I've got a box framed mirror mounted on the wall. Its about 14" wide by
60" tall.I'd like to add some hinges along one side so instead of being hung on hooks (like a picture) it can be swung open away from the wall.
The problem is that I don't want visible hinge pins.
This is the general arrangement:
Is there a way to do this simply using an off the shelf hinge?
Thanks!
Sure is. This is what I would use.
I was going to suggest these also - but thought they might require a a thicker "door" material ... his mirror box edge looks to be only 3/4 or less ?
Also - they would need to be mortised into the wall - hopefully at a stud .. hollow wall anchors would be awkward. John T.
He could get by with multiple (as in 4 or 6) hinges (depending on the weight of the mirror) in 3/4" material. Think that the largest he could go with 3/4" would a a 2-3/8ths" Soss. I suspect that if he used those, he could probably do it with four hinges. I've used Soss in the past and they are pretty substantial. It would also help if those rails/stiles were of hardwood vs. pine or. . .
True, but Soss was the only solution that came to mind. If it was my project, I would just add a wall frame or split the side and top rails and stiles so that I could mortise those hinges AND secure it to the wall with more conventional fasteners.
AFAIK, the only other solution (provided he has mounted the mirror to a wooden panel, would be a Euro hinge of some sort. IOW make the whole thing into a shallow cabinet with the mirror being the door.
One other suggestion would be to use a piano hinge in a rabbit and chamfer the edges of the mirror, and support frame, to allow it to swing.
Perry, perhaps the light came on slowly here. Are you trying to create a concealed space for something like, er, a gun(s)? If you just want access behind the mirror rather than having it swivel out so you can use the mirror at different angles, look at some of the concealed firearm storage sites for additional idea. There are some wall units out there that utilize drawer slides to create a hidden compartment accessed by sliding the mirror or painting to either side.
If you were willing to add a "cross piece" on the top and bottom, you could use pins as your "hinges".
Attach the bottom board to the wall with the pin (and a thin bushing) installed. Slide the hole in mirror frame over the pin. Insert a pin the top of the mirror frame. (add thin bushing) Slide the hole in the upper board over the pin and then attach it to the wall.
A bullet catch opposite the bottom hinge could be used to keep it closed and parallel to the wall. (You'll need room for the frame to swing, so you'll need gap. You'll want to make that gap even on both sides) Chamfering the back edge on the pin side would lessen the required gap.
You could even frame the sides of the unit so that any gap is hidden.
I agree these Hinges are great although hard to fit and carve in properly to line them up, they conceal nicely . I would refrain in using them on too thin if a wood edge where there is not much structure of wood surrounding the hinge. You could use the smaller size to insure good structural integrity. these Hinges of themselves are quite rugged but in soft woods like pine they can tear up the wood and loosen after repeated opening. That's my take on this hardware Choice rick B.
Sorry in my previous post I was refering to these Hinges mentioned bu the other 2 members
rick B.
Thanks for idea. I might need to visit a hardware and check what they have.
Ha! not guns but close.
Here in Australia we don't really have much in the way of guns.
I want to create an easily accessible storage spot to place a few bits of keepsakes, jewellery and perhaps a tablet computer.
In my case slides wont work as Im working with an existing mirror+frame assembly.
I'll check out the concealed gun storage idea. That sounds promising.
Hmm, interesting. I'm not sure if I can make it work or if I'm visualising it correctly.
thanks rick
The other question is - do you wish to cut away the wall surface - behind the mirror to reveal the studs ? Full access to a studded wall cavity makes for more options. ie european style hinge John T.
Do a Google image search for 'swivel pin hinges'.
You'll get a bunch of stuff, but look for things like these:
That reminds me...
When I redid my bathroom, I removed the old metal medicine cabinet and finished off the opening to create a nook. I mounted a mirror on the "back wall" of the nook and put a thin shelf with a slight overhang on the bottom. SWMBO uses the shelf for some small items, her rings, etc. Nothing that blocks the mirror. It looks pretty cool.
We mounted an un-mirrored wooden medicine cabinet on a side wall.
In that case, do a Google search on RFID cabinet locks. There are a ton of them out there and available for less than $25. Totally hidden would be ideal for your purposes with the swing out mirror. They provide a bit of spring tension when locked to prevent any vibration of the door. Pass the little fob (a little smaller than the typical advertising key ring with the tab that says "Eat at Joe's") over the lock area and it pops the door open. Close it with a little push and it relocks.
I've got one on a base cabinet in a wall of bookshelves that contains a safe and some miscellaneous handguns. Have a 4 year old grandson that likes opening things. This has stopped him dead.
This one probably wouldn't work with his 2 inch deep mirror frame - without some jury-rigging - but the idea of a secret latch is there.
John T.
True, and he'd likely run into the same clearance issues with the RFID lock I suggested. That said, I would consider this project to be a permanent install and, thus, see no reason not to follow the suggestion made to "core" out that space between studs and utilize the full space available or, at the least, he could cut out and trim out a small area to accommodate either this locking mechanism or the RFID. FWIW, the RFID mechanism only requires ~ 1.2"
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