Box hinges

[HRRLutherie]

Hi all

I'm about to start building a little dovetailed box (jewellery?) and I have lumber and the necessary tools.

But.

I just looked up online, and it seems like box hinges are an absolute fortune! The cheapest I could find were a flimsy looking pair from Rutlands for £5.95 that don't even come with screws! On the same page they're selling nice ones for £12.95. Is it just me or it that a lot of money for some fixings? Maybe it's just another thing that you have to spend a lot on in woodworking...

If anybody knows where I can find some decently made and decently priced hinges, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[thick_mike]

Buy an old jewellery box from a charity shop for a pound, burn it, then use the hinges and screws!

Simple.

 

[Rob Platt]

most people make their own
all the best
rob

 

[bobscarle]

I use Ironmongery Direct. http://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/. They sell some decent hinges at a reasonable price. That said, if you are looking for some really nice ones, get some Brusso ones from Classic Hand Tools http://www.classichandtools.com/.

Bob

 

[Benchwayze]

Make wooden ones? If your design doesn't suit that. what size do you need?
I'll have a look at my 'stock' of brass solid drawn hinges. I can spare a pare for you. Second class post though eh?
They might need some polishing, but you'd do that anyway? :wink:

HTH
John

 

[joiner_sim]

http://www.screwfix.com/p/butt-hinge-self-colour-25-x-16mm-pack-of-20/18047

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Try Isaac Lord - very nice solid brass butts, broad suite or narrow suite, useful range of sizes. They sell the brass screws, too.

Edit to add - in connection with slotted screws, marcros found this supplier about a week ago - www.screwsline.co.uk - who do (in addition to a huge range of screws) brass hinges, including really weeny ones. Might be worth a shufty.

 

[mickthetree]

one of the members here works at Isaac Lord (ah hem me ah hem)

Let me know if you need any help there are some nice small ones in the warehouse that ae not very expensive.

HTH

 

[condeesteso]

I have just got a pair of Ian Hawthorne's brass 'neat' hinges - very nicely made and designed exactly for your purpose. £25 a pair which I think is very fair for the quality.
Worth a look: http://hawthornecrafts.com/ (under hardware).
This is it:

I found these too but Lee Valley, Canada so shipping etc.

And by the way I needed to check a few things about locks - Ian spent a while on the phone and ended up sending me a non-listed special. Top service (up there with Ian at Tuffsaws).

p.s. HRR - sorry if I seem carefree . re price but I doubt you will find anything well made for much less, and think of the hours work that will go into the box you make. The devil's in the detail, they say :wink:

 

[baldpate]

most people make their own

Really? How does one go about doing that? I'd love to know, since box hinge hardware seems quite expensive to me too. Does it require special skills/equipment?

Thanks

Chris

 

[marcros]

one method of making wooden hinges is here http://www.gifkins.com.au/WoodenHingePlans.pdf

Several jigs exist, but they all seem to be for the drilling element.

 

[baldpate]

Ahh - I assumed Rob Platt was talking about brass hinges!. Thanks for the link - I don't think I'll be trying to make those any time soon .

 

[Matt@]

http://www.rodnaylor.com does fiddly stuff. Have a look at the product listings on his website or give him a ring - he's a really helpful guy

have you tried Ebay?

 

[wallace]

£25 for a pair of hinges, how and why? I can understand quality but really

 

[Matt@]

mark up on brassware is extortionate. HE Savill in Scarborough is as cheap as you can get when buying in small numbers but they have no website and I think supply trade only. Martins Brass supply identical products at twice the price!

 

[HRRLutherie]

Thanks for all the information!

condeesteso - Thanks for the neat hinges link, I watched the installation video and it did look very simple. However, I don't actually own a router, and I don't think I could (with my limited tools and skills) chisel out the rounded portions of the mortises. The reason I am so keen on square hinges is because I think (could I?) I could chisel out the tiny cavity since it's only a few mill deep.

mickthetree - I was very interested in the Isaac Lords hinges until I saw the minimum delivery cost of £4.85, and unless you can send them by post, it doesn't really make economical sense.

 

[condeesteso]

Worth mentioning maybe - proper box hinges will be designed to stop at about 95 degrees, otherwise the lid falls all the way back, or you need to design an alternative way of stopping into the box itself, which in turn puts the small hinges under significant strain. The two I referred to both firmly stop at the 95 degree point.
i think the prices of well-made ones (solid, drawn etc, not pressed) reflect the fact that demand is small and therefore volumes are low. I had found an interesting maker of locks in the UK, got the website but the phone goes to a mobile message box, and the email bounces... defunct I wonder (jworrall-locks.co.uk)...???
None of this is a problem of course, because most people make their own =D>