Hidden Shop Bathroom Door Opens Automatically, Won’t Lock You In

When you go to the bathroom you generally don’t want to be disturbed. So why not simply hide the bathroom’s location itself? YouTuber…

Jeremy Cook
5 years ago

When you go to the bathroom you generally don’t want to be disturbed. So why not simply hide the bathroom’s location itself? YouTuber Another Maker (who has an absolutely amazing array of screens to work on, as shown in the first video) decided to give his shop bathroom the “hidden treatment,” using a section of pegboard to not only conceal the door, but create more space for tools.

In addition to concealing the door, he implemented a magnetic lock which holds it closed when power is applied, but enables it to swing open when no electricity flows. This was purposely done with the intention of not getting stuck in this tiny room, and he even added a manual latch inside, just in case someone decided to trip the breaker for “fun.” The pegboard is mounted to a sliding system that allows it to extend past the door itself, and a spring-loaded device pops the door open when released.

Another Maker is using an M5Stack with an ESP32 to handle the magnetic door relay, and user interface is provided by a Node-RED dashboard, a hidden button, and even with Alexa. As seen in the first video below, the door can play music, as well as flash a generic LED strip under the control of an ESP8266. The second clip focuses mostly on the mechanical challenges of getting the pegboard properly mounted and sliding, and it could be a good discussion for those interested in making a secret room.

Jeremy Cook
Engineer, maker of random contraptions, love learning about tech. Write for various publications, including Hackster!
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