35mm hinges

[Patrick Melchior]

Hello All,

I am just about to put some hinges on the door (60"x24") of my daughters dresser/storage box she designed. It is a framed raised panel MDF/poplar. It is heavy, so I am going to put 4 hinges on it. the bit I bought, 35mm seems to bore a nice hole, but the hinge has a little bit of slop. I was under the impression that the hinge should be a 'press' fit, snug.


regards

[Brice Burrell]

Patrick, all brands fit a little differently, there's no need for a snug fit, the mounting screws hold the hinges in place.

[Robert Chapman]

Brice is right. Once you locate the 35mm hole correctly and get the depth right everything else should be fine. The other advantage of many of these "European" hinges is that they are adjustable - usually on three different planes.

[Lee Schierer]

I use a 1-3/8 forstner bit for my hinge holes. It is a couple of thousandths smaller than the 35 mm bits so the hinges tend to fit a bit tighter. Your finish build up may also improve the fit of your hinges in the holes.

[Karl Brogger]

I use a 1-3/8 forstner bit for my hinge holes. It is a couple of thousandths smaller than the 35 mm bits so the hinges tend to fit a bit tighter. Your finish build up may also improve the fit of your hinges in the holes.

If you ever use Inserta hinges, your bit probably won't work. They're tight to get in as is.

[Dick Bringhurst]

I also use a 1 3/8 forstner bit. A point of caution, I grind the center point off because if you stile is not 3/4 inch thick the point may go all the way through. Also watch your edge treatment, it may cause problems. Dick B.

[Patrick Melchior]

thanks guys......

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

If you ever use Inserta hinges, your bit probably won't work. They're tight to get in as is.

If you jiggle around the two "grippers", they should get looser. I use a Freud 1-3/8" carbide forstner bit to drill for Insertas, and they go in fairly easily.

Also, proper depth is 1/2", so unless you have a 1/4" point on your bit, you shouldn't have to worry. Unless your drilling much deeper than you need to.

[Peter Quinn]

My first two thoughts are did you drill the holes with a drill press, and if so does the press have a lot of run out? I have seen an 1 3/8" bit make a 1 1/2" hole with a sloppy drill press. We have one at work that used to be used as a sander, now its like a wobble press. I've seent the holes get a bit larger when drilled by hand too.

I agree, the holes would have to get pretty sloppy to become a problem. A little room should be no problem, and a piece of blue tape can solve that problem too.

Karl, 35MM=1.377". If blum can make hinges that are consistently within .001" gap per edge, they should be making aircraft parts, not hinges. I don't think many boring machines except a bridgeport actually hold tolerances like that in any event.