Incra HingeCrafter

[Herb Smith]

I've used the Incra HingeCrafter to make wooden hinges for several boxes, although I almost always run into the same problem: one or more of the barrels of the hinges break when I drill the centered hole UNLESS I use hard maple for the hinge material. I've tried using both walnut and cherry and pretty consistently run into the barrel breakage problem with both types of wood. I'm making hinges with ⅜" dia. barrels. There is no consistency to which barrel breaks (and every once in awhile one drills cleanly). I clear the drill bit literally after each hole and I blow out the spaces between the bushings after each placement of the hinge. Don't get me wrong, maple looks good and the hinges work well but there are times that I'd like to use something else. Anyone have any experience that might be helpful?

[Charles Lent]

Which way is the wood grain running? For strong hinges, you need it running crosswise, not long wise. It's nearly impossible to break a hinge barrel if the grain runs from the thin mounting plate part toward the barrels. It should not run in the direction of the drill. You need to be slow and careful when drilling for the pin, but you shouldn't be having many barrels break off, even when pushing the drill for production. I'm betting that it's the wood grain direction that's giving you the problem. It's in the instructions, but you probably missed it.

Charley

[Larry Frank]

Try using a brad point drill bit instead of spear point.

I have a hinge crafter and looking to sell it

[Herb Smith]

Which way is the wood grain running? For strong hinges, you need it running crosswise, not long wise. It's nearly impossible to break a hinge barrel if the grain runs from the thin mounting plate part toward the barrels. It should not run in the direction of the drill. You need to be slow and careful when drilling for the pin, but you shouldn't be having many barrels break off, even when pushing the drill for production. I'm betting that it's the wood grain direction that's giving you the problem. It's in the instructions, but you probably missed it.

Charley

Hey Charley-
Nope. All of my hinges are made correctly with regard to grain direction. Probably some of my problems are from making hinges with small (⅜") barrels, but I read and follow the Incra instructions for making the hinges.

Herb

[Jim Barstow]

I use cocobolo. I don't use it for hinges but for latches. (Like a hinge but on the front.) Never had them break.

[Charles Lent]

Hey Charley-
Nope. All of my hinges are made correctly with regard to grain direction. Probably some of my problems are from making hinges with small (⅜") barrels, but I read and follow the Incra instructions for making the hinges.

Herb

A 3/8" barrel is smaller than any hinge I've tried to make. Drilling a 1/8" hole in a 3/8" barrel is pushing it a bit. How about trying a smaller drill bit first and then opening up the hole with the 1/8" drill bit or trying a different design bit like maybe a brad point,.Also, use a pecking method, where you drill mabe an 1/8" deep and pull back to remove the chips from the drill and then go back and drill another 1/8" deeper, and repeat this until you complete the hinge. Most of the created friction when drilling comes from the chip filled flutes of the drill bit. Good luck.

Charley