Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT The 12-Gauge Garage
- Thread starter Jack Olsen
- Start date
Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
OP
TLG could steer you to a machine shop, but they're (well, it's Marco) an independent repair shop.
RdSnake
Member
Gracias!
OP
Projects that make you feel stupid
I'm sure there's a way to figure this out with measurements and some basic geometry. I feel like a guy trying to make sense of an instruction book written in a language he doesn't speak. I didn't help that it was 100° yesterday.
But I've got the mechanics of it more-or-less nailed down. What you see is a 5-inch 'segment' of a desk, which is attached to what will end up as a Murphy bed. It looks simple enough, but you have to choose two mounting points and an angle and an arm length and yesterday the details of it were really making me nuts.
There's a parallelogram in there somewhere.
I'm sure there's a way to figure this out with measurements and some basic geometry. I feel like a guy trying to make sense of an instruction book written in a language he doesn't speak. I didn't help that it was 100° yesterday.
But I've got the mechanics of it more-or-less nailed down. What you see is a 5-inch 'segment' of a desk, which is attached to what will end up as a Murphy bed. It looks simple enough, but you have to choose two mounting points and an angle and an arm length and yesterday the details of it were really making me nuts.
There's a parallelogram in there somewhere.
rlitman
Well-known member
Re: Projects that make you feel stupid
Wow, great work! I love how it acts as a foot for the bed, plus doesn't spill the desk contents as it is lowered.
Is the reason that the arm is C shaped just for knee clearance, because it would work the same if it were straight with a pivot at each end.
The geometry (which is just a little off in your example, which is why the tip of the desk hits the floor first) is that the arm and the bed sweep in parallel arcs.
Wow, great work! I love how it acts as a foot for the bed, plus doesn't spill the desk contents as it is lowered.
Is the reason that the arm is C shaped just for knee clearance, because it would work the same if it were straight with a pivot at each end.
The geometry (which is just a little off in your example, which is why the tip of the desk hits the floor first) is that the arm and the bed sweep in parallel arcs.
OP
Re: Projects that make you feel stupid
Thanks.
"the arm and the bed sweep in parallel arcs"
See, that's what a person who understands geometry says.
It's obvious, when I'm looking at it. But jeez, when you're guessing at the length of the arm, an eighth of an inch difference throws everything out of whack.
It's c-shaped to give access to some shelves that will be filling that space to the left.
My normal 'margin of carpentry error' is about an inch. So this kind of mechanism stuff doesn't come easily.
Thanks.
"the arm and the bed sweep in parallel arcs"
See, that's what a person who understands geometry says.
It's obvious, when I'm looking at it. But jeez, when you're guessing at the length of the arm, an eighth of an inch difference throws everything out of whack.
It's c-shaped to give access to some shelves that will be filling that space to the left.
My normal 'margin of carpentry error' is about an inch. So this kind of mechanism stuff doesn't come easily.
ludakris04
Well-known member
Re: Projects that make you feel stupid
This might be over simplifying, but isnt it just an arc? the length of the upright is however high you mound the shelf. the "leg" of it is the same length as the desk top piece? (not sure how to describe it all)
This might be over simplifying, but isnt it just an arc? the length of the upright is however high you mound the shelf. the "leg" of it is the same length as the desk top piece? (not sure how to describe it all)
rlitman
Well-known member
Re: Projects that make you feel stupid
Don't feel bad. I had to watch the video probably 20 times to get it, and I only have it totally fleshed out in my head now on this post. The first few views I was too mesmerized by the action to understand how it worked. It really does have a lot of that "magical" motion to it. Some of that is also because the C shaped arm throws off the eye (which I think greatly adds to the overall aesthetic). I had to intentionally forget the travel of the arm I was watching, as well as the travel of the bed surface, and visualize an imaginary arm between the pivots as well as the plane of the bed where it hinges (which is behind the wood), to see the geometry in action. Once you look at that, you'll see the parallelogram.
Anyway, you don't give yourself enough credit. We've all seen your carpentry work, and it's a lot tighter in tolerances than an inch.
Thanks.
"the arm and the bed sweep in parallel arcs"
See, that's what a person who understands geometry says.
It's obvious, when I'm looking at it. But jeez, when you're guessing at the length of the arm, an eighth of an inch difference throws everything out of whack.
It's c-shaped to give access to some shelves that will be filling that space to the left.
My normal 'margin of carpentry error' is about an inch. So this kind of mechanism stuff doesn't come easily.
Don't feel bad. I had to watch the video probably 20 times to get it, and I only have it totally fleshed out in my head now on this post. The first few views I was too mesmerized by the action to understand how it worked. It really does have a lot of that "magical" motion to it. Some of that is also because the C shaped arm throws off the eye (which I think greatly adds to the overall aesthetic). I had to intentionally forget the travel of the arm I was watching, as well as the travel of the bed surface, and visualize an imaginary arm between the pivots as well as the plane of the bed where it hinges (which is behind the wood), to see the geometry in action. Once you look at that, you'll see the parallelogram.
Anyway, you don't give yourself enough credit. We've all seen your carpentry work, and it's a lot tighter in tolerances than an inch.
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Freejack
Well-known member
Re: Projects that make you feel stupid
This one of those cases where access to cad software or even a tool as simple as Sketchup can be really helpful in fleshing out the right arcs and distances. You can layout all the pivot points so you can get the right length on the connecting arm. You can even animate it if you want to spend a bit of time.
Jake
This one of those cases where access to cad software or even a tool as simple as Sketchup can be really helpful in fleshing out the right arcs and distances. You can layout all the pivot points so you can get the right length on the connecting arm. You can even animate it if you want to spend a bit of time.
Jake
rlitman
Well-known member
Re: Projects that make you feel stupid
Man, I wish I had the skill to work on moving parts in CAD. Now you're making ME feel stupid.
I'd be working this out with pencil and paper, but what works for me isn't always the best answer for all.
Man, I wish I had the skill to work on moving parts in CAD. Now you're making ME feel stupid.
I'd be working this out with pencil and paper, but what works for me isn't always the best answer for all.
Re: Projects that make you feel stupid
I recently took apart a recliner to fit it in the garbage can and the engineering put into the articulating mechanism is quite the brain buster too. I worked the loose assembly several times and concluded that Rube Goldberg thought it up.
I recently took apart a recliner to fit it in the garbage can and the engineering put into the articulating mechanism is quite the brain buster too. I worked the loose assembly several times and concluded that Rube Goldberg thought it up.
OP
Re: Projects that make you feel stupid
I'm still feeling stupid. But it's the ordinary, still-getting-stuff-done kind of stupid.
Here's the desk with springs in place, a moving headboard, and a (pretty much) stay-horizontal desk.
I'm still feeling stupid. But it's the ordinary, still-getting-stuff-done kind of stupid.
Here's the desk with springs in place, a moving headboard, and a (pretty much) stay-horizontal desk.
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BlueBomber
Well-known member
More pics of the articulating head board, please! I just started a Murphy bed project as well and would gladly flatter you through imitation.
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Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
1949 caddyman
Well-known member
Works very nice. Will you you add some type of protection around the 90* corner of the steel mechanism?
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Jack, I like where you are taking this, But you can make the metal support bar dead straight, and it will serve (better) as a diagonal support for the desk top. it too far inboard to be a danger to knees, and will lay flat on the floor in bed mode so less likely to catch a shin.
I suggest thinking about pillow stowage as well as there is not much space between the mattress and wall?
I suggest thinking about pillow stowage as well as there is not much space between the mattress and wall?
shortykorte
Well-known member
What they said. I’d like to add it could use power lift....Porsche power. Is this for your son’s room.
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
jbmatth
Well-known member
Late to the party but you have from what I can see at least one 4 bar mechanism which is pretty easy to model on a pad and paper...at least it was in college 10 years ago, I may not be able to do it again. It appears as though you have it licked though so congrats!
JB
JB
OP
I'm still waiting on some different latches and two pieces of artwork. But the thing is essentially done, now.
It's a desk:
It's somewhere/something in between:
Then it's a bed:
Wait. How does that work?
It's a desk:
It's somewhere/something in between:
Then it's a bed:
Wait. How does that work?
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
lol .
shortykorte
Well-known member
Nice but what is that thing up in the corner? It doesn’t get hot in LA. LOL.
Desk/bed turned out great. Is the bed a full or queen size? Looking at the last picture, looks like you incorporated a removable panel so it’s easy to change out decor. Good thinking.
Shorty Korte
Always remember quality in QST
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
Desk/bed turned out great. Is the bed a full or queen size? Looking at the last picture, looks like you incorporated a removable panel so it’s easy to change out decor. Good thinking.
Shorty Korte
Always remember quality in QST
Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
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OP
The bed's a full. And yes, the floating shelf had to have a removable top -- for two reasons. One was that the 12V wiring for the lights ran inside it, and the other was that it let me fasten nuts to the bolts that run through everything that's sitting on the shelf.
OP
My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Even though I got very frustrated with my own limited geometry skills on this project, fate was kind to me, and in the opposite of Murphy's dictum: 'everything that could work out okay on it, did.'
Backstory: I've got an old office adjacent to my garage. I use it for writing, but it had become cluttered and gross after half a decade's residence by our aging (and formerly wild) cat. The cat decided to move to the front yard this spring (why, we don't know, but he seems happier), so I took the opportunity to clean things up and add a desk for my wife to use. Once it had been emptied out and repainted, she suggested adding a bed -- so I went the Murphy bed route, and worked out a way to have a desk that stays level even when the bed is lowered down.
Here are some pictures and a video, in case you're interested in doing something similar on your own.
The office is old and odd. The janky column/wall on the left is the tunnel for a skylight somebody installed at some point in time. And the AC unit plastered into the wall on the right is something I'm going to have to live with until I'm ready to tear into the wall. But this is the mattress and base piece for the bed in the little room.
And this was my plan. I found this picture, and thought 'I can do something like that in a couple of days.' I was wrong, of course. It took over a week. But it worked out.
And here's where I ended up. The desk is 56"x24".
This picture shows some of what happens when you lower the bed down. In the back, along the wall, the headboard rises up and finds its angle. The desk stays horizontal, and the oak backboard piece becomes a support for the bed. The floating shelf' above the desk becomes the third support piece for the bed.
But wait, what about the stuff on top of the floating shelf? It's secured by bolts to the shelf itself. The real function of the shelf is to provide lighting for the desk when the bed is up and support for the foot of the bed when it's down.
So, here's the thing down and ready for guests. My parents are due in 9 days. But the kids tested it out with a sleepover last night.
In the space on the side, I've got storage for the pillows as well as extra towels, sheets and other bedding. There's also a place to put an alarm clock and charge a phone.
Here's a video where you can see what happens when it lowers down. I know it's basically just a parallelogram, but my brain isn't wired to be able to make much sense out of the actual specifications/measurements of that parallelogram -- so there was a lot of trial and error before I was happy with the way it worked.
Even though I got very frustrated with my own limited geometry skills on this project, fate was kind to me, and in the opposite of Murphy's dictum: 'everything that could work out okay on it, did.'
Backstory: I've got an old office adjacent to my garage. I use it for writing, but it had become cluttered and gross after half a decade's residence by our aging (and formerly wild) cat. The cat decided to move to the front yard this spring (why, we don't know, but he seems happier), so I took the opportunity to clean things up and add a desk for my wife to use. Once it had been emptied out and repainted, she suggested adding a bed -- so I went the Murphy bed route, and worked out a way to have a desk that stays level even when the bed is lowered down.
Here are some pictures and a video, in case you're interested in doing something similar on your own.
The office is old and odd. The janky column/wall on the left is the tunnel for a skylight somebody installed at some point in time. And the AC unit plastered into the wall on the right is something I'm going to have to live with until I'm ready to tear into the wall. But this is the mattress and base piece for the bed in the little room.
And this was my plan. I found this picture, and thought 'I can do something like that in a couple of days.' I was wrong, of course. It took over a week. But it worked out.
And here's where I ended up. The desk is 56"x24".
This picture shows some of what happens when you lower the bed down. In the back, along the wall, the headboard rises up and finds its angle. The desk stays horizontal, and the oak backboard piece becomes a support for the bed. The floating shelf' above the desk becomes the third support piece for the bed.
But wait, what about the stuff on top of the floating shelf? It's secured by bolts to the shelf itself. The real function of the shelf is to provide lighting for the desk when the bed is up and support for the foot of the bed when it's down.
So, here's the thing down and ready for guests. My parents are due in 9 days. But the kids tested it out with a sleepover last night.
In the space on the side, I've got storage for the pillows as well as extra towels, sheets and other bedding. There's also a place to put an alarm clock and charge a phone.
Here's a video where you can see what happens when it lowers down. I know it's basically just a parallelogram, but my brain isn't wired to be able to make much sense out of the actual specifications/measurements of that parallelogram -- so there was a lot of trial and error before I was happy with the way it worked.
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oldmxracer
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Damn, You did a great job ! Love it !
Damn, You did a great job ! Love it !
Bronson
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Outstanding, as usual!
Outstanding, as usual!
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Love it!
Love it!
vavet
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Holy ****! That is simply awesome!
Holy ****! That is simply awesome!
Jayman17
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Very nicely executed, looks like it belongs there. Isn't that the goal with any home DIY project!
Jay
Very nicely executed, looks like it belongs there. Isn't that the goal with any home DIY project!
Jay
Bill Bowman
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
That's very nice. Great job.
That's very nice. Great job.
clarky456
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
West coasters sure do things different. Us east coasters bury in the back yard, but if your cat is happy, let him lie.
Good job, btw.
West coasters sure do things different. Us east coasters bury in the back yard, but if your cat is happy, let him lie.
Good job, btw.
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Cool Murphy bed Jack. I have to admit, they are pretty awesome. I "sleep" in one every third night. Of course, if you call it sleep. They are one of the best designs to get the most out of a small space.
Cool Murphy bed Jack. I have to admit, they are pretty awesome. I "sleep" in one every third night. Of course, if you call it sleep. They are one of the best designs to get the most out of a small space.
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
It seems odd that a writer would say "Once it had been emptied out and repainted," instead of "emptied and repainted" and "lowered down" instead of "lowered". What kind of writing do you do?
It seems odd that a writer would say "Once it had been emptied out and repainted," instead of "emptied and repainted" and "lowered down" instead of "lowered". What kind of writing do you do?
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Am I going to be labeled as ''That Guy'' if I ask why you didn't go with a swinging shelf? lol
I actually thought of it when you posted the video in your other thread, now I see the inspiration for your build had one.
Am I going to be labeled as ''That Guy'' if I ask why you didn't go with a swinging shelf? lol
I actually thought of it when you posted the video in your other thread, now I see the inspiration for your build had one.
larry4406
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Nice job!
Nice job!
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Nice job, Jack.
Nice job, Jack.
Ipassgas
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Every time I see a new thread of yours, I get really excited because I'm going to see something cool. Then, I get bummed because I COULD do cool stuff too, but I know I never will.
Once again, strong work.
Every time I see a new thread of yours, I get really excited because I'm going to see something cool. Then, I get bummed because I COULD do cool stuff too, but I know I never will.
Once again, strong work.
coljar
Well-known member
Re: My Murphy bed avoided Murphy's law
Looks nice! Apparently our daughter and SIL are in the process of installing the very thing at their new house in the guest room so she can have a music room to practice.
Looks nice! Apparently our daughter and SIL are in the process of installing the very thing at their new house in the guest room so she can have a music room to practice.