Bench seat question

[Bob Cooper]

I'm posting this from an iPhone so I'll be brief.

I'm going to be putting the top on a bench seat. The seat will fit between two fixed pieces on either side and a fixed back piece. I'm worried about how to install a hinge -- I'm thinking a piano hinge -- such that all is centered when it's closed. It's hard for me to see how to do this since I have to install the hinge when the lid is up.

Do you attach the hinge to the stationary part first and does the hinge holes have any allowance for left/right movement until you get a couple scews in it?

Hopefully u can visualize what I'm getting at.

[Lee Schierer]

When I built the two deacon benches with a similar seat design to what you describe, I used a piano hinge so the seat could be lifted. 297007Before attaching the hinge, I marked the location of the bottom of the hinge on the back frame member on each end (Painters tape works well for this). I attached the hinge to the lid (seat ) first. Then I attached the hinge to the bench. The holes in a piano hinge do not allow any side to side or up and down movement. I made up two thin pieces of wood that would fit in the gap on the sides of the lid to center the seat. I attached them to the frame with some very thin double sided tape film. They were pretty tight so the seat didn't move. Then I drill pilot holes for about 3 or four screws, one on each end and a couple in the center. Put in the screws tight and checked the fit of the seat. Once I was satisfied with the fit, I put in the rest of the screws in the seat back piece. I made the barrel of the hinge flush when the seat was down and both leaves are hidden in the joint. You can only see the barrel of the hinge when the seat is down.

[Jerry Miner]

Some piano hinges are now made with some of the holes slotted (Rockler is one source)-- but Lee's method above is a good one.

[Bob Cooper]

Lee

So u attached the hinge to the seat first. After that you put some spacers on both sides of the seat with it closed. At this point did you mark the ends of the hinge on the back, open it up, align it to this marks and then put in the first couple screws?

[Lee Schierer]

Lee

So u attached the hinge to the seat first. After that you put some spacers on both sides of the seat with it closed. At this point did you mark the ends of the hinge on the back, open it up, align it to this marks and then put in the first couple screws?

My shims were made so I could lift the lid enough to mark the hinge location and couple of holes. The double sided tape will hold the shims in place as you raise the lid so you can see the hinge. Once you have a screw in on each end, the lid can be lifted so you can put in the rest of the screws.