Drop Down Cabinet Door

[Scott Welty]

I've built a face frame cabinet with a drop down door. Inside there is a pull out shelf to hold a small computer printer. I made the door drop down so that traditional doors wouldn't be in the way for accessing the printer. I'm having trouble finding a good way to have the door not swing down freely. I've tried some gas 'shocks' but the pull out shelf is in the way (I know...plan better!). The hinges at the bottom have a little spring to them to keep the door up but not enough to impede the falling.
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The overlay door is about 22 x 22 cherry frame and panel. The pull out shelf is about 7 inches up from the bottom.
Cheers,
Scott

[Al Launier]

Magnet(s) at top?

[Jamie Buxton]

I don't think you can get what you're describing. Why not go for hinges on the side of the door?

[Jamie Buxton]

How much does the door overlay the face frame along the sides?

[Scott Welty]

Overalay is 1/2 inch.

[Randy Viellenave]

If you have power, consider a pair of linear actuators mounted such that full extension results in the door lying level, then mount the rear of the actuator as high as possible to pull it back up.

[Jamie Buxton]

Overalay is 1/2 inch.

There are cup hinges the manufacturers call "zero protrusion" which are intended for this exact application -- clearing a pullout. Blum's version is 71T7500N. http://www.wwhardware.com/blum-155-clip-top-zero-protrusion-self-closing-straight-arm-hinges-b071t75 It does zero protrusion, but does want a 5/8" overlay. You could slide your door 1/8" toward the hinge side, so you get 5/8" overlay on that side, and 3/8" overlay on the pull side. And if you don't like that, every hinge manufacturer makes a zero-protrusion hinge. Maybe one of them will work with a 1/2" overlay.

[Lee Schierer]

What you need are sewing machine extension table hinges. They are made to do exactly what you are trying to do. When I made the sewing machine cabinet with two flip out 24" flip out leaves I went to Sears and had them order replacement hinges for a cabinet they had on their floor even though I didn't won the cabinet. I put three hinges on each leaf.

[Matt Schroeder]

Would something like Rockler's Lid Stay Torsion Hinge work for you in this case?

[Scott Welty]

Jamie,
Clearing the pull out is one factor but will these hinges (couldn't tell from the specs) allow the door to drop down slowly as opposed to just falling...WHACK!?

[Jamie Buxton]

Jamie,
Clearing the pull out is one factor but will these hinges (couldn't tell from the specs) allow the door to drop down slowly as opposed to just falling...WHACK!?

No, my suggestion is that you put hinges on the side of the door. You get no whack issues, and the door isn't in your way while you're accessing the printer.

[Larry Edgerton]

Put a slide on the back of the door with a hinge hooked to it so that when you pull the door down it pulls out the printer.

[Scott Welty]

Now you're talking! I may try this!

[Larry Edgerton]

I'd try it on some scrap first, it is just something that popped into my head.