Hinges

["Gary Smith"]

what would you folks use on a larger lid to hold it open and keep it from slamming shut. Lid size appox. 12x18 inches 3/4 stock

[Lee Schierer]

I like the small brass cylinder hinges They work well and are unobtrusive.

The lid and doors on this jewelry box are hinged with 5 mm cylinder hinges. Here's a view from the back

[Bill Reed]

Rockler sells a torsion hinge in several strengths for lids of different sizes and weights. I have used them on several boxes and like them a lot.

Bill

what would you folks use on a larger lid to hold it open and keep it from slamming shut. Lid size appox. 12x18 inches 3/4 stock

[Sean Nagle]

Horton Brasses is my favorite. They offer very high quality hinges at fair prices.

http://www.horton-brasses.com/store/.../precisionbutt

[Dan Bowman]

If you decide to use barrel hinges, A&H Turf has great prices

[Greg Labacz]

How do you install the cylinder hinges? Since I don't have a drill press yet could I use a hand held drill?

[Phil Thien]

Here is an alternative to the SmartHinge:

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/200...e-Rail--2.aspx

The picture is misleading, as it shows two different styles of hinge. The actual hinge they will ship should be the one in the foreground, not the background. The unit closely resembling the SmartHinge.

I actually learned of this from Crawford's newsletter. Someone wrote him and said the SmartHinge closely resembled this model. Crawford's response was that his had a nicer profile when the box is closed, and that the quality was higher.

The Woodcraft unit sells for about $37, but Woodcraft has sales from time to time and you may be able to save some money.

One of these days I'm going to try some, as I cannot afford the SmartHinge.

The one neg. review is concerning. Maybe his was a fluke. If not, I have a file.

[Lee Schierer]

How do you install the cylinder hinges? Since I don't have a drill press yet could I use a hand held drill?

It could be done with a hand drill, but precise spacing is the key. Lay out your holes with great care. If they aren't perfectly perpendicular in teh direction of travel that is okay, but they have to be perpendicular in the direction of the hinge pin. I drill the holes first with a 3/16" brad point bit and then open them to .196 with a numbered twist drill and then bevel the edge until the bevel is half way across the top of the hole for the cylinder. I put super glue in the holes when I am ready for final assembly to help hold the hinge in place. I usually get my hinges from Rockler.