Hinge for chart table

[DoubleEnder]

I am going to make a (portable) chart table. This is essentially a shallow rectangular box, sized to hold the leisure Admiralty charts. Also it will keep things like plotter, specs, pencils etc. I'll build it of 9mm plywood with solid sides and a small fiddle. Pretty basic. I'll fit notched battens on the underside that engage with the fiddles on my galley; that way it can be used in landscape or portrait mode. The galley has good lighting and is convenient to the cockpit.

I'd like to make the top hinge open. There is a bewildering range of hinges available, and I'd appreciate any guidance on what to use. I'd like to achieve a low or even non-existent profile so that the working surface is as smooth as possible, but appreciate this may not be 100% achievable. Ease of fitting and price are important. I have hand tools but no workshop, just a work mate and a kitchen.

Any good ideas gratefully received, thank you

Graham

 

[prv]

Piano hinge is the normal thing for chart table lids.

Pete

 

[DoubleEnder]

Piano hinge is the normal thing for chart table lids.

Pete

Yes, but is there a specific type, so that the barrel of the hinge doesn't project above the surface? Or am I missing something?

 

[Trundlebug]

Yes, but is there a specific type, so that the barrel of the hinge doesn't project above the surface? Or am I missing something?

Just buy one the right depth (i.e. in your case 9mm) so it doesn't stick proud when screwed on

 

[johnphilip]

Does the whole top of the box hinge? Or is there, as on most built in chart tables, a fixed strip behind the hinging lid.
9mm ply is not much to get a fixing in but if you put a batten under the back edge of the lid conventional butts could be fitted with negligable projection unless you need to open the box much beyond 90 degrees.

 

[sarabande]

some long hinges have mild steel pins: they might go rusty in a damp marine atmosphere. Proper brass ones are better.

 

[paul.norton]

some long hinges have mild steel pins: they might go rusty in a damp marine atmosphere. Proper brass ones are better.

Or look on fleabay for a stainless version.

Paul

 

[Graham_Wright]

/www.google.co.uk/search?q=counter+hinge&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=u&rls=en&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=j3oCUYSZAqmN0AX94ICoDA&ved=0CFsQsAQ&biw=1035&bih=732

Counter hinge is the "proper" solution (like wha' I dun). Needs to be recessed.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

These are the guys.

http://www.hardwaresource.com/index.php

 

[pvb]

These are the guys.

http://www.hardwaresource.com/index.php

Wouldn't the shipping from America be rather expensive for a piano hinge?

 

[HunterWanderer]

Or here
http://www.e-hardware.co.uk/cgi-bin...rch&SS=counter&PR=-1&TB=A&ACTION=quick+search

 

[DoubleEnder]

Does the whole top of the box hinge? Or is there, as on most built in chart tables, a fixed strip behind the hinging lid.
9mm ply is not much to get a fixing in but if you put a batten under the back edge of the lid conventional butts could be fitted with negligable projection unless you need to open the box much beyond 90 degrees.

Yes, my idea was to have a strip of fixed surface above the hinge...but maybe it would be easier to make the whole top hinge at the rear edge. Rethink coming up

Thanks to all

 

[tillergirl]

This has the top edge of the hinge flush with the top and it works fine.

 

[Spuddy]

I'm certain you won't get a piano hinge (best choice, I reckon) 9mm deep so therefore a strip underneath to thicken up locally would work. Hinge typically 21 deep from memory, but 18mm might be available.
Tother option is something like the counter hinges that others have linked to; these would be surface mounted but recessing in with a sharp chisel would give less of a lump. Hmm, but then too thin for screws so maybe csk bolts needed.

 

[johnphilip]

/www.google.co.uk/search?q=counter+hinge&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=u&rls=en&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=j3oCUYSZAqmN0AX94ICoDA&ved=0CFsQsAQ&biw=1035&bih=732

Counter hinge is the "proper" solution (like wha' I dun). Needs to be recessed.

I know counter hinges are the business but I refrained from suggesting them for 9mm ply. It might work if the back edge of the top is doubled up but ...

 

[DoubleEnder]

Thank you everyone, very helpful and much appreciated

Graham

 

[fergie_mac66]

soss hinges

Thank you everyone, very helpful and much appreciated

Graham

what you want are some small edge mounted soss hinges several types available when fitted totally invisible when the open

http://www.soss.com/

or

http://www.mykitchenstore.co.uk/products.asp?catID=010&subCatID=102&prodID=1220


for strength i would use 4 or 5 on the edge

 

[Daydream believer]

when you order piano hinges ( assuming you do) the size is the width across the flats when fully opened. remember to ask for a hinge with countersunk holes
if you ar going to add a strip to the 9mm ply ( sensible) just watch oiut that the screw holes do not line up with the joint between ply & batten

Another hinge would be a pair of counterflap hinges let into the ply but you would need to add stiffening pads beneath the hinges as they would be about 4 mm thick so you would have little to screw into

Do not bother with Soss hinges they are no good for this application & are a pain to fit anyway

 

[fergie_mac66]

only just noticed that your using 9 mm ply soss hinges would be no good

 

[Boo2]

I am going to make a (portable) chart table. This is essentially a shallow rectangular box, sized to hold the leisure Admiralty charts. Also it will keep things like plotter, specs, pencils etc. I'll build it of 9mm plywood with solid sides and a small fiddle.

LocksOnline.co.uk sell SS 316 piano wilre hinges with an open width of 20mm. By the time you've allowed for the hub diameter that might work OK with 9mm ply. Link is here, but it'd be worth finding out what the hinge pin is made from before ordering....

Hth,

Boo2