Using pistons (or something) to lift mattress

[Jared Drake]

What kind of pistons could a person buy to make a twin or full size bed platform tilt so that a person could store clothes, etc underneath? (Piston is the best word I could come up with.) You know, so a person didn't have to have dressers or closets in a cabin.
Jared

[alcowboy]

Ya know Jared, we had a fifth-wheel camper at one time and the bed was set on a frame that had hydraulic lifters on it so that you could lift the foot of the bed and reveal the floor underneath. I am sure you could find such products at a Motorcoach dealer.

[MountainDon]

Is the bed accessible from both sides or only one? I ask because our plan is for drawers under the bed from one side and the foot of the bed. It won't allow storage under the entire queen size mattress but to my mind it beats lifting or tilting the bed. With the underside enclosed fully there won't be the need to dust under it either.

[JRR]

These folks sell hardware kits that include the cylinders.  Be sure to view the video.
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http://www.wallbed.com/
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Be sure to view the 3-minute video by "create-a-bed", not just the "extreme home make-over segment".  ... the one that actually shows some hardware details.

[Jared Drake]

Is the bed accessible from both sides or only one? I ask because our plan is for drawers under the bed from one side and the foot of the bed. It won't allow storage under the entire queen size mattress but to my mind it beats lifting or tilting the bed. With the underside enclosed fully there won't be the need to dust under it either.

Don, the bed would be accesible only from one side. The idea of drawers is still in my mind, but with the tilting bed, I can make the room just a bit narrower, whereas the ceiling will be the same height regardless of whether I use drawers or pistons. So, in my mind lifting the bed up is more appealing than pulling drawers out and having to allow an extra two feet or so for drawer space plus person space. I hope that made sense. It's late.
Jared

[cordwood]

 A set of hood hinges with springs from a mid 50's car should give you enough lift assist to make any size bed tilt in any direction you wanted.

[Jared Drake]

Hood hinges? Seriously? That's just crazy enough I'd like to try it. It also sounds cheap. And I like cheap ideas.
Jared

[cordwood]

 The hood on my old 59 ford pick-up seemed like it weighed a ton and if I remember right the face of the hinges were at a 45 (make that a 90 )when at rest so they should be easy to bolt to a frame and bed rails. They weren't strong enough to really "LIFT" the hood but they held it up pretty good, But if it came down while you were under it you got smashed hard!

[Jens]

re-enforce the plywood under the mattress with steel where the hinges bolt on, or it would be liable to rip the bolts straight out. 

[MountainDon]

Use the truck hood as the base for the bed... 

[Jared Drake]

And what about the hood ornament? 
Jared

[Kiwi55]

A Linear actuator may be what you are looking for...Paul

[Jared Drake]

Good idea with the linear actuator, but I don't want anything powered. It just now occurred to me that what I'm thinking of is something like what's on the rear glass of an S-10 Blazer. Mom and dad had a 1985 Blazer when I was a kid and those arm lifter thingies is what I'm thinking of. The wall bed kit has those arms in it and those are perfect, but they're also something like 300 dollars for the kit. Anyway, I'm calling on some land today, so wish me luck.
Jared