Thread: Elliptical NG Rosewood Keepsake Box - WIP

'Nother late night, but I got the hinge half-fitted.

Bedtime. ZZzzzzzz

Got an early start this morning. Luckily the hinge Gods were smiling. Got the hinge finished.
Alignment is fairly good.

Next it's gluing the lid together. I can try out the brad trick suggested by Hugh, (A Duke). (Last night I forgot I had to do this still.)

I prefer the look of the brass hinge, also if you had got the other hinge going and glued on and then failed things would be difficult to clean up after.

Originally Posted by jow104

I prefer the look of the brass hinge, also if you had got the other hinge going and glued on and then failed things would be difficult to clean up after.

Yeah, I was always worried about that. Even the best-made wooden hinge is no match for a good, solid brass one.

I was thinking about this earlier. For any future wooden hinges, I'd like to find some thin-walled 2.5mm I.D. brass tubing to press/glue into the hole for a 2.5mm pin to run in. That should completely alleviate the inherent problems.

brass tubing, model railway shops usually stock this sort of thing.

You may be able to get acrylic tubing to do that if the brass option doesn't pan out, I've gotten 3/8 tubing in the past to make insulated spacers for a hanging LED sign in a window before. I got it from a plastic factory that just happens to be a client we work for so not sure where you would go to buy it, perhaps the green shed has something.

Hi Hermit....this has been a very informative WIP.
If you go to a good Hobby shop you should be able to get your brass rod and brass tube in a number of matching sizes. If you get to Sydney anytime, go to Vaggs Hobbies in Miranda, they certainly stock a number of sizes of brass rod and brass tubes,
They have a website I believe...

regards

Ruddy

Thanks John and Ruddy for the suggestions. Good thinking. Found Vaggs website. I'm checking it out now. Might need to email them.
Here's a link, for anyone interested: - http://www.vrmhobbies.com/

To my mind, this is the proper way to make small wooden hinges.

Irvs, acrylic tubing would work well, but tends to have thicker walls, (and needs them for strength), so would only be suitable for larger hinges with more meat. I'll certainly keep it in mind, though, in case I can't get suitable brass. (I have a mental picture of what I want, with very thin walls of 0.25mm, so I can drill to 3mm and use a 2.5mm pin.)

Progress: I got the last of the assembly done today. Everything went as it should and lines up well.

A Duke's method of using cut off brads to avoid slippage while gluing/clamping worked like a charm. Thanks again, Hugh.

I don't have any poly left at the moment. Some's on the way, but I have to wait a couple of days, so this one goes back on the shelf for now. I'm starting a third project tonight, to work in with the others and keep me amused.

Edit: I couldn't find suitable tubing at Vaggs, but I found tubing, 3.0mm OD and 2.55mm ID - perfect for a 2.5mm pin, here: - http://www.smallparts.com.au/store/p...erials/wide/1/ and 2.5mm brass rod here: -http://www.smallparts.com.au/store/p...erials/wide/1/ .
(Both are a fair way down the page(s).)

Great result, Steve.

Originally Posted by AlexS

Great result, Steve.

Thanks, Alex. It came together well, in the end. Aside from the poly, there's still at least one other thing to go. I have to put a pair of chains on it to support the lid when it's open.

I'm half considering a flat lining, too, that only covers the bottom and leaves the nice grain on the sides visible. Possibly pigskin.

(My friends will have to wait a little longer. Doesn't matter. They don't know it's coming.)

Noted you asking about leather on another thread. I get mine from NSW Leather. You can get pigskin suede splits in various colours.

Originally Posted by AlexS

Noted you asking about leather on another thread. I get mine from NSW Leather. You can get pigskin suede splits in various colours.

I just checked out their site - spent 30 min and couldn't find pig skin anywhere. They don't appear to do online sales, either. I emailed them for more info.

I used to do a lot of leather carving about 30 years ago, (handbags etc.) and back then I used to buy from Lefflers Leather. (Their name just came back to me.) Their site doesn't have pigskin listed either. At the moment, Mac-Lace, ( http://www.maclace.com.au/product-li..._Lining&page=1 ), still look best for online sales. They sell pigskin lining and pigskin splits.
Meantime, I'm too busy to waste more time on this.

Does anyone know where I can get real felt, not the synthetic garbage that most suppliers stock?
The adhesive-backed acrylic felt melts on contact with contact adhesive and also, if it's used to wrap around cardboard that will be used as a panel lining and glued into place with contact adhesive, the original adhesive backing releases it's grip from the contact adhesive fumes.
I hate spending weeks on a box only to line it with that junk.

I came on board late on reading this thread. Very good read.

Originally Posted by Christos

I came on board late on reading this thread. Very good read.

Thanks Christos.
Not quite finished, but close. The Poly and brass chains will be here tomorrow, hopefully, so I can finish it.