Hinge question

[Matt P]

I am making jewelry boxes and have been using the mini barrel hinges, which work ok, but if you don't get the holes lined up exactly the box sides don't match up perfectly. Also, I kind of dread the thought of mortising for quadrant and butt hinges.

Question: Can I buy butt hinges but install them as strap hinges? Is there a difference? Seems to me that a butt hinge will work fine as a strap hinge also?
e.g.
http://www.hardwaresource.com/Store_ViewProducts.asp?Cat=453

Tx,
Matt

[Jim Dunn]

The only problem with doing what you describe is that the butt hinge will cause the back of the lid to be higher than the front of lid by the thickness of the hinges. Course you could make a brass insert to balance this out.

[Mike Jones NM]

Matt, a thought on your barrel hinge problem.
Drill and install the lid side hinge first.
Drill the box side slightly over sized.
Put a spot of good glue on the bottom of the barrel and drop it in the hole.
Adjust the fit as needed and allow the spot of glue to dry.
Go back and fill in around the barrel.
Another option is to get the little metal plugs that have a sharp point in the center (the sell them with the doweling kits) drill the box holes, place the plug in the hole, set your lid where you want it and then tap it with a hammer to mark the exact center for the hole in the top.
Good luck to ya

[Gary Keedwell]

Matt, a thought on your barrel hinge problem.
Drill and install the lid side hinge first.
Drill the box side slightly over sized.
Put a spot of good glue on the bottom of the barrel and drop it in the hole.
Adjust the fit as needed and allow the spot of glue to dry.
Go back and fill in around the barrel.
Another option is to get the little metal plugs that have a sharp point in the center (the sell them with the doweling kits) drill the box holes, place the plug in the hole, set your lid where you want it and then tap it with a hammer to mark the exact center for the hole in the top.
Good luck to ya
Hey Mike...I have my eye on those hinges and I'm going to remember your ideas. Thanks

Gary K.

[Matt P]

Great ideas - thanks. I think I also might try making a small jig - a corner "bracket" of sorts with a hole in it so I can position it on the corner of the box and get the same hole positions each time for the lid and base. Maybe make it out of corner L-braces from the hardware store.

[David DeCristoforo]

...Also, I kind of dread the thought of mortising for quadrant and butt hinges...

I am not a big fan of "barrel" hinges because I have found them to be somewhat weak. But why would you "dread" using quadrants? This is, without a doubt, the most "elegant" solution. If it's because you feel you lack the skill, it's not that hard to make a router template to remove most of the material and from there it's a small bit of chisel work to clean up the corners. Once you have the template, you can use it over and over. You can make one but many of the companies that sell these hinges also sell templates. Like this:

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/indextool.mvc?prodid=BR-QH.XX

A bit of practice on some "non-critical" pieces of wood should help alleviate your doubts. I have found that most people can do much more than they think.... Your boxes would be all the better for it.

[Matt P]

Good point David. I may try quadrant hinges. A lot of my boxes are made of stock that's only 3/8 or 7/16 thick though, so that may be too thin to use the Brusso quadrant hinges..