Hinge Advise?

[John Hays]

I'm no hinge expert, so maybe someone here can help me out on this.

I'm using plans from ShopNotes to build my tool cabinets which require a specific hinge to use. Unfortunately, I'll need about 44 of them and they're a little out of my price range. Here's the hinge in question:
http://www.wwhardware.com/xxi-surface-mount-concealed-hinge-laxx1/

The same vendor offers a similar hinge for a few dollars less, but I'm not 100% sure they would be a good substitute. Here's my alternative:
http://www.wwhardware.com/wood-technology-easy-on-concealed-hinge-wt2420/

Now, other than a slightly different size, the cheaper hinge only opens to 90 degrees. But, I'm perfectly happy with that. What concerns me is will this cheaper hinge operate just like the more expensive one or is it just a crappy knock-off? I seem to recall reading reviews about clones of these type of hinges bitting into the carcass when opening and closing.

So what do y'all think? Should I risk the cheaper ones or spend the rest of my budget on the expensive ones?

[glenn bradley]

I think that for shop cabinets that are intended to go the distance, hardware is no place to go cheap. That being said, you could modify the plans to use a less expensive but very serviceable hinge. I recall the plan (sort of) and believe the hinge requirement allows for clearance. There are other ways to deal with that; modify the pullouts, modify the doors, etc.

[Jeff Duncan]

If you have a drill press I'd move on to European hinges....much cheaper, offer adjustability, and are pretty easy to install with a template you can make yourself. The only time I use a hinge that's not a Euro is on furniture style pieces where I mortise hinges in.

good luck,
jeffD

[Rich Engelhardt]

What concerns me is will this cheaper hinge operate just like the more expensive one or is it just a crappy knock-off
The cheaper one is made by Danco. (Wood Technology)
I believe Danco still makes them in Italy.
Not altogether a "bad" hinge...

I'd go with the cheaper one, but, that's just me.

[Peter Quinn]

Looks like either would meet the application demands. I'd buy a pair, hang a mock up door before you invest in the whole set. Easier to eat one pair than send back 44. Will the $2 hinge operate just like the other? Best way to tell is buy a pair of each and mock up to doors. You can use them in the actual cabinets when the time comes, and you will have real first hand knowledge of the differences with a minimal investment. Best $14 you can spend IME.

[Mike Null]

I don't like 90 degree opening hinges, especially for tool cabinets.

[Kenneth Speed]

Jeff Duncan suggested that you use a regular European hinge and I second that as long as you have a door which is thick enough to accept the hinge cup drilling.

I may be wrong but it appears that you have an ordinary overlay door application, if that is the case there are a variety of hinges available at a wide range of prices.


Best of luck on your new cabinets,


Ken

[Bill ThompsonNM]

After using 12 pair of hinges of that type (both of your selections) in a set of bathroom cabinets I vowed to never use them again. They are a PITB to get good alignment of the doors. I use either European style or Butt hinges for the most part now. Either one is much less trouble and both develop skills you might want to use in the future.

[Jeff Duncan]

I was trying to remember where I had used those before when I posted yesterday. It hit me last night on the way home! I did a job, actually my first job that got me started in this business, where I used a very similar type hinge for a corner cabinet. I don't know the brand name, but I got it from Rockler about 11 years ago. Anyway the reason I remembered using it was b/c I had to replace them a couple years later. They started to wear out and got sloppy....I remember when I went to look at them there was actually metallic dust at the bottom of the cabinet right under them. Maybe they were a cheaper hinge? I really don't know. I do know that was the last time I used one and never looked back.

The other advantage of the Euro hinges is that are very quick and easy to replace if one ever does fail. In fact with the newer ones if you can bore the holes accurately enough, you don't even need screws. They just clip into place! Which is amazingly helpful when you want to fit doors to a cabinet, then pull them back off for finishing;)

good luck,
jeffD

[Peter Kelly]

Ferrari 125º opening full-overlay euro hinges are just over $1 each for both the arm and base plate at CSH
http://www.cshardware.com/full-overlay-ferrari/fr-e90012a.asp
http://www.cshardware.com/mounting-plates-ferrari-frameless/fr-eb1002mg00.asp
(http://www.cshardware.com/mounting-plates-ferrari-frameless/fr-eb1002mg00.asp)

Many jigs out there for drilling euro hinges without a drill press or a hinge machine.

[John Hays]

Wow... those are some really good suggestions, but the frame work for this project is kind of odd and I'm not sure a euro hinge would work or would be somewhat difficult to install. Here's a pic of the framework from the magazine:

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/304/frameworka.jpg

And here's a link of their project:
http://www.shopnotes.com/issues/097/extras/before-and-after-shop-upgrade/

And there's also a video overview of it here:
http://www.shopnotes.com/issues/97/videos/before-and-after-shop-upgrade/

I'm certainly open to trying a different hinge, since I'm modifying widths, depths and heights of the cabinets anyway. But, the framework style will definitely stay to the magazine's spec. So basically, if there's another hinge out there that would work for this style, is cheap and easy to install, then I would be as happy as a tornado in a trailer park.

Truth be told, I'm not much of a furniture maker, which is why this style struck me as something I could tackle with minimal skill and effort and would be plenty strong to hold up over the years. :D

[Jay Jolliffe]

You get what you pay for. I agree don't go cheep on the hinges you may regret it.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

As long as the doors are thick enough for a euro hinge the should work ok for that application. If you want easy cabinets for a novice, though, I would suggest you look at "practical shop cabinets" by Tom Clark. He has a website (google the book title and author) and is a member of this and other woodworking forums. He recently posted a picture of his dozens of cabinets here after moving them from Florida to New Mexico.