Hinges for small boxes

[jimmobley]

I'm going to make boxes for christmas presents. Going to finally use my dovetail jig. I need some suggestions for hinges for these boxes. Brass butt hinges(need to be mortised) and barrel hinges need to be beveled I know work but I was hoping there were some non mortise hinges that would work also. Box dimensions 14w x 8 deep x 6 tall, Probably 1/2 to 9/16 thick material. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[duckkisser]

i dont like hinges i just have the lid cap into the bottom part. i can make them faster and there more accurate since they just pop right into the inside part of the box.

[jwatson]

i just get little hinges from Home Depot for little projects. they are inexpensive and are decent enough quality.i tend to mortise them but you don't have to.

[Hans_Christopher]

For small boxes like this you could consider making the hinges a part of the lid. Make something like a tongue and grove between the lid and case and use some dowels to allow for the lid to pivot. Or consider making boxes with lids that are simply removable and no hinges.

[jHop]

the knife style of hinge comes to mind, but make it out of wood and use brass rod as the hinge pin. That way it can challenge you while still looking very neat. (and you can use the router to make the indents for the "knife hinge.")

[jimmobley]

Thanks everyone, I like the idea of no hinge. Might give one a try.

[konkers]

Any particular reason you don't want to make hinge mortises? I recently made a box with mortised brass hinges and was pleased with how easy it was to fit them and they came out looking and opening great.

[duckkisser]

Thanks everyone, I like the idea of no hinge. Might give one a try.

i found this to be the easiest way to make a box with no hinge is to make the hollow cube then go on table saw and cut shallow cuts on all 4 sides.( if you dont cut all the way it keep the lid from rocking on the blade) then i take a sharp blade cut left over wood off and then chisle the cut smooth. then i just put a piece of wood inside the lid chamfer the edge of the inserted wood and it pops right into the bottom section. this way you dont have to worry about lid fiting just right because the lid was cut off of the 4 sides the inside edge of the bottom matches the inside edge of the lid. i have been making lots of boxes lately so if you want to chat give me a holler.

[andreas]

I like to make a recessed lid and put a 2" brass rod through the side of the box, into the lid which serves as a hinge. A bit of CA glue locks the pin in place (on the box side, not on the lid). It would be possible to hide the pin, but I don't mind seeing the end of the brass rod, so I just polish it up and leave it showing. Here is one that I recently finished. In this photo you can just barely make out the hinge pin at the back left of the box.

[duckkisser]

nice boxes i have a hard time with box joints don't have the patience to fit exactly still working on figuring out how to have them work out exactly the same trying router but don't think my jig is exact enough.

[andreas]

Thanks. Those are actually hand cut dovetails although they don't really look like it in the photo. Must be the perspective.

[duckkisser]

not at all but hey still looks nice dont realy have a good dovetail saw so i am kinda avoiding that type of joint.

[Mikejpt]

Miters and splines work great. The purple heart maple box would hold fine with a simple box joint if you don't want to try dovetails (I can't cut them worth a darn either)