Replies

1. 
   Rob_Millard | Nov 08, 2001 11:47pm | #1

   *
   Don’t feel bad, I’m ( all modesty aside) a very good cabinetmaker, and hinges can bring out the worst in me. Not knowing the exact configuration of your project, I can’t give you a specific guideline, but I will tell you these helpful hints, that have worked for me.
   If possible surface mount the hinges to check the alignment, before inletting them.
   Never put in more than one screw in each leaf to start with, so that you leave as many options open as possible.
   Mark for the hinge mortises with a knife, while both pieces are clamped or at least firmly held in place. The knife makes a much more accurate reference mark than a pencil.
   Cut the mortise to slightly less than the leaf thickness, this prevents the dreaded hinge bound problem.
   Some apparent hinge problems are not really hinge problems at all. If the lid of your blanket chest is not flat (i.e. twisted) or the chest itself is out of true, the top won’t fit correctly.

1. 
   Mike_Maines | Nov 15, 2001 05:01am | #2

   *A couple of other tips are to use a self-centering bit (such as a Vix bit) to pre-drill the holes. If you need to readjust the hinge after drilling both holes, whittle a piece of the same wood the chest is made of into a point and tap it into the hole. Glue not really necessary on a small project, as the pressure from the screw holds things in alignment.

1. 
   Jim_Lewis | Dec 09, 2001 07:15pm | #3

   *If you are doing a number of these boxes, it would be worth your while to fashion a simple jig to use in conjunction with a pattern-cutting router bit. This insures 3-dimensional accuracy, and all that's left is squaring off the corners, and you can get a simple tool (corner mortising chisel) to do this with.And I don't now why somebody doesn't make small rounded-corner hinges for boxes. The only ones I've found are REALLY tiny, and not suitable except for smaller boxes than I would have the patience for.