Murphy beds

[jbeech]

I'm a make it only if I can't buy it kind of guy. Since no motor home meets my ideals and budget, I'm making. Since I'd rather not take time to make a Murphy bed mechanism if I can buy a perfectly suitable one off the shelf, and I've found this one, before I purchase it, does anybody know of others, or have experience to relate? The goal is one queen size bed in the workshop area.

Queen size Murphy bed mechanism: http://www.liftcoinc.com/product.html?id=10&name=Easy+Lift+Folding+Bed

 

[GENECARP]

J, check out Rockler, they are online shop supply company that has a nice Hardware kit for sale. Kit is offered in either direction for opening, I will be doing one in my conversion, planning on a lock of some type for travel mode.....

 

[volvoman]

do you want one that folds up or goes up to ceiling?

 

[jbeech]

Thanks for the tip on rockler. Never heard of them before.

Volvoman, folds up. Hmmm, never heard of one going to the ceiling.

 

[Bob86ZZ4]

The ones that go straight up to the ceiling aren't uncommon. I've seen them in the garage area of toy hauler trailers. Seems like a good idea.

 

[jbeech]

A mechanism to take a bed up to the ceiling seems complicated while the Murphy bed seems straightforward and simple. The benfit of not taking up floorspace is offset by complexity and reduced headroom. Anyway, I was impressed by the short video of the Murphy bed mechanism on the Rocker site. Fortunately, I have the skill set to make the wooden parts of the assembly. In fact, Lynn commented one of those would be nice in one of our spare bedrooms too.

 

[Dragonslayer140]

I do lots of business with Rockler, I am very happy with the quality of their products, and all their stores that I have visited have great customer service. I have been thinking about buying the Murphy bed kit to build a bed with cabinets each side for our spare bedroom I agree that a Murphy type bed would be a great way to utilize space in a rv, and far less complicated than a lifting bed. If you go that route, let us know how it turns out and please post some pics...

Dave

 

[volvoman]

i am just finishing building my bed that lifts to the ceiling. it took several attempts to make it work. i was going to make it work even if it broke the bank. i took a toy hauler wall bed and disassembled to use. i was trying to make a roll up door operator and tracking work. 1st mistake i made was to use 1" tracking and rollers with standard spools. after about 80 hrs. i call a over head door company. they said i should use 2" tracks and rollers. also needed to use tapered spools. i never knew they made them. they said i was trying to raise same amount of weight all the way up. as you normally raise a door weight decreases and door goes around top tracking. then i tried an electric motor to raise bed. it would raise bed about 1/2 the way up and run out of power. as soon as you let up on power switch bed would fall back down. now i went hydraulic lift gate motor assembly with a char-lynn motor. works just like i wanted it to. i am going to run hoses from pump to a selector valve which i can switch between two motors. one for raising bed and other for raising toy hauler door. i don't want to work when its play time. i took it part way back apart to paint. when i get it back together i will post pictures.
full fold down bed $500.00. 1st roller set up was about $120.00 that i couldn't reuse. electric motor was $100.00 cash. 2nd roller and operator assembly $300.00 bed motor $181.31 2) selector valves $58.02 each to switch oil flow back & forth. i don't remember what i paid for lift gate pump. i had it quite a while. sprockets and chain about another $60.00.
with what i know now i could do one for about $900.00 to $1000.00 for just a bed.
i have 9 foot ceiling so head room wasn't a problem. only sticks out about 3" from wall.