Hinge Question

Ned Bulken

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Lakeport NY and/or the nearest hotel
OK gang, looks like I'll be making a set of doors this weekend, I'm debating between three 'normal' hinges or three strap hinges for the two main shop doors. It is a barn, so the strap hinges will fit in looks wise, but I'm still thinking about the regular ones as an alternative. The main doors are going to be just over 8' tall once everything is said and done, so I'll definitely be going with three sets per door to carry the weight. It'll be good and stout, with 2x4 and 2x6's as the frame, 3/4 ply for the field and I'll dress it up later once I get to the exterior of the shop (ie, later this summer).
 
I'd go with the strap hinges considering that you're building "stout" doors. I believe them to be stronger overall and the weight of the door will be supported by lags with the stress across the axis of the lag rather than in line with the axis of the screw in a regular hinge. In essence, hinge screws can pull out with a lot of weight on them whereas strap hinges won't let the door sag because of the way they're attached.

Just my 2 cents.:)
 
Not a problem. I'll buy up to 6 double-strap hinges they have that are big enough. No idea what is left though - I noticed they still had a plethora of hinges, but wasn't too interested in them at the time.
 
Ned:

I think my phone LCD finally died, but I got you two 8" strap hinges and six 6" ones.

Up to you if you want the 6" units, but I figured maybe you could put the 8" on top and then three 6" on the doors too, or whatever you feel like doing. They don't have any more 8" units but they still have some 6" ones. I forget the price on the 8" hinges, but the 6" ones were $1.15. I seriously wonder if they are worth more as scrap iron than hinges at that low price.
 
If you remember you WWing classes that the doors are held up by the mortices the screws simply hold the hinges in the mortices. Strap and T hinges are different, the weight of the door is suspended on the screws or bolts holding the hinge to the door. I would select the most massive screw to hold the hinge, as you can find.

Or go with the Mortice hinges and let the structure support the doors.
 
I used four 10 or 12" strap hinges on each of my shop doors. Each door is 5' wide by about 84" tall, torsion box design, 3/8" plywood skins. Plenty heavy. I bent them to fit the door profile, sort of anyway, so that none of the mounting lag bolts were to the outside of the building. They have held the doors fine. I got mine at Lowes. They were being closed out for about a buck fifty IIRC. The next size down was closer to 6.00 each. :huh: Jim.
 
OK gang, looks like I'll be making a set of doors this weekend, I'm debating between three 'normal' hinges or three strap hinges for the two main shop doors. It is a barn, so the strap hinges will fit in looks wise, but I'm still thinking about the regular ones as an alternative. The main doors are going to be just over 8' tall once everything is said and done, so I'll definitely be going with three sets per door to carry the weight. It'll be good and stout, with 2x4 and 2x6's as the frame, 3/4 ply for the field and I'll dress it up later once I get to the exterior of the shop (ie, later this summer).

Are these doors up on the shop yet?
Just curious, 'cause the last picture on the shop thread was on the 8th... I believe (I read the whole thread yesterday, it was like the last page getting ripped out of a book.) I was hoping though. I am glad to see I am not the only one that likes to take their time though, I feel at home already...:wave:
Ted
 
I just finished a door to the shop and I just used regular hinges, just two so far, I'll add two more later. The door is 86"tall x 75" wide.

I only skinned the door with 15/32 exterior ply, as I was going to trim it out all fancy like, and I didn't want to make the door any heavier than it needed.

I decided to skin it with the same sheetmetal as on the building to make it blend in a little better.

I plan on building a deck in front of the door with a ramp on one edge and a step-up on another, with some railing, maybe a little lean-to roof.
Later,
Ted
 
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