Indi hinges or Continuous piano?

[Jay Yoder]

I am building a clamp rack based on the design i saw somewhere on here. i just checked prices for the utility hinges at the local BORG and was shocked that the entry type hinges were about $1 and the utility hinges ran about $2/ hinge. Due to the size and weight of this cabinet i would figure to need 5 of the 3" hinges. After looking, i wondered which would be stronger, the individual hinges or a single continuous 1-1/2 piano hinge. The length would be roughly 24"...

[Mike Cutler]

Jay

If I'm looking at your drawing correctly, it appears that the clamp racks will swing out from the left side individually. There's going to be a fair amount of weight on each hinge.

I think either type of hinge would be acceptable, piano or 3".

If I were to go piano, which would be my choice for the aesthetic appeal, I would get the heavier steel hinge at the Borg, the one near me has a brass, polished steel and gray steel version. The brass version is really kinda flimsy. I don't think I'd use that one personally.
I would think that the piano hinge would distribute the load along more of a contact area. The added number of screws would decrease the amount of stress on any single screw.

When the clamp rack is not in use, is there some form of mechanism on the side opposite the hinges to lock the rack in place as a single integrated structure? Thus relieving the hinges of bearing the weight, and force on a continual basis.

It looks like a nice clamp rack setup no matter which way you go. Very much a space saving design.

[Jay Yoder]

Mike,
Thank you for your response. The hinges could be mounted on either side. I will look at the piano hinge later. my concern is that the second tier will hold 24" clamps, primarily the Jet parallel variety and also a few F style quick clamps. plus the front shelves which are 12" and less. I am still working on the support when not in use to carry the load once the "doors" are swung closed. My concern with the BORG piano hinge is that it measures 5/8 on either side of the "hinge" portion. I found utility hinges that give me a full 3/4" (which is the mat'l thkness) and i would plan on mortising those into both sides of the frame.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Piano hinges are OK if the load is continuously spread along the run of it's length, as in a piano lid. The problem with standing piano hinges up is that the lateral (spreading) load is biased to the top - and to the top 2 screws. The next 2 screws from the top only begin to share the force when the top 2 begin fail - as in a zipper.

I'd go with regular old hinges, just for the extra thickness in the metal.