Reddit mentions: The best cabinet & furniture hinges

DON'T HINGE IT. Trust me, read, I'll explain.

Here's what you do. Get a good 8' by 4' piece of whatever you want. MDF is fine. Get it with a good finish on it.

Cut two 3 foot wide sections. Now you have two 4' by 3' sections. When placed together, it's a 4' by 6' table which is your bare minimum that you want. Once you mark off your 3' by 6' area (or place a mat down) then you will have 6 inches of space on either side of the playing area for your cards, etc.

On the underside of the table top you are building, secure some bumpers that allow you to line up the table top to the table you are setting it on (screw in some small pieces of wood). I suggest 3 per half, so you can slide the table on or set it on gently. Then secure 2 window locks to secure to two top sections together. The small little flip locks are perfect for this. Now you can lay two separate table toppers on using the bumpers to line them up, then secure them with the window locks. The entire thing will be very snug this way and will NOT shift.

If you want to get fancy (like I did), you can use the remaining 4' by 2' section on the end to have a flip up extra space area. I attached 1 foot sections to each side. So the tabletop sits on the table all the time (for the most part), but I fold the wings down. When I'm using the table, I pull the wings out and they snap into place. Use REALLY good restaurant table hinges for this. The ones that fold into a 1/4 circle when folded up, but then extend into 2 intersecting half circles when extended. I use two for each flap, but 1 is probably good enough if you are only doing 1 foot sections. If you want a bigger table without the flaps, just cut the 8x4 into 2 sections.

Why should you not hinge it? Because a piece of plywood is like 65 pounds. Add hinges, pumpers, and other hardware and you have a gigantic, hinged, 70 pound table topper that is a pain in the arse to pack install, remove, pack away, etc, even with help. It will be nearly impossible alone. Were if you leave them unhinged and just have them connect with window locks, you have 2, smaller, more manageable sized pieces that you just hook together.

window latch: https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Line-Products-2620-Spring-Action/dp/B00DS4D5UM/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=window+latch&qid=1550700170&s=gateway&sr=8-7

table hinges for wings: https://www.amazon.com/Table-Hinge-And-Leaf-Support/dp/B0006L39JC

My table is two 4'x3' segments with 3 bumpers. Connected with the window latches underneath. This makes standard 6'x4' table. Each large segment has a wing that can be pulled out that locks into place. that provides more space for dice, measuring tools, a larger playing area, etc.

It takes 5 minutes top to get it out of the closet, set it up on the table and lock it into place all by myself.

I coated the entire top with a textured coating of black plastidip (although any kind of spray truck bed liner or flexiseal or whatever would work). I painted the sidelines, and painted very subtle deployment lines. Then I splatter painted with a wire brush to create a colorful cluster of stars. It looks awesome, and any game mat you put on it won't budge at all due to the texture. It's also easy to handle and put away/deploy.

Dropping this here just in case..

Obviously, actual soft close hinges are ideal, but we hope to redo our kitchen in the next few years, so I didn't want to go thru the hassle or cost of replacing all the current hinges. So I installed these instead: https://smile.amazon.com/Rok-Hardware-Cabinet-Compact-Adapter/dp/B00J9XB6BQ

They work much better than I expected.

Again, yes, hinges are far better. But these are super easy on time and money. Cheers.

Tech: Smart plugs / switches. I'm partial to Wemo and second to TP-Link. Could get a few plugs for under $100. Pair them up with logitech pops someday (the starter kit is $100 right there, I'm just mentioning it because the two work well together.

Universal fan controllers, I can't speak to any brand/style I could recommend. You would have to research that one, but something like this https://www.lowes.com/pl/Ceiling-fan-remote-controls-Ceiling-fan-parts-accessories-Ceiling-fans-accessories-Lighting-ceiling-fans/4294395598 I personally like the wall mount ones with a remote. So you can use the wall switch as normal and the remote as a bonus.

​

Non Tech:

Easy off toilet seats. Ever take a seat off before? Years of poo under the seam. Something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/BEMIS-Lift-Off-Elongated-Closed-Front-Toilet-Seat-in-White-1500EC-000/100120881

Pair it up with a plunger that doesn't suck. IE buy an expensive one that won't get stuck and splash poo water all over your walls because you have the $10 cheap one from wally world.

​

Garbage disposal. You can get a little badger for $100. But that's gonna end up being a DIY project to keep your $100 budget.

Soft-close cabinet door dampers. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Rok-Hardware-Cabinet-Compact-Adapter/dp/B00J9XB6BQ Again, you're on your own to research a brand/style. But they sell them at big box stores too.

​

Edit:

Bathroom fan timer switch or humidity based. Either get one with button for 10 20 30 whatever min run time, so you can let your bathroom vent humidity out after a shower. Or one that auto turns on at X% humidity. All sold in big box stores.

I have/had already intended to buy a table saw, router table, orbital and belt sanders, and a power drill. I assume the drill press is just for the hinge cups? I was planning on getting one of these jigs to ensure consistent and even cup placement. Would this be enough to preclude a drill press for the time being?


The shopvac/respirator setup is something I was considering, but will definitely do now thanks to your advice and others.


The edge finish issue is something I keep hearing about but it seems there are a million solutions (spackle, drywall paste, wood glue being the most common). I guess I'll just have to make a few test pieces and see what works best with the paint and primer I end up using.

Thanks for the advice and insight!

I'm making this medicine cabinet for our downstairs bathroom. I built the carcass and the face frame, then built the doors to have about 1/2 inch exposed on all sides. I got these hinges from amazon: Euro Hinges, but when I mocked them up they only allow for a much larger exposed area on all of the sides, like 1.5 inches or so. Can I fix this by getting different hinges? Or do I have to rebuild the doors? I hope I don't have to rebuild the doors I spent a lot of time on them. Please help! Thanks

I made one of these a year ago and used barrel hinges. Worked pretty good. Here are the ones I got. Be sure to be extra super careful when lining up the holes. Those rockler dowel centers suggested by doitdoitdoit look like a good idea.

I got these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IRLHIEK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They're ok. Seem a little flimsy and the doors have a tendency to bounce a little before closing, but it seemed the best solution for the price. I'm sure I could spend more and get soft close hinges or something, but can't justify the cost.

I don’t have any great suggestions for fixing the doors, but as far as installing slow close hardware I like these:

Rok Hardware 25 Pack Soft Close Damper for Cabinet Doors / Compact / Soft Close Adapter / Hardware / Nickel / Hinge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J9XB6BQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_221-Bb03M09E0

I installed them probably 3 years ago and they still work great, for a fraction of the cost of replacing the hinges with soft close hinges.

^ This. Continuous hinges offer a lot of benefits: Strongest by size, don't allow fingers to pass through the opening between doors, and can be cut to length with a simple hacksaw. If you need to cut it, make sure you have high grit sandpaper to clean up the rough edges and burs that will be left behind. Also, some hinges may need to be peened (hammered to flare the end of the hinge rod) to keep the rod from sliding out after being cut.

Make sure to size the width of the hinge properly to your gate doors. The width of your gate should be equal to or slightly wider than the width of your hinge.

The hinges you installed are the opposite (hinge width is larger than door width), which has an almost comical look, and opens that finger-cutting gap. A continuous hinge won't prevent pinches, but it also won't act like a giant pair of wooden scissors.

Here is an amazon link, and these type of hinges (piano or continuous) will also be available at a big box store near you.

Congrats, that's a nice looking gate! I really like how it repeats the style of the stairs, it's a really nice detail. I would recommend replacing both sets of hinges, not just the central ones.

For locking: You might consider using some sort of locking bar or bars (with the pivot(s) fixed to the small panel). When locked, it needs to tie the wall, small panel and large panel all together into a single gate. Otherwise, I think you are going to have a problem when weight is applied to one section of the door it will "fold" open. You may need to mock up different layouts so that you don't have pieces that will interfere with the gate when it's fully open. I'm having trouble describing what I'm thinking (and it's a bit complicated), but if you can't figure anything out, I can try to describe it in more detail.

For future reference, you might want to pick up one of these the next time you install drawer or cabinet hardware. It's a lifesaver! Just used this exact kit for some fresh new kitchen cabinets. The dresser looks awesome!

This was requested by my wife, for getting me a table saw for Christmas. A dog food storage container. It has space for a food and water dish in the top. The plan is to make the whole thing out of pine (to save on some money). I'm going to try to use lifting hinges to get to the dog food stored inside. Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/YaeKoo-Mechanism-Hardware-Fitting-Furniture/dp/B06ZY1K6WL/ref=pd_day0_hl_196_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B06ZY1K6WL&pd_rd_r=5998d677-eb5b-11e8-9fce-e3b457f31c52&pd_rd_w=MxGKL&pd_rd_wg=HMvyy&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=ad07871c-e646-4161-82c7-5ed0d4c85b07&pf_rd_r=GH7VYYSCYYD66MQCVPRA&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=GH7VYYSCYYD66MQCVPRA

​

This is going to be my first large woodworking project, so any feedback before I get started would be appreciated.

​

​

That is pretty fucking awesome. Really brilliant use of an otherwise useless product.

But, the pedantic asshole in me needs to point out that the hinges are not piano hinges. I think that they are hinged lid supports.

Looks awesome! But please install a safety hinge so those little fingers wont get smashed :(

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Hardware-Center-Support-Antique/dp/B000FKF1TA/ref=pd_sim_60_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8A80GMJ91DY46H9Z87QJ

I ended up using pneumatic hinges on kids chest. Like this https://www.amazon.com/Apexstone-Close-Support-Safety-Hinge/dp/B06XZRSHWB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543354605&sr=8-1&keywords=pneumatic+hinge

Couldn’t find a more elegant solution. This has worked well. All hands still 3-D

I built a cabinet for the noise isolation, since I work in the same room as my printer. I only print PLA, but it's definitely been worthwhile just in the noise reduction alone. Pics here: http://imgur.com/a/5ik2k

Parts:

Cabinet exhaust fan (not installed yet, but will be able to monitor the temp in the cabinet, and if it gets too high, the fan can kick on and start removing some of the hot air): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009CO543S

Shelf legs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015R2NIHC

Relay box (rPi controls power to lights and printer via GPIO):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WV7GMA2

Door hinges: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BFW3FA8

Door: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90291858/

Lights: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20119418/

I can't seem to find the Stuva cabinet that I bought. They used to have two sizes - one that was shallow and one that was deep enough for the Maker Select. The latter is no longer on their site, but basically just go to Ikea and pick out a cabinet that will accommodate your printer. The rest is really just porcelain to make things a tad nicer for you.

Here is a box that I made.

I used magnets to keep it shut, but I've done similar boxes with hinges on one side and a magnet on the other. For hinges, I'd use mini barrel hinges. They will be less intrusive. I didn't feel like ordering magnets online, so I went to Lowe's and bought some fridge magnets that look like push pins and cracked the plastic to pull out the magnet. They are a nice size. The pillow is made by taking two foam hair rollers and sewing some nice fabric around them. The ring will sit in the crack between the two. I wouldn't use fabric that is too crazy though. You want the ring to be the focal point.

https://www.amazon.com/Surface-Mount-Single-Door-Hinge/dp/B003L0O8IG

This is the one I bought. Works great. It's pretty sturdy for how small they are.

Soft close cabinet damper. This has easily been one of the top cheapest and fastest investments that have need immediate results in satisfaction! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IRLHIEK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_nlSiDbBR1Y3PP

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XZRSHWB?psc=1 I bought these for a fish tank lid that weighs roughly 25 pounds and only used one. Even with just one it is almost to powerful. Using both should give you 66# of holding force. They are cheap enough if it's not enough you could go up to 55# struts. Being soft close will help keep fingers from being smashed as well.

OK, I think I've got it. In essence, you're creating a lipped, or rabbeted door. These may work, but I don't know if they'll give enough clearance. I'm fairly sure you could use 165° hinges, though you may need to make a mock-up and fiddle around with the backset of the mounting plate.

Hinges between the back of the door and the front edge of the top board https://www.amazon.com/Adiyer-Stainless-Cabinet-Cupboard-Jewelry/dp/B074P3Y5Y9/

You could use some hydraulic pistons to hold the door open https://www.amazon.com/Yarachel-Hydraulic-Support-Cabinet-Hinge/dp/B0757GRM7J/

But that won't get you past 90 degrees. Probably easier to leave space on top where you could flip the door all the way back and have it rest on the top piece. Or let the cupboard stick out enough that the door can lean against whatever is behind and not fall forward.

Also, have to ask, what are you planning on keeping in a 4 inch cabinet?

Bought these off Amazon: They work pretty well https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FPX8MT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_z0L0AbAXRCHTP

You can buy these now. Much easier to install and accomplishes the same goal (sorry for the long link). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J9XB6BQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_D.u0Db0RP3NYH

I picked these ones up last year and dropped them into a coffee table. I've been happy with them so far: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076FPX8MT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also: Sauton 1pair Folding Lift up Top Table Mechanism Hardware Fitting Hinge Spring Standing Desk Frame https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FPX8MT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_EN6dAb7JXR3AM. And many more like it for cheap in the “related items”

Looks like this kind of hinge: http://www.amazon.com/SOSS-Mortise-Invisible-Hinges-Thickness/dp/B000CSI9S0/ref=sr_1_6?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1463530131&sr=1-6&keywords=SOSS+hinges

but of course getting a perfect match might prove difficult.

I might look into that option (and see if maybe I can do it myself -- an excuse to buy a few forstner bits, if it's just one simple cavity on the door).

Edit; Just found this Kreg Hinge jig. I'm a big fan of the Kreg pocket-hole jig, so this may definitely be an option.

Looks like these https://www.amazon.com/Surface-Mount-Single-Door-Hinge/dp/B003L0O8IG/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1527261474&sr=8-12&keywords=soss+hinges

Something like this might work:

http://www.amazon.com/Sugatsune-Soft-Down-Lid-Support/dp/B001DT4PMG

something like this instead

This looks like the same hinge.

I added these, and works well. I think there is a Euro model https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IRLHIEK

It's called a lid stay hinge and you can find them on Amazon, Rockler, Woodcraft, etc. They come in many shapes and sizes.
Here is one example:
Sugatsune Lid Stay 105 Degree Open With Soft Close , Umber https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT4PMG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_frcWzbVQR34MQ

Add these

https://www.amazon.com/Rok-Hardware-Cabinet-Compact-Adapter/dp/B00J9XB6BQ/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_60_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HH9PZAHVK79YMX24J3RR

The soft close hinges are kind of expensive. I used these in my kitchen.

Rok Hardware 25 Pack Soft Close Damper for Cabinet Doors / Compact / Soft Close Adapter / Hardware / Nickel / Hinge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J9XB6BQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_lACxCb1PZKEKB

Rok Hardware 25 Pack Soft Close Damper for Cabinet Doors / Compact / Soft Close Adapter / Hardware / Nickel / Hinge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J9XB6BQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_G83iDbZV34G40

Not sure if this would work but they sell simple springs that go on the cabinet near the hinge to make it self closing:

Wing Spring Door Closer 5-1/4", Butterfly Spring, Fits on All Door Butt Hinge Pins, Keeps All Doors Closed, Rubber Sleeves on Wing (Pack of 2)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0124ZAYRW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3xryzb028R7V8


You can also get add on soft close mechanisms that just screw to the cabinet opening without affecting the hinge at all if you just need that feature:


Rok Hardware 10 Pack Soft Close Damper for Cabinet Doors / Compact / Soft Close Adapter / Nickel / Hardware / Hinge

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IRLHIEK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_QAryzb0K5YYJH

They're a bit ugly, but soft-close dampeners will do that.