Folding Bed Hinge system.
Someone asked me to post the hinge system on my folding bed, but I can't seem to find the post, so might have been on another thread. So, I decided to post here in hopes that the one asking the question finds these pictures.
As I noted earlier, I built my folding bed like a cabinet in the shop, and then installed it in the trailer once painted. Once the cabinet frame was installed, I knew I needed to strengthen the board that would hold the pivot point hinge, as one piece of 3/4 inch plywood had too much flex. So, I glued/screwed another 3/4 plywood board on the bottom, and once the hinge was installed, I glued/screwed another 3/4 plywood board on the top, but the top board was narrower to allow the bed platform to fold into the cabinet. Here is a picture of the pivot point hinge.
You can see the step in the top board, as well as the deflated air mattress. I used a piano hinge, along with 1 1/2 inch number 6 screws since I had two layers of 3/4 plywood. I installed the hinge on the cabinet first, then set the platform into the cabinet and installed the hinge on the platform. When the bed is folded down, with the addition of the top 3/4 plywood board (now covered in carpet), I have a flat surface front to back, except for the step area for the hinge. However, the air mattress will make sure we never feel this gap.
I also noted that I made washers out of aluminum so I didn't fray my carpet from screwing the legs in and out over time. Here are a few pictures of the washer and leg.
This last picture shows the bottom leg as well as the pivot hinge on the outside of the bed platform.
Finally, a few pictures of the hinge at the end of the bed. Since the folding in area is shorter than the mattress, I had to cut about 16 inches off the end of the platform and use another piano hinge to fold the end out onto the support board screwed to the opposite wall. Since I had seamed my platform plywood and topped with 1/4 inch plywood for added strength, I was able to use 1 inch number 6 screws to attach my end hinge. Here are a few pictures of the end of the bed.
And finally, a picture front the front of the trailer with the bed folded down. You can see that even with the bed folded down, we still have a lot of room to "live" in the trailer, so once we fold the bed down for camping, it stays down until we pack up to head home.
As noted earlier, I deflate the mattress with a pump to remove all of the air. I fold the mattress at the end to shorten for folding the bed into the cabinet, and I fold the 1 inch memory foam topper at the top for the same reason. The puts the double thick sections on opposite ends, and allows me to fold everything into the cabinet once strapped down with nylon straps. Unfortunately, I needed about 2 more inches of depth in my cabinet after adding the 1 inch memory foam to leave the blankets on the bed while folded into the cabinet. However, since the pillows live above the fridge, I had just enough room to add three good fleece blankets and the 4 legs and still easily close the cabinet door. The mattress topper and sheet stay on the bed when folded, so all bedding has a place that is tucked behind a door.
by desertrat222 » Wed Apr 29, 2015 6:01 pm 
