Shop Made Pull Down Shelves or Cabinet

[R12C]

I've been scouring Google trying to find any information on making pull down shelves or pull down cabinet.  I haven't had any luck.  Commercially available shelves are quite expensive and I'm hoping someone can provide a link that has information on how to design, make and install them.  Or a link where pull down hardware is for sale, which I hope is reasonably priced.  Thanks

[DaveR1]

I've been scouring Google trying to find any information on making pull down shelves or pull down cabinet.  I haven't had any luck.  Commercially available shelves are quite expensive and I'm hoping someone can provide a link that has information on how to design, make and install them.  Or a link where pull down hardware is for sale, which I hope is reasonably priced.  Thanks

Are you referring to something like this? It might be that you could find something less expensive from China on Aliexpress or you could engineer your own. It would take a bit of calculation and probably some experimentation to figure out which springs to use to support the weight correctly.

[R12C]

Are you referring to something like this? It might be that you could find something less expensive from China on Aliexpress or you could engineer your own. It would take a bit of calculation and probably some experimentation to figure out which springs to use to support the weight correctly.

Yes, exactly like that.  I haven't found anything less expensive and I'm planning on trial and error to make my own but was hoping someone has already been there and done that.  I'm pretty sure the springs are used to assist with lifting the shelf when it needs put back into the cabinet.  I've seen ones with springs and ones with pneumatic pistons.  I guess no one has ever tackled a DIY project like this.  My best friend has a machine shop and I'll ask for his help.  I'm guessing this project will end up being a motorized contraption that lowers the shelves to waist level at the push of a button.  

[DaveR1]

Yes, exactly like that.  I haven't found anything less expensive and I'm planning on trial and error to make my own but was hoping someone has already been there and done that.  I'm pretty sure the springs are used to assist with lifting the shelf when it needs put back into the cabinet.  I've seen ones with springs and ones with pneumatic pistons.  I guess no one has ever tackled a DIY project like this.  My best friend has a machine shop and I'll ask for his help.  I'm guessing this project will end up being a motorized contraption that lowers the shelves to waist level at the push of a button.  

The springs would assist in raising the shelves up and prevent them from dropping too fast when being pulled down. A motorized system will be cool. How much weight will be on these shelves? You'll likely need some sort of gearbox, travel limit switches, and you may want some way to cut power to the motor if the system jams--current limited maybe--so the thing can crush something or someone underneath it.