Thread: Wooden hinges

Looks good Rex. The second link doesnt work for me.

Hi Rex,

Very nice box, looks great. Did you have any problem keeping the lid at that angle.? I've made a few of those type hinges on boxes. Had a tool made specifically to centre the dowel. Some timbers seem to make better dowels than others.

Nice box,

Paul

Lovely box. 2nd link doesn't work for me either.

Sorry about that link guys. I'm much happier with a chisel than a computer. It should work now.

Paul, the lid angle is dependent on where the hinge pin is in relation to the back of the box. Further forward and it opens less. I'm sure this could be calculated or you could do a scale drawing but I just routed a couple of pieces of scrap then laid a piece of dowel in place and manipulated the pieces by hand to check how far they moved before the edges restrict movement. It only took a couple of tries to get it where I wanted it. Of course if you want to trim the hinge flush, as I have done on this box, the hinge pin has to be forward a bit anyway. I have made some where I left the hinge in it's round shape and I think they look just as good, maybe better in some cases.


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Rex

Nice boxes there Rex. It was about a year ago I made a few of those boxes. As I recall it was a bit of trial and error as to how far you had to come in from the back of the box. I sanded all mine off flush. One I recall I made from Hornbeam timber and it looked brilliant. Couldn't hardly see the hinge from the outside. Then I made 3 more boxes from Australian Red Cedar, but being a much more softer timber I put a gold chain to ensure it wasn't pushed back too hard by a heavy handed person.

The Hornbeam is a much harder timber (and very true grained).

Paul

The tablesaw method of dowel making is a good one. So too is the chucked dowel method of centre drilling on the drill press.

Definitely will give both of these a crack.

With the bull nose router cutter, perhaps you mean a round nose router cutter? Which bit do you use? (I've never had any luck with getting a good profile)

Love your work Rex. I'm itching to make some of those hinges but i just don't have the capable machinery to achieve it.

Thanks Gents,

woodPixel, I've always thought these cutters were called bull nosed but I see that "ball nosed" is used so that's probably where I got that idea from and it does make more sense. They are also called round nosed and this is the cutter I used: https://www.bunnings.co.nz/evacut-co...-5mm_p00171375 Mine has a good profile - if you sit a 9.5 mm drill in the channel it fits perfectly.

double.d, I wonder if you actually need much machinery. I have a router mounted in a table and a drill press, which most people will have I suppose. For the centre drilling I think you could get around the need for a spare chuck by just epoxying a drill into a wooden block and clamping that to the drill press table. You don't need deep holes for the pins, 5 mm or so should be adequate. A router is mighty handy for cutting the channels though - if you don't have one maybe you know someone who does. I've just looked at your dart box and that looks like the work of a man who can make anything he puts his mind to - lovely work.

These hinges were made a couple of centuries ago with, I assume, hand tools. At a guess I'd say the channels would have been cut with a moulding plane while the dowels might have been made by driving wooden shafts through a drilled plate, a method which is still widely used. Look at this little box: Snuff Box | Collectors Weekly In this part of Scotland they were making hundreds of these exquisite things pre electricity. We do love our fancy modern tools these days, but as woodPixel pointed out to me recently "you can do a great deal with the very most humble tools".

Rex

Thanks for the kindness Rex! I fear, should you know me, that I'm absolutely the very worst hoarder and buyer of tools, accessories, duplicates and spare you've ever met.

I have been fascinated by the wooden hinge for ages. I gave a few a go, but struggled. Some things, very complex ones, come easily... Yet other thing elude me completely.

The Laurnecekirk Hinge is discussed a bit here: https://familywoodworking.org/forums...by-James-Sandy

i have a few box core bits but struggled with the dowelling. Now I've seen that Tablesaw method for making them it will will push me further. I've been meaning to make these as huge 19mm hinges for blanket chests for ages. I've many designs and quite a few clients have said "yes please!" But I've had to fall back on the usual brass hinge. Disappointing.

i might give this a go in a few days... 19mm hinge with 10mm centre pins of wood dowels... A dowel within a dowel! Wifeypoo wants a new blanket chest and who better to experiment on!!!

Very nicely done - I learned something today.

Went trotting off to Rob Cosman's site to find out more about these hinges.....thanks also for the link to that dowel making jig. I was about to buy a dowel-making plate (e.g. Veritas), but will give this method a go first.

Cheers

Thanks Rex, i was under the impression that it was one long pin that went through the whole hinge so your explanation seems more doable now.

I don't know whether it was intentional or not but in the video on the dowel making, the slot for the saw appeared to be slightly offset from the centre. Is this the case or doesn't it matter re saw blade placement?
Thanks for any feedback and the info you supplied.

Lappa,

I don't think it will make any difference. Mine is right in the centre so I think the one in the video is just a little inaccurate. I didn't stick rigidly to the dimensions given but made it to clamp against my saw fence and leave enough clearance for my drill to drive the shaft. To operate the the thing i gave it a quick spin to round the end then took the shaft out and put a small taper on the end to help the shaft align with the dowel hole. If it won't start, edge the blade up a bit and try again. There's a bit of dicking around to set the blade at exactly the right height but once that's done I've found that a slow entry speed equals a smooth finish. Rotation speed doesn't seem to be critical. I hope it works for you.

Rex