# Attaching Hinges To A Jewelry Box



## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

This subject is probably very basic to even a moderately experienced woodworker. Here is a description of the issue. After the top has been cut off of a jewelry box it is time to install hinges. At this point, as I see it, I have three options. First, the simpilest thing to do is to simply install the hinges flat on the outside faces of both the top and the bottom of the box. This leaves the hinges raised above the surface of the back of the box. This does not require much expertise. The next approach would be to cut recesses into the faces of the area where the hinges reside, and the third would be to cut the recesses into the top edge of the bottom part of the box and matching recesses into the bottom edge of the top of the box. This will cause only the barrels of the hinges to be visable when the box is closed.

Cutting the recesses is where the rub comes in of course. i have tried several appraches to this but so far I have not found a method that really works well for me.

When cutting the recesses into the edges of the top and bottom of the box with a straight bit was my first approach. What happened was that the bit would cut a nice clean cut edge on the side of the bit that rotates into the wood as it is fed into the bit, but on the other side of the bit where the cutter is going with the feed, the cut is less than desirable, by that I mean that the cut is not clean and sharp. This can be remeied by doing a complete new set up for the other edge of the cut, but doing this becomes very tricky, or at least it has for me.

When I have tried to cut recesses into the faces of the back and top of the box, I have used a one eighth inch straight bit with stops on the fence to restrict the cutting area, but getting the cuts on the bottom and the top of the box to match perfectly has caused me to scratch my head. In other words, cutting these recesses has proved to be a real challenge. I suspect that I can eventually figure it out, but I am just wondering if anybody has any ideas that would shed some light on this subject.

Jer


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Jerry

You may want to think about using barb hinges, they come in many types, and are very hard to see once they are in place and very easy to put in place in the Jewelry Boxes.

Brass-Plated Small-Box Spring Kerf-Cut Hinge - Rockler Woodworking Tools

http://www.rockler.com/tech/RTD10000246AA.pdf

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18652&rrt=1
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Slitting-Saw-Arbor/G1438


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Perhaps these shots from earlier posted projects of mine might give you some ideas.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Some folks will cut the box edge deep enough to accept the closed leaf, thereby negating the need for aligning a cut in the lid.


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## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

Hi Harry,

Thanks for your help, the photos do help, mostly verifying that I am on the right track. Much like so many things, you have to figure out a method that works for you and then just stick with it. I tried several different approaches over the past couple of days and while the end results were close, none of them made me happy, so, today I have one more idea that I want to try. 

In regard to the hinges, I have purchased quite a few sets of small simple hinges from Rockler that I want to use because I have them, but when I get to a point that my jewelry boxes really look like I want them to look, I may try the hinges that you have suggestged, they look good, but are a little spendy unless they are used on a nice project. Again, thanks for your help and interest in helping me.

Jerry


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Jerry Bowen said:


> Hi Harry,
> 
> Thanks for your help, the photos do help, mostly verifying that I am on the right track. Much like so many things, you have to figure out a method that works for you and then just stick with it. I tried several different approaches over the past couple of days and while the end results were close, none of them made me happy, so, today I have one more idea that I want to try.
> 
> ...


Yes, piano type hinges can be pricey, especially the type shown which only open about 95°, however not too long ago I was on one of my regular visits to our local salvage yard when I came across a box full of these 4 1/2" hinges at, I'm pretty sure, TWENTY CENTS EACH! Not being greedy, and bearing in mind my age, I only bought 20.
In case it wasn't obvious in the photos, I do what Gene suggested in his post, that is a double depth rebate in the box and mount flush on the inside of the lid. I also make the lids a little oversize in case of minor errors and then trim them on the router table. The second shot shows how I routed the carcass for a square ended piano hinge


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## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

Very nice Harry, I always like Your pictorals it is like getting a free woodworking lesson


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

just one more way

==


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

papawd said:


> Very nice Harry, I always like Your pictorals it is like getting a free woodworking lesson


Thank you Warren, but that is what this forum is all about, helping fellow members and personally I firmly believe that a picture is worth a thousand words, often I fail to understand posted explanations, however, I'm sure that a few photographs in all cases would have solved the problems.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

bobj3 said:


> just one more way
> 
> ==


Another worthwhile idea Bob.


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## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

I don't follow what you are referring to. Jerry


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Jerry Bowen said:


> I don't follow what you are referring to. Jerry


Who or what don't you follow Jerry?


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## ggom20 (Feb 1, 2012)

Well , 
IMHO:
bob shows an other way, see picts...

Harry said:
"Another worthwhile idea Bob."
Bob is routing a different way whith some kind of big cutter that makes a clean kerf.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

ggom20 said:


> Well ,
> IMHO:
> bob shows an other way, see picts...
> 
> ...


I thought that Bj would have added an explanation but as he is no doubt otherwise engaged, perhaps this will answer the question. Shown in this shot is a set of slot cutters and mandrels. The box shown has been made as a coffin, ie: a completely sealed box which is then cut either on a band saw or on the router table using a thin kerf slot cutter, but before separating the box from the lid, a wider slot is cut for the hinge, a perfectly legit. method, albeit not one that I use.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

I was holding back because I wanted to see what Harry would call it now he has giving it a name to it ( the coffin way ) I use the band saw from time to time if the box will fit on the band saw that's to say if it's not to tall but most of the time it is, at one time I used the table saw and it was so unsafe and I don't do it anymore, I don't use slot cutters they just can't cut all the way the norm so I now use a 3 3/8 to 4" saw blade and is only 1/16" thick no need to remove a ton of stock just to cut off the top of the coffin lid.

The hinge I use most of the time comes in 3ft parts and I can just off what I need and it comes with the right screws the norm..
Putting the slot in for the hinge is very simple way and it puts in stop point for the hinge so both parts line up right up on the button, that's always hard to do the norm.

==


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I agree with you Bob, I would never use slotting cutters for separating coffin boxes, but when you mentioned a 1/4" hinge slot I reasoned that you couldn't be referring to a slotting saw. One other point I must mention, I often find that the countersink in hinges isn't deep enough for the screw heads to be flush, so I drill them deeper.


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## Carlino Guitars (Mar 3, 2012)

*Laser Mortised Quad hinges*

I was wondering too and if you have a computer you could draw them out on Google sketchup , bring the drawing to a cabinet shop and if they have a laser or a cnc they can laser cut your mortise out so it fits snug. 
I did them on my boxes and here is what it looks like








and here









this way, the box part mortise is recessed, the top portion is not and then a soft felt 1/4" sticky makes a soft close and level closes the lid 
eddie


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