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Easy. Elegant Wooden Box Hinge

101K views 72 replies 44 participants last post by  Kentuk55 
#1 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
 

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#2 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
I have a pen box that's been sitting on my desk with the same basic design, but not as many fingers. For the past two months, I've been telling myself, "You need to incorporate this joint into one of your pieces." As soon as I finish the cabinet that I'm making, which should be early next week, I'll get to work on my work inspired by you. #1. gotta make the veneer press
#2. mill all the pieces for a small chest
#3. make sure I use that joint
#4. add marquetry design on the face.
Then, of course, post my efforts on Lumberjocks. It should be fun…......

Thanks Paul for sharing your amazing talent.
 

Attachments

#3 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Love watching a craftsman going about his business, cleaver stuff Paul, thanks for sharing your endless skills, even turners like to try things different,or, they maybe just plain curious. : )))))
 

Attachments

#4 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
great idea…..i have a certain stepdaughters birthday coming up soon and she is the only one i haven't made a jewerly box for yet…will try this idea of yours. thankyou
 

Attachments

#5 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Very nice work Paul.

I like the integrated hinge.

Lee
 

Attachments

#6 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
11 times favorited (12 now that I've done it), and only 4 comments? If only to say "Thank you Paul, for sharing this new strategy with us". Come on, people, show some Love!

I really do mean it, Paul, thanks a lot. I don't have a RT yet, but I will, and one of the first things I will be doing on it will be a box with wooden hinges.
 

Attachments

#7 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
OK Paul, you have my vote.

I like a lot of things about this, you know these, but I am repeating for my own info.

Having the pin ride high above the base (instead of in the line separating the top and bottom) has a few advantages. The 90 degree stop, ease of making, and only the bottom/back needs to be made taller than the rest of the sides (the top is it's normal size). Sweet.

Being able to finish the box without the hinge installed is great.

I also really like the idea/possibility of not installing the bottom plugs and having a hinged and removable top.

This is so cool. Thanks.
Steve
 

Attachments

#8 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Paul,
The products of your fertile mind continue to amaze.
Thanks for letting us watch it at work.
 

Attachments

#9 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
I am going to try this and see what happens Paul, Your ideas are always great and helpful!

Thanks for sharing sooooo much!!
 

Attachments

#10 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
thnx for your expertise Paul. Also, that I'd luv to see how you made the "Cabinet-Tree"......really just the tree part. Thnx. Everything you do is just awesome. Thnx for sharing
 

Attachments

#11 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Great idea and design for your hinges Paul. I would not have thought of doing it this way and it is really clever.
Thanks
 

Attachments

#12 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
I do believe you're right about integral hinges. This is a far easier way to do them though, Paul. Well thought out.
 

Attachments

#13 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Wonderful blog! Fine photos and details of the making of this hinge. I too appreciate you taking the time and effort to detail the making and to share with us. Interesting note about the fish glue for the fillers. I use hot hide glue and have become quite fond of it, but haven't ever used fish glue.
 

Attachments

#14 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Excellent blog and the info is very useful, thank you. I can see that others think so too (when I favorited it…there were 31 ahead of me).

This is why I love this site…great folks…excellent info.
 

Attachments

#15 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
I really like this method of hinges. Clever idea of using your TS to cut for the pins. Thanks for explaining it all.

As I was reading where you talk about the spacing for the fingers, it occurred to me that I could stack both boards together and cut them with the scroll saw using the tiniest blade. The kerf would be just enough for movement but not sloppy. Then you open yourself up to the possibilities of finger spacing like no tomorrow since you don't have to conciously match the top with the bottom.
 

Attachments

#16 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Thanks for the response everyone

I am very happy to have been of some use to you and I hope to see these hinges on lots of projects in the future.
Once you make a set and move the hinge up and down…....... so smooooooth…. you'll be doubly hooked.

Yes Rance, there are endless possibilities. The central idea is the table saw cut for the pin. That frees you up to design all kinds of things that you couldn't begin to drill accurately.

I have several variations in mind but then I've got a lot of other ideas too and I've already done this one. :)

Thanks again
 

Attachments

#17 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Great idea… thanks for sharing.

Now I'm going out to try one to see if I have it right.
 

Attachments

#18 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Thanks again Paul for sharing your ideas and knowledge, this is one that I plan to use. I'm currently working on some gun grips for a smith and wesson .38 special that belongs to my dad, and I've decided to make a box to house the gun, and I think your hinge would probably work beautifully on this box. Thanks again.
 

Attachments

#19 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Paul,

Thanks for the additional details. This should make the task much easier.

L/W
 

Attachments

#20 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
These look very much like those posted by Yorkshire Stewart on one of his way cool boxes. I tried his and could never get them right. Hopefully Ill have better luck with yours. They may be easy for someone of your talents but Im sure I will find a way to make them difficult if not impossible! Great work!
 

Attachments

#21 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Great Blog Paul! Thanks for sharing with all of us. You will definitely be seeing this in use on my future projects.

You should submit this as one of the reader tips and tricks to the woodworking magazines… I'm sure it would be published!
 

Attachments

#22 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Thanks for the blog post. Very good technique that I hope to master.
 

Attachments

#23 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Outstanding solution to a pesky problem. As clean as it gets, too.
 

Attachments

#24 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
gfadvm, Thanks for the reference. I knew I couldn't have been the first to discover this. It's just too simple.

Stewart's are a little differently done but the basic idea is the saw cut replacing the drilling. His is here:
http://lumberjocks.com/YorkshireStewart/blog/3153

I'm sure we will find others as well….... It's just so simple.
 

Attachments

#25 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
I already figured out how to screw these up. How deep do you cut the groove for the brass rod? Sorry to be so dense but I never did get Yorkshire Stewarts to work for me and now Im determined to make yours {if I can}. Thanks. Andy
 

Attachments

#26 ·
I could kick myself

A few months ago I spent many many hours trying to perfectly align a set of "box joint hinges" for my project " A Little Cabinetree" After I finally got them working I installed them on the edges of the MDF sides and doors and then veneered over the whole works.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle Plywood


The only good part was that there were enough left over prototype parts that I could make a hinge for my next project from the cast-offs

Wood Creative arts Automotive design Art Motor vehicle


Then this week I was making a tea box for a friend and when the issue of hinges came up, as it will with these boxes, I decided to try to make the hinge integral to the box.

Like this:

Rectangle Shipping box Wood Font Hardwood


This has numerous advantages.:

1) It's clean. There is only one "added part" - the pin, no protrusions or bumps or screws.
2) You don't have to install it. No rebates, no unsightly gaps where the hardware had to be realigned.
3) It is automatically perfectly aligned. All you have to do is make the top and bottom the same dimensions and square and they will be perfect.
4) It's really cheap. (The price of a foot of 1/8" brass rod.)
5) It automatically stops just past 90 degrees.
6) It only takes a half hour to make them .
7) They are sooooo easy.

You get the idea. I thought back on all those hours wrestling with little blocks that didn't want to be aligned.

I would have kicked myself (If I could)

So here's how you make them…. So you can kick yourself too.

First, make up or get out whatever you use for a foolproof spacing jig, box joint jig or the like. (I made this one on the Q & D.) Use it to lay out the cuts between which the gaps will be removed.

Wood Flooring Rectangle Floor Bumper


Run a groove down the edge that will carry the pin. Cool that the pin and the saw blade are both 1/8", yes?

Wood Automotive exterior Writing implement Bumper Hardwood


Round off the edges with a corner round bit on your router.

Wood Floor Wood stain Hardwood Gas


Chew out the waste areas.

Wood Floor Flooring Composite material Hardwood


Install the rod in the top part and glue in a little strip to fill in the remaining gap. Make sure you don't glue the rod to the wood. In this photo the strips are glued in oversize. They will be trimmed to the opening after the glue sets.

Wood Automotive exterior Floor Flooring Rectangle


Then go ahead and finish making the box as you normally would. The only thing to make sure of is that the line dividing the top and bottom of box is on the centerline of the hinge pin. (Really important).

The half lap recess (if you are using a half lap) for the top to fit over is cut on the outside of the box and extends below that line. That is to say that the actual dividing line is the one you would see from the inside of the box, not the lower one you would see from the outside of the box. This is the only photo I have that shows the half lap.

Shipping box Wood Rectangle Packing materials Basket


Completely finish the box and as the last step install the top, glue in the fillers and carefully sand and finish them. In this case I used spalted filler pieces and made them appear to match the pieces into which they were glued. They don't really match, but the eye wants them to so they do appear to.

Shelf Wood Shelving Flooring Floor


I used fish glue to install the last fillers so that they could be easily disassembled at any time by simply getting them wet.
Shipping box Packing materials Rectangle Wood Packaging and labeling


You don't have to add the last filler pieces in the bottom. The hinge works exactly the same without them, and the top is removable.

Hope some of you will use this idea. I can't believe that I've actually invented it but if I did you have my blessing to use it.

It's just soooooooo darn easy !!

Thanks for looking in and good luck with your hinges.

New Edition Edit https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=49b42e2ce1f6da5152d9fc61873164a1

Edit: Here's an innovation that you can use if you want to make the box in one piece, cut the top off and then do the hinges.

Paul
Andy, Just make the pin center in the edge of the hinge. That means that the center of the pin is the same distance from the edge as it is from each side.
Another way to put that, and to answer more directly, is one half the thickness of the piece plus one half the diameter of the pin.
Eg: I used 1/2" stock and a 1/8" pin, so the groove would have been 1/4" plus 1/16" = 5/16" deep.

Does that work for you?
 

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