Fitting a butt hinge

[Derek Cohen]

I was fitting the butt hinges to the top of the lingerie chest, and thinking “Do I really need all these tools?”.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/1_zpssbrritjx.jpg

Actually, there is one more, a wide chisel.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/1a_zpsqssxi6hl.jpg

Take note of the sacrilege – I hollow grind Japanese bench chisels … but, oh, they get so sharp, and hone so easily, and I have have never chipped an edge in using these over about 15 years or more.

These hinges are square ended Brusso butt hinges. The square barrels create an automatic stop at 95 degrees. They install the same way as other butt hinges, with the exception that the whole barrel must project for the stop mechanism to work.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/2_zpse6ufsq5x.jpg

First step is to lay out the hinge mortice. The square/knife lay out the sides, and the cutting gauges lay out the further side and depth.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/3_zpslrv8h2x8.jpg

Start by chopping kerfs into the mortice. These kerfs will extend about half the depth, and stop about 2-3mm from the further boundary line.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/4_zpstcvzr6fh.jpg

Use the wide chisel to pare away the waste. Stop before the further boundary.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/5_zpsp8gapui0.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/6_zpsyf5pvvmb.jpg

At this stage I use the router plane to level the floor and take it down to the scribed line. Again, do not go clean up to the further boundary line. That is the last task that will be done.

The router plane is pushed like a butt mortice plane. Use the depth stop to pare incrementally …

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/7_zpsocahttti.jpg

Lastly, pare away the boundary line.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/8_zpskdup2itx.jpg

The next stage is to fit the lid and align the mortices. Begin by temporarily screwing in lower set of hinges, and then laying the top over this. The rear of the lid and base must align …

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/9a_zpsfgai6wvf.jpg

Mark the outside edges of the hinge on the base, and then you can mark the hinges and remove the waste as before.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Linergrie%20Chest/The%20Top/10_zpsv9xkndek.jpg

Just use one screw in each hinge leaf until you are happy with the fit. This looks good to me. I’ll finish it off now.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[glenn bradley]

Great show and tell Derek. Thanks. I would recommend this approach to anyone who struggles with their current method of installing butt hinges. I think I picked it up from Garret Hack but, wherever I got it, I have never looked back.

337796

[Stanley Covington]

Beautiful work Derek.

I can't wait to see that puppy filled with beer!

What is the wood you used to make the old woman's tooth? (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?243743-Dutch-chest-English-chest-Wall-cabinet-Shaker-style-bench-Aaaagh%21/page2)A beautiful design.

Stan

[Brian Holcombe]

Nice work Derek!

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks Brian.

Stan, the OWT ... probably more correctly a wooden router plane rather than OWT (which used plough plane blades) ... is made of a casuarina. Possibly Buloke (or Bull-oak). Buloke is known as the hardest wood in the world, having a Janka of over 5000 lbf.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Router%20planes/11_zps9c5dbd33.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek