Tutorial on Installing Quadrant Hinges without a Router

[Mike Henderson]

Some time back, I volunteered (on another woodworking forum) to do a tutorial on installing quadrant hinges. But to install quadrant hinges, you need a box and I didn't have any plans to build a box anytime soon. Scott Krallman contacted me and volunteered to send me a box to do the tutorial. He did send it and I completed the tutorial. You can see it here.

If you find any errors or have questions about any of the steps, please let me know so I can improve it.

Mike

P.S. I posted this in general woodworking because I used both power and hand tools to do this job. If it should be somewhere else, Mods, please move it.

[larry merlau]

that was spot on mike no questions at all,, well done on all aspects..

[Rob Keeble]

Thank you very much Mike I appreciate the tutorial. I have hard enough time installing normal hinges.

One thing i will say you just converted me to a dial type gauge. Although i am of the digital age, i think the digital verniers are terrible in giving you an indication of where you are. It is so clear on that Starret dial of yours. Its just went on my shopping list and right to the top. So easy to read.

Mike you should be a woodworking teacher, you do such a great job of getting the point across clearly.

I would love to see a tutorial on the proper how tos to use a marking knife. Why? Well my issue is the trade off between pressing hard to get a mark and not having the mark go past the point you need such that its left behind when you done. I see guys use this marking tool all the time but it makes for a deep cut so what does one do on dovetails for example when the side or for that matter front endgrain face is left with marks on after one is finished. Thats a lot of material to sand off. SO i have tried lighter marking but then trying to see it becomes the next challenge and i end up rubbing pencil in it. But that makes it more likely to show after too.

It may seem easy to some but its a tool to be mastered i feel.

Also is your choice of forstner bit a particularly good brand? If so who are the suppliers?

Thanks again.

[ken werner]

Very elegant tutorial Mike. Sharp photos, and clear explanations. Thanks.

[Mohammad Madha]

Mike you should be a woodworking teacher, you do such a great job of getting the point across clearly.

Rob, he does teach woodworking. In fact, I learnt to carve a newport shell from him.

Nice tutorial, Mike.

[Rennie Heuer]

Nicely done!

[glenn bradley]

Mike, thanks for taking the time to put this together. Very clear and concise. I always appreciate your how-to's and your projects.

[Mike Henderson]

Thank you very much Mike I appreciate the tutorial. I have hard enough time installing normal hinges.

One thing i will say you just converted me to a dial type gauge. Although i am of the digital age, i think the digital verniers are terrible in giving you an indication of where you are. It is so clear on that Starret dial of yours. Its just went on my shopping list and right to the top. So easy to read.

Mike you should be a woodworking teacher, you do such a great job of getting the point across clearly.

I would love to see a tutorial on the proper how tos to use a marking knife. Why? Well my issue is the trade off between pressing hard to get a mark and not having the mark go past the point you need such that its left behind when you done. I see guys use this marking tool all the time but it makes for a deep cut so what does one do on dovetails for example when the side or for that matter front endgrain face is left with marks on after one is finished. Thats a lot of material to sand off. SO i have tried lighter marking but then trying to see it becomes the next challenge and i end up rubbing pencil in it. But that makes it more likely to show after too.

It may seem easy to some but its a tool to be mastered i feel.

Also is your choice of forstner bit a particularly good brand? If so who are the suppliers?

Thanks again.

Regarding marking for dovetails - many people like to leave the scribe lines on the work. It'll show up as a thin dark line because the finish will soak into the fibers a bit more where they're cut. It's a sign that the dovetails were done by hand. If you don't want to leave that line, just make your mark very lightly so you can sand it off. I like to leave the mark and have had situations where it disappeared after I sanded the project so I went back and re-scribed it.

The Famag Forstner bits are excellent bits and I would highly recommend them. They're a bit on the expensive side. Freud makes excellent bits and they may be a bit less expensive - but they didn't have Forstners in 16th sizes, only in 8th. So that's why I have the Famags. A number of people carry them. I don't remember who I bought them from.

Mike