# SmartHinge - The new premium box hinge



## tdv

Impeccable workmanship you couldn't fit anything less to this box


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## CharlieM1958

Great review, Roger. Thanks for the info!


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## Jim Jakosh

Thanks for the review. I don't make anything that would warrant a $62 hinge set. They are nice but awful pricy!!
Don't they make a Euro style hinge that would be totally invisible from the outside the box?


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## RogerBean

Jim,
I presume you are referring to Soss barrel hinges. They are indeed invisible from the outside. However, I do not use them, primarily because I prefer the look of a polished side rail or quadrant hinge. I heard someone once refer to locks as box jewelry, as they are there as much for their appearance as for their function. On a high end box this would seem particularly true, and would also seem to pertain to hinges in some measure as well. In the end, it is the builders call.
Roger


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## Kentuk55

thnx for all the info, and review. looking forward to seeing the finished box/s


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## Dusty56

They look very nice , but I have to wonder how they arrived at the price. 
Maybe it was to keep all but the most serious of box makers from using their product.


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## RogerBean

Dusty56,
Yeah, it's a shame they're not cheaper. Less would be good. However, it's probably more surprising that something custom machined in a small shop can be sold for the same price as the Brusso product made in a factory. Even in a factory, machining and polishing metal is a slow, labor intensive process. I suspect the price is just a function of a small quantity, time consuming chore to machine a precision small metal product. Then there's the packing, shipping, payment, promotion etc. Probably more surprising they are available at all. But, I'm glad they are, even at the current price.
Roger


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## hingeman

Firstly of all, thanks to Roger for posting this excellent project, highlighting his use of my *smartHinges*, and for his helpful additions/responses above. And thanks to others who have posted comments …

As the originator of these hinges I have largely kept out of the hinge debate for fear of being seen to promote my own product. But it's an area I feel I know a thing or two about and would like to clarify a couple of things in response to some of the posts above.

Dusty56 - we certainly didn't 'choose' a price, as you seem to suggest, to put off any potential users! If we were able to make them as good as they are and offer them for half the price I can assure you we would! As Roger rightly points out these are made in a small traditional engineering workshop in small batches to very fine tolerances. And by a Rolls Royce trained engineer.

Also, they have been designed FROM SCRATCH, unlike the Brusso hinges which are poorly designed 'upgrades' of previous hinges. One example of a way in which they could have hugely improved their 'premium' hinge is that there is simply no reason why a 'quality' hinge needs to be 'L' shaped. A hinge of this substance doesn't need a knuckle elongated for strength, the only reason for this feature on weaker hinges made from sheet laterial. Consequently, Brusso's failure to 'think outside the box', and their blind acceptance that this is what a quality hinge should look like, simply serves to hugely complicate the fitting. I think Brusso needs a lesson from Steve Jobs …

Doug Stowe has done a very positive review of the new hinges which will be appearing in the November/December issue of Fine Woodworking, out in early October. I hope this will help to make the case for these hinges. For more info I would point readers to the *smartHinge* area of my own website and to a post headed Knighthood for Crawford. Not that I wish to claim that accolade, but it is another clear endorsement of these hinges, and the huge difference they can make to this stressful process. What price confidence?!

These hinges are a genuine attempt to 'solve' the ever-present problem of choosing and fitting box hinges. I hope no-one objects to these clarificarications. If so, I apologise - I am full of respect for the 'open' way LJs is run [unlike some other forums I could mention] and in no way want to abuse what is a superb resource/cummunity/format.

Thanks for your attention, Andrew.


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## utahwoodworker

Does smartHinge come in stainless steel? Brass compliments many projects, but for some projects nickel or stainless steel seem to be a better fit. Jon


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## hingeman

Hi, Jon - stainless is not an option for the foreseeable future but we are currently investigating nickel and silver plated versions of the *smartHinge*. I hope to be able to announce their availability to subscribers to my newsletter shortly. We also plan a matching lock which will also be available plated.

Andrew C.


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## 58j35bonanza

Thanks Roger, I have wondered about these hinges. I hope someday I can make a box worthy of them. I keep trying.


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## blackcherry

Thanks Roger for this review and after watching the installation process I order my first set do smartHinges. Will post result here soon, thanks once again….Blackcherry


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## bucksnort2

I love the simplicity of this type of hinge & installation. I've seen where Brusso sells a comparable hinge in addition to Rockler & Woodcraft. Is there anyone else? Thanks, Ed


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## hingeman

Hi bucksnort2, Andrew Crawford here, originator of the smartHinge.

Glad you approve of this type of hinge, but I should make one thing clear: the smartHinge has a fully round knuckle, and it is the ONLY stayless siderail hinge that does. The Brusso has a square knuckle - this means that:
EITHER the knuckle has to protrude a long way out the back of the box which is ugly and creates a substantial gap between the lid and base when open,
OR you have to do an extra machining operation above and below the knuckle to allow it to rotate in the traditional positioning. Makes fitting harder and is also ugly.

Available from me at smartBoxmaker.com.

Hope this helps!


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## bucksnort2

Andrew, do you have any US distributors? Thanks again, ED


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## hingeman

Hi ED - I supply worldwide direct from UK - many US customers, just go to the site and follow the links to buy smartWare.


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