Some help with piano hinges

[MikeSC]

Is there some secrets to mounting these, how far down should they set. etc... Im at the point to start getting the hatches put on and im at a stuck point and dont want to start drilling holes and it be wrong..

Thanks for any help...

 

[Nohasslekindaguy]

I would mount them low enough that the spine of the hinge is slightly above the wood, but will still be buried in the carpet. Basically you shouldn't be able to trip over or snag on the hinge.

 

[MikeSC]

Thank you for the reply.. I did the front hatch.. almost sits flat, one side of it is raised up just a tad, you cant even really tell..

 

[Nohasslekindaguy]

Yeah, it's tricky to get them perfectly level.

 

[Johnny]

do a sample installation with the hinge between two pieces of 1x6 to become familiar
with how a piano hinge operates.

then, decide if you want your lid to open all the way and lay flat on the deck
or ... just only be hand held straight up and down.

if the hinge is mounted up a little above flush will allow the lid to go back more when opened.

too low, and it will bind when trying to go past the straight up and down position.

it really depends on how often you open the box and the lid position when it is open.

 

[great white]

When I did mine I morticed the hatch before gluing the carpet so the hinge and hatch sit flat when closed.

Thing is, piano hinges don't close perfectly flat if you try to force them all the way folded. The mortice allows for that last bit of travel that doesn't go flat.

I'm a little bit of a "stickler" for details though....

 

[MikeSC]

Thank you for the info guys... The front hatch, not so bad.. The rear hatch i almost took the sledge hammer to... But like my co worker says, you cant see it from his house... lol....