ACME Studio barn door slides

This project consists of three slides that allow multiple options when hanging and stabilizing "barn door" style doors that are 3/4" thick at the bottom. I built a custom door first and then designed this slider hardware to match it.

Depending on what thickness of felt you use, you can probably accommodate other similar door sizes out of the box with the .stl files only. If you want to modify the models further, I have included my FreeCad designs.

This project was for both me and my cats. I get some peace when I need it and they have a new space to hang out on when I lock them out of my office.

There were a few design goals.

1. Keep the cats out of my office when necessary, especially while recording music, while on business video calls and when concentration is required, so…a lot of the time. 2. Build it in a way that I don't feel guilty locking them out by including some sort of play area. 3. Must be very durable, since it is custom and only replaceable by building a replacement.

I built the door and and then coated it in resin. It will be durable for a long time even with the weight of the cats and claws on it constantly!

The 3d printed slides I designed have proven themselves to be durable. It's been a few years since I installed this. It's been 100% trouble free the entire time. The door slides smoothly side-to-side with no lateral movement. While in the open and closed positions, it is held in place on both sides.

3d printing was the technology that bridged the commercially available parts for my situation. The three crucial pieces to make it work probably cost a dollar to print, if that. Other than time, the entire project cost $189 for the hanging kit, $0 for the scrap wood, and $50 in resin and glue.

It works great. The cats love it. I love it and if one of the slides ever breaks, I can just press print.

Also, as you can see in the last photo, the way I offset the door from the wall with the baseboard, I was able to add some paintings I made for the space. When the door is closed you see the paintings, when it is open, they just float behind the door.

Oh, random aside, when I decided the height of the bottom shelf, it was based on my Roomba, so it can continue to clean the carpet under the door whether opened or closed.

Design and description by A Company that Makes Everything™ , licensed CC-BY.