Design question

[Dan Karachio]

Okay, imagine a small sort of end table or bedside table. It is often nice to inset the side panels and drawer, say 1/8" BUT what if you have a set of doors below the drawer and the doors are going to be attached directly by hinges to the legs. How can you possibly "inset" the doors to match? Is there some trick to hinges or something else? Pics would really be appreciated.

[Paul Murphy]

Dan, you'll need hinges with leaves wide enough to accomodate your desired offset. If the screw holes aren't where you need them to be, you can buy undrilled hinges and drill holes where you want them. The more you offset the door, the larger the door swing arc becomes. You can increase the door gap, or taper the trailing edge of the door if you want minimal gap.

Hope the pdf file with drawing helps.

[Dan Karachio]

Thanks Paul, I see exactly what you mean. I was thinking of another approach. I don't have the right lingo here, but instead of a butt hinge, how about some type of "pin" hinge - one at the top and bottom of the door. Knife hinge, is that it?

[Paul Murphy]

Dan have a look at these, there are various sizes that may work for your project.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/hardware/page.aspx?p=62811&cat=3,41241

http://www.brusso.com/Product/instructions/install_pivots.pdf

[Paul Murphy]

Dan, I made some assumptions on the L-37 hinge and drew a picture. I would like to try these someday, so I am also interested in the details. Looking at the drawings, the L-39 may center better in the door if you are using the same 1/8" offset.

http://www.brusso.com/Product/dimensions/L-37.pdf

http://www.brusso.com/Product/dimensions/L-39.pdf

[Dan Hahr]

But I will try to explain...

Instead of attaching the doors to the legs, make a hinge strip to attach the hinges to. It needs to be just wide (or thick) enough so that the barrel of the hinge doesn't touch the leg. I would make it 1/8 to 3/16ths of an inch.

I will attach a photo of what happens when you forget to design that in (it worked but I don't like it). Heck, I guess I can photograph a drawing of what I'm talking about.

Hope this helps. Dan

[Paul Murphy]

Uh-oh, 2 Dan’s! To the original Dan, looks like the L-39 Brusso is perfect for a 1/8” inset. (The geometry is the same as my leaf hinge drawing, or L-37 drawing, but the L-39 strap is centered over the door with the correct geometry.)


I attached an updated drawing, and show the open and closed position. The offset should work nicely, and look very clean with it's mortised installation.