First wooden hinges with some questions.

[Bill Huber]

I made my first wooden hinges today and are they nice looking, I love the look. I plan on using them on a project in the near future, a maple box with walnut hinges and walnut dovetail splines.

The hinges are not as hard as I thought they would be to make. I use the Incra HingeCrafter and the Incra Ibox. The instructions that comes with the HingeCrafter are very good and easy to follow and the whole operation is just not that hard.

Now for the questions:

1. How do you hold the hinge pin in, I worry that over time the pin will work itself out?

2. Do you cut the mortise and glue the hinges or do you drill and counter-sink holes and screw them on?

3. Do you install them and then finishing them or do you finish them before installing?

4. Do you finish them together or do you take them apart to do the finishing?

Here are 2 of my test hinges.

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The tools to do it plus the table saw.

The HingeCrafter
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The Ibox

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[Larry Edgerton]

I use wood pins on most, and I put a bit of glue on the pin when it is almost all the way in. I make my pins a little long and trim when set.

If I use brass pins I make them a little shorter than the leaf [1/8-3/16" per end] and slip in a dowel of the same wood on each end so the brass is captured.

I usually leave them just a touch loose and prefinish apart, then finish [spray] as normal being a little light on the spray in that area. I usually do a first coat on the box as well before install so that finish thickness is the same. I finish them apart with water base will not get sticky. Before I slip them together I lightly rub on a little Topcoat just on the moving surfaces, but not so much that it will screw with the top coat.

I normally mortice to just a little less than pin depth and glue them in with no fasteners. Thats good enough because the hinges will break before the glue lets go.


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I make mine a little deeper so that I can cut them into interesting shapes, say a heart for example. Any shape that is not crossing a pin/pin joint is ok. That way they add to the work rather than looking too store bought. Sometimes I make full mortise wood hinges. These are basically L shaped with the pin out in the stub L. I am unable to download right now so no pictures of that, sorry.

Hope I have been of some help. This is only the way I do it and it is not the way I was taught exactly, so you will find what works for you as you play, er, work.

Larry

[Bill Huber]

I use wood pins on most, and I put a bit of glue on the pin when it is almost all the way in. I make my pins a little long and trim when set.

If I use brass pins I make them a little shorter than the leaf [1/8-3/16" per end] and slip in a dowel of the same wood on each end so the brass is captured.

I usually leave them just a touch loose and prefinish apart, then finish [spray] as normal being a little light on the spray in that area. I usually do a first coat on the box as well before install so that finish thickness is the same. I finish them apart with water base will not get sticky. Before I slip them together I lightly rub on a little Topcoat just on the moving surfaces, but not so much that it will screw with the top coat.

I normally mortice to just a little less than pin depth and glue them in with no fasteners. Thats good enough because the hinges will break before the glue lets go.


233575


I make mine a little deeper so that I can cut them into interesting shapes, say a heart for example. Any shape that is not crossing a pin/pin joint is ok. That way they add to the work rather than looking too store bought. Sometimes I make full mortise wood hinges. These are basically L shaped with the pin out in the stub L. I am unable to download right now so no pictures of that, sorry.

Hope I have been of some help. This is only the way I do it and it is not the way I was taught exactly, so you will find what works for you as you play, er, work.

Larry

Thanks a bunch,

Are the wood pins strong enough, I guess they are or you wouldn't use them. It just seems like they would not be very strong and would bind with weather changes.

I like that idea of putting the dowel in the end to cover up the brass, that would look really nice also.

I never thought about the hinge breaking before the glue would let go, I can see now that glue is the best way to go and I think it would look better not to have the screws.

I really do like the look of wood hinges and I think I will be using them a lot on small box projects.

Again, Thanks.!!

[richard poitras]

[QUOTE=Bill Huber;1936808]I

2. Do you cut the mortise and glue the hinges or do you drill and counter-sink holes and screw them on?


.

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I have also heard and seen pictures of people using exposed dowels to mount the hinge's as well for another kind of look out of the same or contrasting woods.

[ray hampton]

the hinge pin do not to be any stronger than the part that it go thru.

[Will Overton]

The hinges are not as hard as I thought they would be...



Thanks for the encouragement. I just got the Ibox and HingeCrafter but haven't tried them yet.

[frank shic]

wood hinges are so cool...

[Bill Huber]

Thanks for the encouragement. I just got the Ibox and HingeCrafter but haven't tried them yet.

I think the hardest part is getting the bull nose bit set just right and making sure the wood planned to the exact thickness. With the Ibox it is really easy to get the fit right and the Hinge Crafter is so easy to use you won't have any problem there.

[Joe Scarfo]

Bill,

I am so thrilled to see you've done this... Please see my message to you.

Every time I see those hinge jigs go on sale I get hungry to buy and try.

Thanks
Joe

[Bill Huber]

Bill,

I am so thrilled to see you've done this... Please see my message to you.

Every time I see those hinge jigs go on sale I get hungry to buy and try.

Thanks
Joe

PM sent...

The Hinge Crafter is a little high prices but when you look at it and see how its made and the way it sets up I can understand the cost better.

[Herb Smith]

Bill-
Where did you buy the hinge pins?

[Bill Huber]

I just get the brass rod at Ace Hardware I am sure the are many places to get brass rod.