Thread: Concealed Barrel hinge alignment

You can use the centre points that are used for transferring dowel holes to their mating surface if they suit the diameter of your hinge.
Dowel points.JPG

A bit more discussion here too and a video on it.
Hope some of this helps.

Thanks Tc. I've never seen those dowel markers but they are similar to what I was thinking of making. The video was also helpful because I hadn't considered the necessity to offset for 180° opening.

If you've made the box by separating the top & bottom, you can position the hinges using a marking gauge. First, mark half the thickness in two places on the back of the top & bottom, near where you want to put the hinges. Only mark short lines, as you want them to go when you drill for the hinges. Then, set your marking gauge to the distance you want the hinges to be from each end of the box. Use the pin of the marking gauge to impress a mark on the line you've previously marked. This is where you drill.

This method only works if the top & bottom of the box are the same length. Usually, they are.

When fitting the hinge, be sure that both hinges are inserted to the same depth on both sides, and when you insert the first barrel of each hinge, the other barrel must swing exactly perpendicular to the back.

Thanks Alex, that makes perfect sense as the lid has been separated from the base as you say.

I have only done it once by using scrap wood the same thickness as the box sides and adjusting the drill fence until the hole was centralised. After clamping a stop block to the fence I then clamped the lid to the base and drilled the first hole in the base then slid the scrap in between the fence and base and drilled the lid, relocated the stop block and did the same at the other end.

these come in 8mm size. Drill a hole through the back of the box deep enough to take in the bottom and top of the box. MAke an attach with wood glue a top of your choosing. Make the box as a whole and then separate by bandsaw or router bit. The top will be perfectly aligned as the hinge sits in the bottom and top of the box. Checl out the gifkins site for info on how to fit heses hinges. You'll love them.