secret bookshelf door - completed finally! with a quick tour of props

[ave4uevoli]

Hey guys

I finally finished my secret bookshelf door to hide my basement door from people. (which isn't that much of a secret anymore since I'm showing everyone - but whatever.. )

Figured if I'm insane enough to think i'm Batman sometimes I might as well play the part.

I made the whole thing myself - which is why it took me ever since the Summer.

Hope you guys like the vid - enjoy the quick tour of my props as well.

post comments tell me what you think - and ask questions here on the thread if you have any - my pm inbox is almost full.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnE70IxLTSo




and I have also added lights into the shelves.

~T

 

[Die Hard Props]

Good job!

I wouldn't have even known where to begin with that kind of project. Congratulations for making it a success!

Simon

 

[DjMayara]

Thats pretty cool.

 

[Raffles]

If it's in the basement you could have had......a Batpole!

 

[DB73]

Always wanted a secret room, good way to safe guard your collection also and a great collection at that.

 

[cap70]

Really cool stuff

 

[rmschneider104]

Darn cool set up.

 

[PHArchivist]

I can't think of a more fun room to get accidentally locked in!

Where'd/how'd you get the Enterprise-D in dry dock?

 

[General Anesthesia]

Very Cool! But I saw your secret code! :lol

 

[Darth Fetty]

Soo nice! Great room!

 

[DjMayara]

Out of Curiosity How much did this end up costing?

 

[Remo]

I just saw a show the other night on cable about a guy who makes secret doors and things for homes. I think it was called "Secret Places" or something like that. They had a couple who had a replica Muster home with secret doors and opeing stairwell for SPot to come out.

 

[kalkamel]

Nice Grail diary, Thomas.

Seriously, though, that is one hell of a collection, dude!

 

[temponaut]

Meh, not bad, if you like secret doors, props, and that kind of stuff. :sleep



Seriously, dude... awesome secret passage, tremendous collection, and a very cool video! :love :thumbsup

 

[Apollo]

Very cool way to safeguard a very nice collection! :thumbsup

 

[ave4uevoli]

Out of Curiosity How much did this end up costing?

Hmm - y'know..I don't really know.. But I can give you a estimated breakdown..

--the automatic door opener was about (it comes with one electromagnetic lock) $300
--the extra electromagnetic lock $60
--the plexiglass $400
--hinges for plexiglass $120
--gate wheels x4 $50
--plywood.... hmm.. actually i totally forget how much this cost me -but it wasn't very expensive.
--misc tools and things like screws, hinges, handles, paint etc... $50 bucks.

This can also be done without the plexiglass- That was just a personal touch. All in all without the plexiglass you can do this for well under a grand. Time for me was the biggest issue - it took forever.

In terms of plans for the bookshelf - I'm not an engineer or a carpenter or anything (actually i'm sure they could have done a better job) - so I basically just took a large slab of wood and took my old door and traced it. That was my backboard - From there, I used those measurements to cut the plywood for the sides and the top - nailed everything together and I had myself the frame of the bookshelf.

The shelves are all individual pieces of wood as I wanted to make the shelves adjustable... those you can cut to fit later on.

Plexiglass was the part that held me back the most - It took forever to find a place that would make me such a large sheet (plus I was experimenting with glass and stuff..which ended up to be too heavy) I ended up going to a "sign" store (yes, like those places that make those neon canopy signs for commercial stores). They were the only ones that had this kind of frosted plexiglass and could make it so large.

Molding and all of the trimmings were just standard home depot moldings.. I just cut it and slapped it on there.

Conceptually - it's not the most difficult - in the beginning I thought I could finish this thing in a day.. I worked that first day for 8 hours- and I still didnt' finish. Since that first day, it's been almost 3 months - working about 30 minutes a day on it - tweaking the door opener - experimenting with different wheels with springs.. etc.

So i'm sure most people won't have to go through the headache I went through of experimenting - but it will still take a while to construct.

 

[Simmon M]

Daaaamn Thomas - incredible collection!!!

 

[rad1701]

Very cool and slickly done. Great collection too. In an old house I used to live in I built a moving bookshelf to access my attic and still miss the cool factor of having that.

 

[Bilbo Baggins]

Wow!
thumbsup

 

[Galactifan]

Very cool!!!