G'day from Adelaide, and happy new year to all

**B80** · 2nd January 2013, 01:27 AM

Hi all,

Newbie from Adelaide here. I'm entertaining a project converting an old garage into a self contained studio apartment. In order to make the most of the available space, I'm considering using a fold up "Murphy bed", together with custom storage cupboards along one wall and some smaller bits and pieces.

I have a pretty tight budget to make it all work, and the only off-the-shelf Murphy beds I can find in Australia would consume most of said budget. So, if the project is to get off the ground, I'll have to build the bed myself, as well as most of the cabinetry.

Here's a rough mock up of the room to give you some idea of what I had in mind (minus the colours)

Being a 4WD enthusiast for some time (Land Rovers at that), I've gotten reasonably good at metal fabrication and everything and anything mechanical. When it comes to woodworking however, I'm a complete novice (unless I count a year of woodwork in high school nearly two decades ago). I'll no doubt have a multitude of questions (I'll do my best to make at least some of them intelligent) and will appreciate any words of wisdom to guide me through the perils of making one's own furniture. I look forward to soaking up some of the abundance of knowledge on this forum, and hopefully getting to know a few fine folk along the way.

Cheers

Boyan

**crowie** · 2nd January 2013, 08:18 AM

G'Day, Welcome & Happy New Year Boyan.
You'll find a heap of helpful & knowledgeable blokes & ladies on the forum and for most very willing to assist.
Make sure you show off your handiwork as everyone loves a photo, especially WIP photos with build notes.
Enjoy the forum.
Enjoy your woodwork & the furniture build.
Cheers, crowie

PS - I have a good friend in Queensland who I'd describe as a Land Rover nut; good bloke....

**Christos** · 2nd January 2013, 09:13 AM

Welcome to the forum.

I am not able to assist you with knowledge on the building of the bed but sure someone might be able to suggest ways of doing it. I think you need to split this project into segments and post questions retaining to these segments. It might not seem as big a project doing it that way.

**coffenup** · 2nd January 2013, 10:25 PM

welcome to the forum
yeah another south aussie
were going to take over
regards Michael

**johnredl** · 2nd January 2013, 11:55 PM

Hi Boyan

Welcome to WWF. I'm in Adelaide & I've built a Murphy bed I used a kit that I bought from USA. That cost a fortune to post out. Ur welcome to come over and have a look at it. If ur handy with metal you can easily fabricate the brackets yourself. Let me know if you need to see one in person.

**JJF** · 3rd January 2013, 01:16 AM

welcome aboard

**B80** · 3rd January 2013, 02:42 PM

Thanks for the warm welcome guys,

Good to see a few croweaters about.

Originally Posted by johnredl

Hi Boyan

Welcome to WWF. I'm in Adelaide & I've built a Murphy bed I used a kit that I bought from USA. That cost a fortune to post out. Ur welcome to come over and have a look at it. If ur handy with metal you can easily fabricate the brackets yourself. Let me know if you need to see one in person.

John, which wall bed kit did you use, and what has your experience been with it?

I'm eyeing off the Create-a-bed mechanism (see Create-A-Bed murphy bed mechanism kit). Few of the built examples shown in the video below

Create-A-Bed Murphy Mechanism

Seems reasonably simple to make and, although I can see myself making a few modifications to the cabinet/bed, the hardware is all there. I just have to make sure to keep the "sprung" weight reasonaby similar to what it would weigh otherwise. I thought about making the hardware myself, but at $300 plus shipping for the hardware it's probably not worth the effort. I may just modify the gas strut mounts to allow the struts to be hidden behind the side panels, if it's easy enough to do, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

It's still early days. My first task is to determine a realistic cost of the materials for the cabinetry, a cheap & cheerful (but pleasing to the eye) finish for all the visible panels and then determine all the various panel shapes and sizes so I can get then cut up at a workshop. Because I don't have access to a workshop myself, I'll have to make sure all the parts fit perfectly before getting it cut up. And that means drawing up all the panels individually and assembling them in 3D Cad (Solid Edge or similar) to make sure they fit.

Anyhow, I'll be sure to ask questions in the relevant forums... just as soon as I work them all out

**johnredl** · 3rd January 2013, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by B80

John, which wall bed kit did you use, and what has your experience been with it?

I'm eyeing off the Create-a-bed mechanism (see Create-A-Bed murphy bed mechanism kit). Few of the built examples shown in the video below
:

Yes, I'm pretty sure that's the kit. Great kit and plans (except that they're in imperial, but that's another argument!). Having seen what's involved, I'd plagiarise the brackets and gas struts, and just take a stack of measurements from an existing bed.

I guess that I'd be happy to use their plans and kit again if I knew someone that was travelling to USA and could bring them back for me free of charge. Otherwise I'd probably make my own.

Let me know if I can help. I'm in O'Halloran Hill.

**artme** · 5th January 2013, 10:15 AM

G'day Boyan and welcome to the house of addictions!!!

Thread: G'day from Adelaide, and happy new year to all

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