false bottom...

[Patrick Melchior]

I have always been interested in furniture or boxes that had a false bottom or hidden compartment. Have you built any? pics would be appreciated. I have been thinking of a design of a box that is locked by a steel rod and opened by an external magnet.

take care

patrick

[Jim Becker]

The only project to-date that has a hidden compartment is the NYW jewelry box I built for Professor Dr. SWMBO quite a few years ago. The base slides forward to reveal and addional storage area behind the bottom apron. Not fancy and frankly, not really "secure" storage as you might get with a more sophisticated accuation setup.

[Brian Dormer]

If you google "Hidden Compartments" and similar terms, you can find LOADS of information on such things.

If you ever get to Williamsburg, VA - go to the cabinet makers shop and (hopefully) if you ask nice, they will show you some of the hidden compartments in the furniture they have on display. There is one secretary that has something like 18 hidden compartments. I've only seen about half a dozen of them. Those 18th century carpenters were pretty shrewd.

[Mike Guthrie]

I have a family dresser that was handed down from my mothers side, It has a drawer on the bottom that you wouldn't find unless you knew about it. Attached are three photos.

[Christopher Pine]

If you have a stickley furniture store they have many pieces with secret or hidden compartments. Was fun looking in the showroom at the various furnitre that had this.

[Richard Daly]

I made a false shelf bottom in a stereo unit to hide paper or you money stash,,,in the same unit ,on the door I put a spring latch that could only be opened by pushing a small paper clip to decompress the spring.:) Ihopr this gives you some ideas

keep your fingers out of the joiner...Stubby

[Doug Shepard]

I dont think the magnet idea will work very well. The attraction through even 1/16" of wood is extremely weak. You'd have to use one honkin big mag to get enough pull. You really need mag to metal contact. You can get magnetic rod and put in on the backside of a wooden pull and run it through a slot on the case to contact the moving pin though. Just my 2 cents.

[Larry Marley]

There is a commercially available latch sold that uses a magnet to open.
Rockler sells it.
Listed on their web site as:
"Magnetic Key and Lock"

For doors 1/2'' to 1- 1/8'' thick

[Marcus Isaacson]

I really like the idea of a latch opened by magnets. You can get cheap, small and incredibly strong neodymium magnets to work the latch. Some you can even get rubber coated so they wouldn't scratch your wood. Check out K&J Magnetics online for a good place to start.

[Bob Rufener]

If you haven't seen it, the National Treasure: Book of Secrets movie, they had some way cool secret compartments in some old desks. If you can duplicate something like those, it would be fascinating. The movie wasn't as good as the first in the series but was worth watching.,\

[Tom Hoffman]

Patrick: I did a box with an inset bottom that is held in place with rare earth magnets inset into the wood. Just pull (hard) on the brass feet and the bottom comes off! See pictures.

[Alan Turner]

Here is a link to a photo of one a did several years ago. Perhaps it will give you an idea.

http://alanturnerfurnituremaker.com/views/show/55

[John Grossi]

Tom, That box is so nice, the thief is not going to look for a hidden compartment, he will steal the whole box! John