Fuse box dilemma

[The Weegie]

Hi there,

i have been asked to install a basic cabinet around a fuse box for a friend. The fuse box is on the wall above an internal door right underneath the stairs :x The right hand side of the cabinet would need to be cut at an angle to accomodate the slope from the stairs.

Apologises but no pictures.

Dimensions are approx 21" in height by 38" in Length and 8" in depth.

I have been thinking about options for this for a couple of days now.

I intially was going to build a frame from 18mm mdf and 2 18mm doors using flush hinges. I was then concerned about the weight of this.

I then thought about 12mm MDF using these

http://cdn.toolstation.com/images/13012 ... /13965.jpg

Wasn't sure that 12mm would be thick enough for these hinges.

Any ideas as to the best way to approach this.

Cheers

 

[carlb40]

I used those hinges on a few meter cupboard doors years ago. The doors were about 600mm square 18mm mdf and despite putting 3 hinges on each door. They sagged straight away.

If you use 18mm mdf you could fit 3 or 4 concealed hinges and you would have a nice clean look.
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Ironmon ... 674/p23307

 

[The Weegie]

Thanks for the quick reply Carlb40.

I thought about the Hinges that you show. I have never installed these before although I do have forstner bits. As you know you only get one shot with them. So bit concerned about accuracy when installing them.

 

[carlb40]

It's easy. First you need a 35mm bit.
2nd just take the measurements off an existing kitchen unit door.
3rd mark out the centre hole position on some mdf. Drill the hole and you have a template. Just keep the edge you marked from flush with the edge of the new door. Clap the template onto the door and start drilling. Once started you can remove the template and carry on drilling to the required depth

Or you could buy this
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ca ... prod22295/

 

[AndyT]

I've used those hinges on a toy box which I stood on end to use as a cupboard. It was a simple box of 12mm MDF with the lid/door being about 4' x 2'. Because of the thin wood I used small machine screws and nuts through the whole thickness. It was fine when it was a box, but when stood on end the weight of the door was too much. The hinges drooped and later broke.

My suggestion is that the door to a meter cupboard does not need to be heavy weight at all - it's only a visual screen. I've since had to build a cupboard to house our meter and for that I made a very simple door from a softwood frame of about 40mm x 16mm dowelled at the corners and grooved to take 4mm ply. It's light enough to be fixed with the simplest of lay-on flush hinges. (http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Iro...+Plated+Flush+Hinges+40+mm/d170/sd2270/p40523) It only gets opened four times a year when the meter reader calls, and I've yet to have any complaints!

 

[The Weegie]

Thanks for the info guys.

I am going to try the idea that Carlb 40 mentioned. Will try it on scrap bits of wood until I get the hang of it. Hopefully. lol

Will keep you posted on progress.
Cheers.

 

[Lons]

Thanks for the info guys.

I am going to try the idea that Carlb 40 mentioned. Will try it on scrap bits of wood until I get the hang of it. Hopefully. lol

Will keep you posted on progress.
Cheers.

I'm busy at the minute drilling doors for built in bathroom furniture I'm making. I have a jig I made for my drill stand so I never need to set up individually but using a 35mm forstner, the point I use is set at 100mm from top / bottom of the doors and 21mm from the edge. This brings the outer edge of the hinge hole to approx. 3.5mm from door edge. I mostly fit soft close hinges from Blum or salice these days. Be careful not to drill too deep if you're using a hand held drill btw.

I've fitted hundreds of doors now to these specs without problems or callbacks though I doubt the distance from top and bottom is critical. Just what I use.

Easiest way to make the box and door fit btw is to make the door first, fit the hinges and lay face down then build the box sides around it. If you then add a thin (maybe 2mm spacer) between door and box and mark through the hinge plates holes it will line up perfectly

Bob

Bob

 

[The Weegie]

Bob, That is another good idea. Cheers

I am going to be busy trying out the ideas that have been suggested by members.

Thanks

John

 

[tomatwark]

I use the same method as Bob when fitting this type of hinge.

The only thing I would say is that some of the forstner bits have a longer centre point than others as I found out the hard way once even on the drill press.

So do a test first on some scrap just to make sure.

Tom

 

[Lons]

I use the same method as Bob when fitting this type of hinge.

The only thing I would say is that some of the forstner bits have a longer centre point than others as I found out the hard way once even on the drill press.

So do a test first on some scrap just to make sure.

Tom

That's a very valid point Tom. It happened to me once when drilling a door with a pronounced profiled edge. Cost me £40 to replace so not an error I made a second time. #-o

Bob