Thread: Origami Lightning boxes

Originally Posted by Pauls321

Hi WoodPixel,

Not sure how your comment ended up in this thread but, I use those hinges all the time on my larger boxes. I find them great value for the $20. That link says they are 9mm, not sure if he has newer ones, but they were always 8mm. You just need to allow for the fingers to pivot at the back of your box. I ordered 20 not so long ago and he sent me 19 saying thats all he had left, I note that link says they are out of stock.

Paul

So that's who bought out the last of 'em -
I just tried to get some more last week and he has none and can't get any this year at least . . . but a couple of days later he let me know he has ordered an alternative that looks promising. They are rolled rather then machined which is a concern but will look better with a rounded elbow (knee? ) . They are not limited to 90 degrees but are stiff to hold position at any angle apparently - we will see when he gets them in in September. Preview here . . . 11.MP4 - Google Drive

I've often thought of making my own hinges.

Take these in the video for example. If they are brass, or such, they don't look so good at the knuckle. BUT, drill out the pin completely, put in a brass rod, peen it closed/filled and file/sand flush and one would get quite a decent hinge.

I've been watching and talking with a plane maker of extraordinary skill Karl Holtey and he was showing me the peening of the brass sides onto stainless steel bases.

Obviously I don't have a machine shop, but I can acquire some basic hand tools to do the job. I was doing this with my regular butt/leaf hinges, of which Ive thousands (they are all excellent quality)..... a few jigs, a few basic tools (files, sandpaper, polishing, etc) and perhaps they can be souped up?

Or even made from bar stock!!!!!

NNNNiiiiicccceeee....

Hey there Tree Terrorist and WoodPixel, yes, appears the 19 I got were the last of them. I just looked at that link that WoodPixel put up again and these are obviously a newer type. The ones on that link at 2mm thick, which I didn't notice before. His older type (which I had been buying) were 3mm thick and 8mm wide. I think they were about 5mm shorter than the expensive versions, but solid brass and to me didnt look any different, worked fine. Cept for the bit of extra work in allowing for the fingers to pivot at the back.

Will be interesting to see what these new ones are like whenever they arrive.

Paul

Bit of an update . . . McJing have the new version in stock now so I've ordered a couple to try out but I really don't see how a friction arrangement is going to stay stiff enough to hold the lid up if the box gets used regularly Next problem is the 9mm width - no router bit in my collection that width so there's either another purchase coming up or a 2 pass cut

They said they would let me know when they got them in but that didn't happen and I'm thinking maybe somebody else has already tried them . . . anybody?????

Yes the 9mm is a bit of an odd width, doesn't even convert over from an imperial measurement. Be interesting when you get yours Vern to see if they are actually 9mm or maybe 3/8" which is 9.52mm

Hey Dallas and WoodPixel, I also purchased 5 of the new hinges just to see what they were like. They are exactly 9mm wide. I bought a 9mm straight bit from Sydney Tools, which we now have up at Coffs Harbour. When I start my next large box I will make the timber 13mm thick, to still give me 2mm on each side of the hinge. I havent started that box yet, still finishing off 3 other large boxes, nearly done. The new hinges look good, nice round knuckle, so I am keen to see how good they work. Talking to the owner of McJing on the phone, he had only got these in a few days before I phoned, he reckons they are better than the other ones, but I guess he had to say that. I still have 8 now left of my 19, so getting down.

Paul

Hey Paul, you started off with 19 and now have 8, what happened to the odd one?

Its a shame we cant find an economical (read: cheap!) strap hinge that looks great... without costing a bomb.

I'd love a few pics of the McJings.


Ive often thought of drawing up a spec and sending it to one of my favourite Chinese makers, but Im a bit saddened why they dont just do this themselves. No demand Id suppose.

Originally Posted by Pauls321

............ They are exactly 9mm wide. I bought a 9mm straight bit from Sydney Tools, which we now have up at Coffs Harbour. When I start my next large box I will make the timber 13mm thick, to still give me 2mm on each side of the hinge..........................
Paul

That's also an issue for me as I prefer thin walls and generally aim for 10mm - looks like some fat boxes coming up!

Originally Posted by woodPixel

Its a shame we cant find an economical (read: cheap!) strap hinge that looks great... without costing a bomb.

I'd love a few pics of the McJings.

Ive often thought of drawing up a spec and sending it to one of my favourite Chinese makers, but Im a bit saddened why they dont just do this themselves. No demand Id suppose.

I've thought about doing the same thing but wouldn't have a clue where to start! With so many on the forum looking for fair quality/value hinges, I reckon a minimum order of say a 1000 would disappear fairly quickly. Need some entrepreneurial type to step up to the line

Hey Dallas, I meant I had 19 pairs of the original McJing hinges,(I probably still had a few pairs in stock when I ordered those 19). now down to 8 pairs left. But with my next large box which I might start soon, I will certainly try out this new hinge, it does look interesting and well made and solid brass. I still have a few of the Andrew C hinges, will use them one day.

For my box sides all my large boxes I have been making them 12mm thick, looks like they might now become 13mm thick (for the new type hinge). My large box is always the same 315mm x 185mm. I actually finished 3 today I have been working on, I'll put the pics up later in the week, when I take some. For smaller boxes I always make them 10mm sides.

Paul

Originally Posted by woodPixel

Its a shame we cant find an economical (read: cheap!) strap hinge that looks great... without costing a bomb.

Yeah, for some reason manufacturers don't seem too keen on making decent box hinges. Although I guess it's not that easy to make high quality ones quickly and cheaply.

After McJing ran out of those $20 brass hinges I ended up looking all over for a replacement. I think I found the manufacturer in Taiwan but they won't reply to my enquiries - Side Rail Metal Quadrant Hinge PR Pair - FORTUNE EXTENDABLES CORP..

Then I found what I think is the same hinge at Woodcraft in the US and I bought a few to have a look and they do seem identical to McJing's old ones - HIGHPOINT - Side Rail Hinge Solid Brass Pair.

I also noticed that they're branded under the Highpoint name at Woodcraft and I know that Timberbits carries some Highpoint hardware so I contacted them about this hinge but they said unfortunately they can't stock this.

I really wish it wasn't so difficult to get this particular hinge in Australia.

TTIT, would you mind sending some pictures of the hinges on your box?

They look much nicer than the ones in the photos on McJings site


(Im trying to focus only on your box here!)

Originally Posted by talors

Y..................Then I found what I think is the same hinge at Woodcraft in the US and I bought a few to have a look and they do seem identical to McJing's old ones - HIGHPOINT - Side Rail Hinge Solid Brass Pair.

I also noticed that they're branded under the Highpoint name at Woodcraft and I know that Timberbits carries some Highpoint hardware so I contacted them about this hinge but they said unfortunately they can't stock this.

I really wish it wasn't so difficult to get this particular hinge in Australia.

I ordered some of those for a look through Amazon about 2 months ago . . . and I'm still waiting! If they ever actually get here I'll let you all know

Originally Posted by woodPixel

TTIT, would you mind sending some pictures of the hinges on your box?

They look much nicer than the ones in the photos on McJings site


(Im trying to focus only on your box here!)

Best I could do on short notice was to zoom in on one of the original pics. The screw heads could be a bit bigger except I limited myself for length with the lid height.