# Quadrant hinge installation



## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Permit me to say I am better at building and finishing things then explaining how I do it, so be patient. Also it probably take more then one installment to write this up.

Some one asked where do I get my hinges, Rockler for 10.00 per set, you can buy them for 50.00 per set but the ones I use look the same to me so I save the extra 40.00 for more hinges or what ever.

Pic 1 is where we are headed, to get there you will need a router and table, 1/2" insert and a 5/16 straight bit, a mortising jig or tool, I have a Shop Fox and a 1/4 " bit. I picked my SF up on Craigs list for about 100.00 It is a bench top tool and works great. 

Pic 2 is the jig, not all that fancy but the way it works is magic. There are just the 2 parts the base and the 90 degree fence with three dowels.

Pic 3 is the cutout in the base and that took me the better part of a day to accomplish. As others can tell you a good jig can take hours to build but saves many more hours to accomplish what it is built to do. I will try to remember how I did that and post it soon. 

Pic 4 shows how the base and fence go together and some have figured out how this works and why it works so well.

Pic 5 is setting the depth of the cut I try to have it just slightly less then the thickness of one side of the hinge.

Pic 6 is to show how I do the box top, after I glue the 4 sides together using splines and box clamps. I cut about 5/8" from the top of the box and it becomes part of the top.

Pic 7 shows how the top portion is clamped in place in the corner of the fence, I use the weights to help stabilize the jig while routering the top and bottom portion of the box.

Pic 8 & 9 show the entry into the jig and let me say here I turn off the router a couple times to clean out the portion being routered, seems there's no place for the chips to go, so I lift up the jig to clean it out.

Pic 10 is what you end up with less screw holes and mortis hole, this is a box that already had the hinges fitted. What you have at this point is one side of the top and the opposite side of the bottom done. 

Pic 11 So now you remove the fence, turn the base over, reattach the fence into the proper holes and proceed to do the opposite ends.

Pic 12 & 13 are the final routered product. 

I will take this up later to show how I fit the hinges and mortis the necessary slots. Using this jig I match the top and bottom almost always by less then 1/32 and that I sand away.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Thanks...
Very easy to understand...


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

I've got a couple of nice boxes that will need built.. and now I know the hinge I'll use..

Thanks Jerry..


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

xplorx4 said:


> Permit me to say I am better at building and finishing things then explaining how I do it, so be patient. Also it probably take more then one installment to write this up.
> 
> Some one asked where do I get my hinges, Rockler for 10.00 per set, you can buy them for 50.00 per set but the ones I use look the same to me so I save the extra 40.00 for more hinges or what ever.
> 
> ...


Thank you Jerry, the photo-shoot is as good as the box! I've saved the link so that I can study it at my leisure. One thing that I know I'll do differently is the routing, I never use template guides in the table, only in the hand held plunge router because I like to SEE exactly what is happening, but to each his own Jerry.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

I have more information to come so don't get discouraged I can hopefully explain some of the pitfalls and difficulties putting this into practice.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I'm glued to the computer Jerry!


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

I think I will just send my boxes to you Jerry and have you install the hinges.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Now that's a great idea Larry!


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## Roy Drake (Feb 10, 2014)

Thank you.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

BTW Google quadrant hinge installation and you will find many other possibilities.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Thanks for posting that. I would have never thought of doing it that way. 

I misunderstood your previous post ,I thought you bought the hinges 10 @ a time. The one set I bought for the humidor was $45 a set. I can't afford that. but $10 is a lot better.
You sure take good clear pictures, great post.

Herb


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Some of the jigs on google look pretty good to me but I'll stick with the one I'm used to. BTW my jig is also included, but how it got there is the wonder of the internet.


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

Thanks for the hinge source and nicely done photos. Like Harry, I'm bookmarking this for future reference.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Thought I'd get this done this weekend, but I started a project for Honey that has needed doing for a couple years and as most of you guys know, "happy wife is a happy life"! Truth be known I always enjoy building for her over most other things I can do in the shop been married going on 44 years now, we'll get back to this thread soon.


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