Exercises in Woodsmithing

Hey gang, hope all is well in the world of LJ’s. Once more thanks for all the comments on my past projects and all of your inresting and talented posts/projects, they are terrific!

I have seen some really inspiring examples of wooden hinges on here and other sites, and I just had to see if I would be able to play along and learn something…..and believe me….this was as usual, an all handtool affair. So time to pull the power plugs!....Just for a couple of minutes….lol

I was thinking..without the great craft work of the blacksmith we woodworkers cannot do what we need to do….so…..I thought…what if a blacksmith was unavailable for me to go to and I needed hinges created…...would I be able to take on this challenge..and produce something workable without any prior experience of ever trying it??

So I thought of how I had made lap joints in the past….by sawing down notches in the soon to be joint and then chisled it out…..so….off I went to investigate this possible process.
I like to call this excursion…Exercises in Woodsmithing!

Pic 1. Laying out my handsaw cuts in some maple
Pic 2. Making those crosscut notches for the chisel to pare down (Make sure to scibe your sidelines where needed)
Pics 3-6. Hinges…..lol…..with some small work yet to be tended to…...like boring the holes for the other 2 of 3…..things like that…lol

I used some small experience I had gained in making dovetails to do my barrels (or a form of a knuckle joint), then took the ole trusty Stanley Eggbeater Drill and bored in the pin holes.

Got some poplar 3/16 dowel for the pins and with some candle wax got them in there homes and up and turning. A mini rats tail file that I have….a blessing indeed for filing in the drilled holes.

This was a very tegious exercise in slow moves and the understanding of brains versus braun. Definitetly may not be for eveyone to try this way that I did it…..and I am not 100% sure of just how tough they will hold…although they seem pretty stout.

My first attempt I made the thickness only 1/8….and they snapped like white chocolate in my hands with little pressure…..so I thickened to 1/4 and it seems pretty strong and durable now.

Penciled a pattern to liven it up a bit, cope sawed and filed…and even a small experimental chip carve on the first one…..for the hell of it…see how it could work and hold up.

I hope someone might get this hinge craze as I did and enjoy finding your own method and style by doing so.

Everything was handmade and a real lesson in using intincts and new ideas as well as some trusty old tricks.

Enjoy your holiday friends and thanks for looking in!

Be well,

Joe

-- "Make something you love tomorrow...and do it slowly" JLB