Are non-mortise hinges for cowards?

[Dean Karavite]

I'm building a built in China cabinet and am considering non-mortise hinges. My frames have some beaded molding on the inside edge and to tell you the truth I am a little afraid of getting things lined up nice. Woodcraft has quite a few including one from Amerock that states it will provide a 1/16th gap and has adjustments.

Give it to me straight. Am I wimping out? :-)
If not, will these appear any different from the outside?

Here it is: http://www.woodcraft.com/product.asp...2&FamilyID=987

[glenn bradley]

I've used them on decorative wall cabinets. There are some versions with very nice finals and no, I don't think they are whimpy but, they do have to "fit" with the rest of the piece.

[Joe Cowan]

I just finished a cherry cabinet system for my walk in closet. I used the NM hinges throughout and was very pleased. I used with a 3/4" face frame and 3/4" raised panel door and they make it easy to line up and install with the wrap around feature. Once the doors are closed they look like regular hinges.

[Dean Karavite]

Thanks to both of you! I think they will fit the piece - I have 3/4 face frames and 3/4 glass panel doors (old ones with 6 actual panes each!).

Oh and moderator, I'm sorry for posting in the wrong forum!

[David DeCristoforo]

"Give it to me straight. Am I wimping out...?"

Well I guess I'm the only one here who's gonna give it to ya straight. Yes. You are wimping out! Those hinges are intended for "slam style" cabinets where the only thing that matters is how fast you can crank out the job. Get some nice brass butts and do it right.

(The forgoing is the opinion of the poster only and in no way reflects the views of the forum membership in general or of any other individual members. BTW... you asked for it!)

[Peter Quinn]

I agree with Mr. D, the NM hinges are definitely wimping out, get over it and mortise those freakin hinges already! Work through the fear. If I can do it, so can you! At least buy one set of cheap butt hinges and practice on a piece of scrap to see how easy it is. Frankly on inset beaded frames those NM hinges are at least as much of a PIA to instal as a traditional hinge, they just seem easier to the uninitiated.

If you can build a china cabinet to begin with, and clearly you can, than mortising the hinges will NOT be the hardest part by any stretch. Oh, with careful router adjustment, a few paper shims, a cheap shop made template from 1/2" MDF and a hinge mortising bit, and perhaps a sharp chisel to square the corners, true mortised hinges are also ADJUSTABLE, and a heck of a lot stronger too on a heavy divided lite door.

[Dean Karavite]

Okay, I got it! I will not cower from this task. I am making face frames, made the beaded molding, making drawers and doors... so what is my problem?

Thanks for being honest. Some times you need people to tell you what is hard to hear! :-)

[Dean Karavite]

P.S. For some reason after reading your replies, I had these pictures in my head:

[Jim Kountz]

Like everything there is a time and a place for NM hinges. It depends entirely on the project and its intended use. For me I was building a set of cabinets for my shop and I used them for the doors. I didnt need to impress anyone, I wasnt worried about what people 100 years from now would think. I just needed functional doors and didnt want to spend a lot of time on them.
For a commissioned piece or something like that then yes, NM would be in my opinion whimping out!!
For anyone to say NEVER USE THEM OR YOU"RE A WHIMP?? Thats ridiculous.

[Dan Hahr]

I spent days trying to find a hinge that would work on a mission style china cabinet I was making. I wanted copper colored butt hinges with a ball finial. Those that I did find cost more than the pulls. At the cost of spending over 150 dollars, I went with the NM type that looked just fine. Same brand, but a slightly different style.

If you were making an actual reproduction and spending 30 bucks a pull, you might spend the 10 bucks each on the hinges. I needed 15 hinges and 9 pulls for mine and still spent almost 200 bucks on hardware.

I'd say if you can afford it, buy the nice ones. I wish I could have. Could I even remember what kind of hinges I used? No, had to go look....

Dan

[Charles Robertson]

As per David and Peter. If you don't start now, when will you start. Sounds like you have the ability, you just need to take a step to expand it. We all do. Check out Horton Brass for your hinges. Great quality. Make good router templates and go for it on some scrap till you are comfortable. Then jump off that cliff. Might find out it was only a little bump in the road. Good luck, Charles

[John Keeton]

Like everything there is a time and a place for NM hinges. It depends entirely on the project and its intended use. ...For anyone to say NEVER USE THEM OR YOU"RE A WHIMP?? Thats ridiculous.

I'm glad Jim "came out of the hinged cabinet" and spoke up for those of us that have used NM hinges, but may not want to publicly talk about it. Now, I will not feel shame in public and can walk through the BORG with my head held high.

I do agree that when one puts time and effort in a nice piece, it is not the place for them. Shop cabinets NEED and DESERVE NM hinges!!

Horton has nice stuff - pricey, but nice!

Dean, you have faced your demons - now for the conquest!

[Dean Karavite]

John, we can get through this together! The time for shame is past.

When I am finished with this thing I will post pics. Maybe I shouldn't call it a "China cabinet." We had an original built in floor to ceiling cabinet in the kitchen that I removed for a laundry room. It was all pine (nice pine about 100 years old), but the thing was attached to the studs and plastered in when they built the house. No easy way to remove it and save it (though I saved a lot of the wood for other projects). However, I saved the glass doors and some of the hardware (of course the hinges were mortised). I decided a good project would be to rebuild it in the dining room, but the only thing from the original are the glass doors. Though the outside will be painted, I added a touch - the inside back, shelves and the counter are walnut. (ply with solid walnut edging I beaded for the shelves and solid walnut for the counter).

When ripping out the original I found an old business card for a carpenter. I'm sure this guy put it in in 1920 when the house was being built. I was thinking I'd like to put it back behind mine when it is done along with my business card. Now that I think about it, NM hinges would not do his memory justice. Also, I like to think how this guy probably did this thing in two days while it is taking me... well, longer.

[Chip Lindley]

If you are building an heirloom quality piece which may be handed down in your family, don't include ANYTHING Amerock on it. Go *Whole Hog* with solid brass and learn to mortise! Practice makes perfect, and it's NOT as hard as you imagine. Just one more step in learning the fine points of woodworking! Good Luck!

[Matthew Voss]

P.S. For some reason after reading your replies, I had these pictures in my head:

"Look at the little girrrlllyyy man..."

Awesome...