Automated Nightstand

This was an attempt to declutter our bedroom. I had grown weary of the clutter next to the bed and decided to make a nightstand that matched the ALF Group bedroom set we purchased from Italy. In this hybrid project, I combined woodworking, mechanics and electronics to create a nightstand that hid away our clock, X10 light control and any other clutter that potentially could pile up.

Microswitches inside the front panel of the nightstand control the raising and lowering of the hidden compartment. A relay is used to electronically lock into the raise and lower modes even after the microswitches are released. The top is mounted in a break-away fashion for safety (we don't want anyone to lose a finger). The linear actuator installed in the rear of the nightstand raises the top with its overrated 500 lbs capacity. The linear actuator uses internal microswitches to control the start and stop positions of the top.

Here are some videos of the nightstand during construction and the finished product.