OK, a woodworking question

[Larry Blanchard]

I need a little "intelligent design" for an aquarium stand I'm making. I decided to make one that could be copied with a minimal amount of woodworking ability and equipment, because most aquarists are not woodworkers. And at a cost lower than the ones in the stores.

It's essentially a plywood box with two plywood doors. The doors overlap the box on top, bottom, and sides.

The question is about hinges. The obvious solution is Euro hinges and that's what I'll be using. But for a non-woodworker just the appearance of those things is intimidating, not to mention the need for a (horrors) metric drill bit.

So what are the alternatives? Piano hinges are one, but they're expensive. Are there others that are strong enough to hold (and hold in) plywood and still be economical and fairly easy to install?

I couldn't find any. I thought about "H" or "L" hinges, but most seem to be too large. I may have to bite the bullet and just recommend the Euro hinges - with the hint that a 1 3/8" bit will do if they already have one.

Thanks for any help.

[Duane Bozarth]

...

What size doors, what thickness ply, what door construction style? What is an acceptable/unacceptable price point?

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2005 09:47:34 -0700, Larry Blanchard scribbled:

Huh?

How about the standard pre-Euro hinge kitchen cabinet hinges like:

easy to install, IME, and available in any hardware store/Borg.

Luigi Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address

[HMFIC-1369]

First off Salt or Fresh? Salt will corrode most metal hinges like no tomorrow. Fresh will work on them too.So Stainless Steel or even plastic hinges should do well.

[Swingman]

Don't be intimidated. For most 'Blum type' Euro hinges, the one time purchase of a good 35mm forstner bit will set you back +/- $35 and will save hours of hinge installation frustration in the long run.

Once past the 'hinge cup hole' stage in the door, Euro hinges are so easy to install, and more importantly, in their adjustability, that getting past that stage is well worth it in time alone.

Do you have/or have access to a drill press? If so, you can forego the various aftermarket jigs and use a clamped on fence and the 35mm drill forstner drill bit and you're home free in about 25% of the time it takes to install most other type hinges.

[CW]

I'd assumed he wasn't building the cabinet to IN the aquarium.

[Lew Hodgett]

Would NOT go near your choice with a 10 ft pole.

At a minimum, would use brass t a minimum, silicon bronze if I can get them.

Probably use a slip pin (loose pin) hinge.

Probably have some router and chisel work to let the hinges into proper position.

"Why", you ask?

"Water", I answer.

At a minimum, you have a high humidity environment.

Steel in any form, unless 316L S/S, just plain sucks in most applications, especially this one.

Had an aquarium. Ben there, done that.

Lew

[Larry Blanchard]

I'm not intimidated - but I am a woodworker. I'm hoping to make this stand an example for non-woodworker aquarists.

I will be using the Euro hinges but wasn't sure about recommending them to non-woodworkers, that's why I was asking about alternatives.

I must not have been clear about the doors because the only suggestions I've seen have been for non full overlay hinges. The edges of the door line up with the outside edge of the side and the top edge of the top and extend below the bottom edge of the bottom.

And also, for novices, I'd like to be able to suggest a surface mount hinge. I've looked for a hinge that has one flat leaf that would mount on the flat surface of the side and a second leaf that was L-shaped and would wrap around the door edge and screw into the flat surface or the door. IOW (bad art):

| | | O | ---------

SO far I have not been able to locate such a hinge.

[Leuf]

I was watching one of those home improvement shows, I think it was In a Fix, and they were remodelling a galley kitchen I think and ordered replacement doors for all the cabinets. The doors had euro hinges. They didn't have the drill bit. So, they took the only reasonable course of action. Ripped out all the cabinets, went to the borg and got new cabinets and installed them.

-Leuf

[Rick Samuel]

Check out these, I like 'em.

relationship blah, blah, blah....

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2005 17:03:55 -0700, Larry Blanchard scribbled:

Ha! I get it now. There you go, full overlay hinges:

could also use something similar to this (no mortise hinges). I have seen less fancy versions used on bi-fold doors.

these: although they might be hard to find.

Luigi Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address

[Pat]

You haven't mentioned the size of tank. Most tanks are heavy. Mine has

500lbs of sand in it and close to 2000 lbs of water. I am not sure a Euro style cabinet would have enough strength. Wide face frames help a lot.

[Swingman]

Welp, that clears that up. I knew _you_ were, but I wasn't sure about some other 'Larry Blanchard ... my sincere apologies. ;)

You obviously know then to caution them to make sure of inside clearances. With the myriad of Euro hinge makes and models for specific overlays, insets, etc., clearance issues for what's inside can be a problem if the non-woodworker types aren't aware of them. It's bit me in the butt more than once and, like you, I be a wooddorker too, or at least aspire in that direction. ;)

[Larry Blanchard]

Actually, those last seem to be the closest yet. Thanks.