# Designing a wooden pocket door mechanism (like for an entertainment center)



## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I want to pick your brains. I want to make a shoe rack with a pocket door mechanism, similar to what is often used in entertainment centers. One can buy these mechanisms, sometimes north of $100. Rockler sells this one for for around $60.









I have some leftover european style hinges I can use, so I was wondering if it would be feasible to design a wooden sliding mechanism. Thoughts?


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## PaulMaurer (Feb 22, 2014)

Not sure that I understand you. If what you want is as shown then it is probably the way to go. On reading pocket door and shoe rack, thought, why not a drawer with the side open instead of the top. - Mounting the drawer slides L/R at the top- Kiss and inexpensive. If you wanted to change the aspect once open, hinge an inner box to the front of the drawer. Pull the drawer open pivot the shoe rack on the hinges. Good luck.


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## PLK (Feb 11, 2014)

Pocket doors normally slide into a wall, or a structure that cannot be seen. I'm confused on what you are looking for.

Paul


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Paul, iyes, it is confusing. This type of door is also called a pocket door sometimes.

This type of kit involves euro hinges and then a door slide I was just trying to fugure out if I could reasonably design/construct the door slide. Because it involves a tall door and a short contact area for the slide, I couldn't think of a design that wouldn't easily rack.


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## bkseitz (Oct 24, 2014)

You might try building a frame to hold the hinges in two t-tracks instead of drawer slides


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## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

You mentioned "entertainment cabinet" in your post. That is the only use of this sort of "slide the door back out of sight when it is open" I have ever seen.

My primary thought about this rather complex mechanism is…I have never seen one that wasn't just permanently "hidden". In other words, people just leave the opening open and the fancy sliding door is just a waste.

Is this really just a skills challenge and a way to "get rid of" your extra european hinges? Or do you think you will ever actually close this one?


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Jeff, good question. It is for a shoe rack in our bedroom that would end up being open much of the time, it could be closed when we have company, etc.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Just an off the wall idea that I don't have time to check out myself but, maybe something like the doors on a barrister bookcase only vertically instead of horizontal.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Good idea.

This is in the idea stage with my wife, and she has now moved to another idea from this one!


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

Those glides can be bought for much less, if the size is not huge. And you can buy them without the hinges, and use your own, to save money. IMO it would not be worth it the try and execute the slides out of wood. Racking will be a problem. The following strip is enough to, in combination with the bearing glides, to keep the slide from racking. FWIW if you really want to DYI you can adapt regular drawer glides to work with a following strip and euro hinges, but by the time you go through opportunity cost you have bought the real deal. Below you will find them for half the rockler price, and if you search a little more you will find them for even less.
" 
http://www.cabinetparts.com/g/kv-8080-pivot-door-slides":http://www.cabinetparts.com/g/kv-8080-pivot-door-slides


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## PaulMaurer (Feb 22, 2014)

How about hanging the "pocket door" from the top like a closet door? just spit balling…


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## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

Anybody who knows me well enough to be invited to my house is probably prepared for the reality that they will be forced to look at all of my shoes while they are there…both pairs.





> Jeff, good question. It is for a shoe rack in our bedroom that would end up being open much of the time, it could be closed when we have company, etc.
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