my recommendation).

If you do that, you need a VERY strong structure to support those bearings (think heavy square steel tube sunk into a couple of feet of concrete), with the hinges welded to that steel tube. That's a half ton you are talking about swinging around.

I think I'd be inclined to mount the machine on very sturdy hinges and support the weight with one, very-heavy-duty caster (like the big, heavy, spring casters on heavy tool boxes).

Completely free-swinging would definitely be cooler, but there is a lot of engineering involved in swinging that much weight around SAFELY.

Whatever you do, please post pics! Great idea.

M_P

 

[RVDan]

you also need to take into consideration the machine itself, its cabinet is not built strong enough to just bolt a hinge plate top and bottom of one corner and swing above the floor, it would bend into a shape that would make it non functional in a hurry.

so you're talking about rebuilding the entire cabinet of the machine with a heavy angle iron frame

 

[Viriiguy]

My Garage is Cinder block walls and a cement floor. I figure the wall should be able to handle the weight... Will have to check. I know I will likely have to weld support into the corner of the frame, already noticed flex when wiggling it into storage..

I suppose I could put a caster or two, back from the front lip of the bottom of the machine... So they are not immediately visible....

I looked into a few of those off-set pivot hinges before going to sleep last night. I found a set from a Japanese company that looks promising.. But I need to speak with an engineer buddy first before I spend that kind of money on a hinge!

Thanks again!

 

[popeye31]

I don't see why you couldn't use sacters on the bottom ther is usualy lots of space under coke machines to mount them and they can be counter sunk so you get the hight you need. and as far as the hing goes deffinitly will need some type of bearing hing.

 

[mad57]

I would think that a slide track in the wall brick and floor would be best idea not have it swing open, yes you will see the track but im sure you could camo it to the point where (people) crooks ect what ever wouldnt think that this would be a hidden entrace door

 

[rodm1]

I would think that a slide track in the wall brick and floor would be best idea not have it swing open, yes you will see the track but im sure you could camo it to the point where (people) crooks ect what ever wouldnt think that this would be a hidden entrace door

I think this would be the best way. If you are creative I think you could do it with no track showing.

 

[kbs2244]

The hinges used in Dr offices and hospitals are HD, ball bearing, units.
Because they need to get wheel chairs and hospital beds through them the doors are 48 and even 60 inches wide.
And they are solid core, which means heavy.
Check for a source for them.

 

[chief ben]

This is not a coke machine door, but I came up with this idea for my walk
door, it don't fit in with some of the neighbors, but it makes me happy,

 

[srmofo]

I purpose you mount one side on hinges and the other side on 2 casters. These casters do not need to be swivel casters. The narrower the wheel , the better. You could even bevel the wheels into a smaller contact point if need be. Less contact means less friction.

Here is a pic of my lumber rack I built recently. Same concept, hinged on one side with a caster on the other.

The other thing you need to think of is the amount of side clearance you will need. You will need the opening to be as wide as the coke machine diagonally from corner to corner. You could fill this space with a thin false wall that hinges the opposite direction.....unless of course, you are talking about putting it in front of the wall, not recessed into it.

 

[Pate]

I sell detention hardware and prison hinges will hold the load with no issues.

 

[TEXACMAN]

I am thinking the back of the machine is not going to be heavy duty enough to hang on the wall unless you built a complete frame out of angle iron or smething on the back to spread the weight around atleast, maybe attach hinge to frame. I think a caster will still be needed for support . If it were mine I would probably put it on casters and sink them into bottom where you would not notice.

 

[HandsomeDan]

Bodega in Boston has a setup like this.
It's a boutique catered to sneaker collectors with a fake storefront.

That snapple machine on the right slides open

to reveal this:

see this link for the best "action" photos I could find.
http://hypebeast.com/forums/fashion-brands/6067/