Thread: Simple Wooden Box Hinges

Post a piccie then...

Or at least a close up of the hinges.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Well... I tried making the hinges and they came out like a charm. Pity that some idiot screwed up the box they were being made for.

I've not had any time to do anything lately. Please pm me 1 dozen hinges.

I'll swap you: a pair of hinges for a box...

You could probably use a finger joint cutter like this http://www2.carbatec.com.au/store/in...28_19237_19230 , but the problem that I would see, is with drilling the hinge pin holes. Instead of going through one thickness, you now need to accurately drill the full width of the hinge. Plus, you lose the ability to contrast the segments.

Opportune time to put up again a solution for accurate drilling from one point to another.

Requires a drill press. I also use a corded or cordless drill and a bench grinder, you could make do with alternatives using a bit of thought.

Grab a nail such as a 2" or 3", and a drill bit of the same diameter. Cut the head and some of the shank off the nail, leaving about 30mm or so plus the point.

Chuck the remaining pointed piece of the nail in your corded or cordless drill, and rotate against a grinding wheel to sharpen the already pointed end to a nice centred point.

Next, grab the (matching diameter) drill bit, and chuck it in your drill press. Clamp securely to the table a piece of 18mm MDF or 19mm hardwood or similar (ensure this doesn't move until finished, check the table clamping bolt is done up also).

Turn on the drill, lower quill & drill a hole about 15mm into the MDF false table. Turn off drill press & insert the sharpened nail piece into the hole, point up. Lower quill of drill and limit drilling depth so the drill doesn't hit the sharpened nail.

Grab workpiece, and mark with an awl or similar both ends of the hole.

Turn on the drill press, locate the workpiece so that one of the dimples is on the sharpened nail, line up the drill bit with the upper dimple and carefully drill into the workpiece down to the depth stop.

Turn off drill, invert workpiece and fit newly drilled hole over the nail. Drilll the rest of the hole.

Done correctly, the holes will line up accurately.

Hope this helps someone.


Cheers.................Sean

Originally Posted by scooter

Opportune time to put up again a solution for accurate drilling from one point to another.
Done correctly, the holes will line up accurately.
Hope this helps someone.
Cheers.................Sean

It will help me - if I remember it next time I need it Thanks Sean!

A greenie weenie to you Scooter for that thought provoking rendition of a centering jig. How did you get my son's picture for the Avitar?

I haven't made many wooden hinges
BUT when i did it was my Triton finger joint making tool thingy jig that I used each time
and a "sanding method" (You should never be without one!!)

...about the jig though just about anything that allows you to index a cut will do the trick and there are lots of techniques around for doing finger joints using just that.

Amazing, such a briliant post yet no nominations for the Best of the Best!

KRH, Fantastic work, thanks for taking the time to document the process.
Oh, and I have put this post in the Best of the Best!

Originally Posted by Wood Butcher

Amazing, such a briliant post yet no nominations for the Best of the Best!

KRH, Fantastic work, thanks for taking the time to document the process.
Oh, and I have put this post in the Best of the Best!

Many thanks. Truely an honour from such a fine group.

I have been thinking about the next version of "simple wooden hinges" which I think you will all be very interested in.
But ….. I won't reveal the method until I have "proved" it. If it works out (and I am sure it will), then I will do up another instruction sheet. These will be even easier to make, and give the ability to make much finer hinges.

Nothing like a little suspense, heh!

Thanks again to all for your kind comments.

Great........ had been looking for directions to make wooden hinges.
Only I had looked for doing them on the scroll saw... making them by cutting a fingerjoint pattern through the wood... but that wouldn't give me the very nice looking pattern you hinges have.

Thanks for sharing
Juvy

Originally Posted by keju

Great........ had been looking for directions to make wooden hinges.
Only I had looked for doing them on the scroll saw... making them by cutting a fingerjoint pattern through the wood... but that wouldn't give me the very nice looking pattern you hinges have.

Thanks for sharing
Juvy

I faced the same dilema. How to manuafacture wooden hinges given the accuracy needed with the many existing methods. The process I developed seems to solve the problem. But I am working on an even simpler system. So watch this space.

Regards

you bet..... will keep my eyes glued to this space :eek:
Juvy

Sean - thanks for the tip.

KRH - Excellent post & lovely box. Maybe its obvious because nobody has asked. What I cant figure out is how the hinges are attached to the box (screws and glue ?).