How would you attach butt hinges for this lid?

[Johnny Penstemon]

Hi all

New to DIY but getting to grips with it thanks to Covid. I’ve built a leaf mould cage out of pallet wood and it’s time to attach the lid with butt hinges. But I don’t get the difference between the two hinge positionings in the pictures - down the back, or inside so to speak.

It will sit flush from end to end - there’s no raised back batten. I don’t have tools to mortice so simply want to screw the hinges in to the frameworks. I want the lid to open more than 90º.

Any help with which of the hinge positionings I should use and why much appreciated.

I’m also wondering how to attach a chain ‘stay’ like the ones pictured. Thinking of using chain links aka carabiners attached to screwed in eye bolts as I don’t know how to attach a chain directly to an eye. Or just secure them with screws loosely so the chain can swing open?

Also unsure if the stay should be inside or outside (like the pic below) when the lid’s shut? I’d prefer it be concealed when the lid is shut, so attaching to the inside is better if that works.

Thanks for any pointers.

Cheers, Johnny

 

[JohnD]

Throw them away and buy galvanised T Hinges.

 

[foxhole]

Depending on chain link size you can cut a link in middle and open up to connect to screw eye, or crush link so it can be screwed directly to timber ( no screw eye).

 

[Johnny Penstemon]

@JohnD Okay, cheers. Guessing T hinges spread the stress and are stronger so I’ll look at them.

@foxhole Great, thanks for the suggestions. I like the second idea but not sure why you’d crush a link to screw directly - to make the aperture more narrow so it doesn’t slip its screw?

 

[conny]

If you want it to open past 90 Degrees then fit the hinges on the outside as shown in the pics. Butt hinges are fine for this project.
To attach the chains you could use open cup hooks, attach the chains and then close the opening of the cup hooks with a pair of pliers. Make sue you make the chain long enough to open past 90 degrees but not to long the lid falls open to 180 degrees. I would suggest near the front of the lid and just forward of the centre line of the box side. You may have to trial and error to make sure it's correctly positioned before final fixing.

 

[Johnny Penstemon]

If you want it to open past 90 Degrees then fit the hinges on the outside as shown in the pics. Butt hinges are fine for this project.
To attach the chains you could use open cup hooks, attach the chains and then close the opening of the cup hooks with a pair of pliers. Make sue you make the chain long enough to open past 90 degrees but not to long the lid falls open to 180 degrees. I would suggest near the front of the lid and just forward of the centre line of the box side. You may have to trial and error to make sure it's correctly positioned before final fixing.

Very useful, thanks @conny. I’ll trial and error before final fixing as you say. While I’ve got you, no-one has been able to explain the difference between the two butt hinge positionings shown - any thoughts? They would both seem to open a lid to the same extent. I guess the ‘inner sandwiched’ option creates a small gap between the underside of the back of the lid and the top of the back of the box, which doesn’t matter for this project.

 

[conny]

Yes, the inner sandwich method can produce a small gap at the back edge but you stop this happening by chiselling out a recess in each piece of wood so the inner surface of the hinge is flush with the surface of the wood. As it's for outside use I wouldn't bother, hence my suggestion to put them on the outside, but if it was a 'class' project where everything needed to look professional then I would use that method.

 

[foxhole]

@JohnD Okay, cheers. Guessing T hinges spread the stress and are stronger so I’ll look at them.

@foxhole Great, thanks for the suggestions. I like the second idea but not sure why you’d crush a link to screw directly - to make the aperture more narrow so it doesn’t slip its screw?

Exactly, match hole in link to screw size .

 

[Johnny Penstemon]

Yes, the inner sandwich method can produce a small gap at the back edge but you stop this happening by chiselling out a recess in each piece of wood so the inner surface of the hinge is flush with the surface of the wood. As it's for outside use I wouldn't bother, hence my suggestion to put them on the outside, but if it was a 'class' project where everything needed to look professional then I would use that method.

Ah, thanks - I’d misread and thought you were talking about putting the chain support mechanism on the outside rather than the hinges. One day I’ll do the proper recess thing but as you say, for this project it doesn’t matter if there’s a gap.