Piano Hinges and Plywood

[Tom Winship]

I am building a project for our church and it requires a top that will "accordian" to expose sound control equipment.
Does anyone have any comments on screwing piano hinges onto plywood? This will be 3/4" plywood and each piece will be about 10" wide x 60 inches long.
I am worried about the screws not holding in the plywood end grain.

[Joe Adams]

You are right to be concerned.

I would add a hardwood breadboard end using biscuits, dominos, pocket screws, etc. to give better holding power to the screws in the edge.

Good luck!

Joe

[Tom Winship]

That is what I thought, Joe. Thanks for the quick answer.

[Jamie Buxton]

There's a tip when you're installing piano hinge. The hinge comes with #4 flathead screws. The top of the screw -- the conical part -- is taller than the hinge leaf. If you just drill a pilot hole and run the screw into it, the head is going to hit wood before it snugs down on to metal. You can force the issue by screwing harder, and using the head of the screw to compress the wood. But if you don't do that just right, you're in danger of stripping out the slot for the screwdriver. A better approach is to countersink the hole in the wood. I leave the hinge in place and put the countersink in the hinge hole until it hits metal.

[Brent Smith]

Another option would be wrap around piano hinges. Rockler sells them for 3/4" ply.

[Tom Winship]

I just got a new Rockler catalog Friday and noticed those last nite. Good idea!

[glenn bradley]

I just got a new Rockler catalog Friday and noticed those last nite. Good idea!

Or (if only one fold) avoid the piano hinge altogether: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1168&filter=bi%20fold

[Jamie Hunt]

And make sure the Piano Hinge (http://www.anzor.com.au/stainless-steel-hinge/stainless-steel-piano-hinge-continuous-hinge/product) is drilled - especially if Stainless, drilling out stainless piano hinge is a right pain!