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Start with any wood picture frame. Unfinished frames are inexpensive and available at most arts and crafts stores.

Please note that this shelf is not a secure gun safe. Do not store loaded firearms. This shelf was only designed to hide a gun. If someone knows where it is. They will be able to get it. Keeping this in mind do not use this type of storage without a trigger lock in place or when children could gain access. Having said that this shelf does make a great easy access place for an adult to hide a home protection weapon or in this case a neat hiding place for my sons air soft pistol.

Click above for DIY How to video on building this Picture frame Gun Safe. 

Close up of hinge assemble cross member and easy access pistol mounting bracket.

We did add a couple screws through the front of the frame and into each side piece of wood. This added additional strength to the wood supporting the hinge assembly.

Cut 4 pieces of pine to frame the inside. These pieces must be thick enough so that whatever item you will be hiding fits behind the frame. We used 5/8 pine for this sample.

The two side pieces each has to have a 1/4 inch hole drilled part way through from the inside. The hinge shaft will be sandwiched between these to sides.

Angle iron is cut to length and has two 1/4 inch holes dripped through. One on each end. Length depends on the size picture frame you are using, but basically the assembly has to fit behind the frame.

The top cross member is made from 1x2 pine. It has a 1/4 inch hole drilled into each end and I cut out a U shape on each side so I could put a lock nut on each mounting screw.

We are going to make a double pivoting hinge using aluminum angle iron and 1/4 in shafting All available at Home Depot.

Because of the double pivoting hinge design this frame can also fold downward. Used in this manor items could be secured to the back of the frame.

The wood is glued and clamped into position.

Screw holes in the front of the frame were filled with caulk and sanded smooth before painting.

DIY Easy Crafts

Picture Frame Hidden

Gun Safe

Cut of each corner of the angle iron so the angle iron does not bind during opening.