Center mount doors

[Peter Stahl]

I’m looking for a way to mount a door in the center so it can turn 360 degs. What it’s for is a arcade game, a ballon game where you pop them with darts. There will be frames made of 2 X 4’s with homosote screwed to both sides. Frames will be aprox 3’ wide X 4’ high. This way someone can be in the back mounting the ballons while the other is on the front side working the game. The only thing I could come up with is a steel rod top and bottom with a couple washers at bottom for it to pivot on. Are there ball bearing hinges of some type I could use. Is homosote board heavy? Do you think this would spin easily on just a couple washers? Thanks for any help. ;)

Pete

[Greg Heppeard]

I think the Lazy Susan castors is a possible solution... I would use one on the bottom and the steel rod idea on the top...the top doesn't support any weight so it should work well.

[Mark Singer]

I have often designed similar hinges and had a local metal worker fabricate them.

[Dave Richards]

Suppose you did a three sided box for the door and used an actual lazy susan mechanism top and bottom. Then your loader would have a little more time to attach balloons, too.

Or you could cut a disk to put on the bottom of your door and use casters to support the weight and a center pivot. this could work for either two-sided or three -ided

[Tony Falotico]

Peter, I would use a steel rod mounted to the base (or whatever will hold the rotating door) with a steel or PVC pipe mounted in the door itself. The pipe in the door is simply placed over the steel rod. This would not only give it the ability to turn but also some lateral stability.

I would have some MAJOR safety concerns for the person behind the board reloading the balloons. Unless the board (door) is awfully big to prevent that errant dart from going by, I can visualize one coming over the top and hitting the reloader in the face. Sorry if I sound like a stick in the mud, but PLEASE Think this one out very carefully.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Another option is to get 2ea- 3/4X1/2 or 3/8" X 1" nylon busking. Drill a 3/4" hole top and bottom. Insert a brass 3/4" washer in each hole for a steel rod to ride on. Then press the bushing in and the rod in. The door will pivot inside the nylon bushing. Nice and smooth.

The bushings are available from Menards, Lowes, or Home Depot.

I agree that you will want some sort of protection for the ballon loader.

[Peter Stahl]

I think I'll try 2 steel washers with a nylon washer sandwiched in between them, the panels aren't as heavy as I though they would be. As far a getting hit by a stay dart, there won't be any opening around the dart board that a dart could get through. Settled on a final dimention of 40" wide by 44" tall. There will be 2 side-by-side. When needed they will be rotated and locked in place. Thanks for all the tips and info. I also received a email from someone that suggested a thrust bearing to hold the panels but after constructing them I don't think it will be necessary.

Pete ;)