Hinges

[Didi]

I've made a few hinges now. The tricky bit seems to be getting all the tubes to line up so when you come to put all the bits together they're still in a straight line. If you put pencil leads (the sort they sell for propelling pencils) through the tubes you can keep them lined up while you solder them. The other thing to use is thin wire covered in cooking oil, the solder won't stick to it and the tubes stay lined up.
Didi

[Dennis]

Hi Pat,
If you have looked at Nancy's video, you will know that her hinge is for joining two flat units of a bracelet. She does show how to paint antiflux (tippex) on the knuckles and make small bevels to hold back the flow of solder, although I would use even less solder. You can always separate the parts afterwards and add a little more solder if required. If you need to do this it helps to put put a pencil lead into the twin knuckles first.
Pencil leads come in various sizes upto 1.0mm and you can even split a wooden pencil for this.

Now when you come to a hollow locket and use the jointing file, you will most likely end up with a gap and not enough metal to solder knuckles to. Hence James has shown a bearer wire split between the to halves to give a more solid base for the hinge. This can also be made from a half piece (lengthwise) of tubing to match your file, soldered into both parts glued together with superglue and then cut through to separate them again . This leaves each half of the locket with a quarter tube for the bearer.

In the locket I made below I added an inner flat rim, which gave me enough solid metal to add the knuckles without a further bearer. You will see that although I tried hard the result is not that even. Dennis.

[Patstone]

I watched the video but as I could guess the basic principle, the one I am trying to do is on a circular domed item and although its the same principle, I filed a section around 2cm long on the round so it has a flat side where the hinge is to go, but the domed bits have to have a rim inside to hold the catch on the opening side, so there is nothing to hold the tube unless I hammer it flat where the hinge is to go (if that makes sense).

[Dennis]

there is nothing to hold the tube unless I hammer it flat where the hinge is to go (if that makes sense).

No, that is the point of the bearer. You file to make room for a hollowed rectangular wire or a half tube and solder it in with the locket super glued together. Then cut through, so they are separate again.

[Patstone]

so does the bearer sit inside the locket, I feel so stupid, as normally practically I am quite good, can lay my hands to most things, not all well mind you, but can do a bit of plumbing, woodwork and electricals, just basic stuff but useful none the less. Its surprising what you can learn if you have to, lived on my own for fifteen years, wasnt going down the married line again, and had very little money to do things, ended up buying a house that has been neglected for a long time, so got my tools and had a go. Ended up getting married again but to someone who cant do DIY so its still useful. Saying all that, I just cant get my head around this one.

No, that is the point of the bearer. You file to make room for a hollowed rectangular wire or a half tube and solder it in with the locket super glued together. Then cut through, so they are separate again.

[Goldsmith]

Yes the bearer is soldered inside the locket, if you look at my sketch (A) I coloured the bearer wire that was soldered in place red, a section like this is soldered into each half of the locket to give a nice thick area to be able to file the grooves to hold the hinge tubes. This is easier to show than explain. To hold the bearer wire in place while soldering, I use one of my small stainless steel soldering clamps. We call these hinges hidden joints as they do not show when the locket is closed, allowing the locket to retain it's original shape. In some cases the bearer wire can be soldered to the outside of the locket shapes, making the joint tubes visible, this method is used when you want a hinge that has 5,7 or even more tubes on the hinge/joint.

James

[Jazzy]

Hi James / dennis,

Didn't get the bearer initially, now I understand I'm impressed.

Thank you

[Goldsmith]

I had a look through my old boxes of bits and found this example of a simple three tube hinge, I think it was going to be a cherry and I was not satisfied with my hinge effort, so I re made it. But not being finished this was easy to photograph and perhaps show the hinge in detail. The filing of the tubes to shape is done after they are soldered in place.

James

[trialuser]

That make it easier to understand thanks - a picture speaks a thousand etc.
It was the terminology which threw me, bearer wire - I pictured a length of wire.
I'll think of it as a reinforcing fillet.
Cheers

[Patstone]

That makes it very clear James, thank you. My locket had a thin disc inside around the perimeter (I copied my daughters shop bought one originally, until she lost it) and it had a small hole opposite the hinge to close it shut. Just out of interest how would you close yours. Just out of interest what do you call the round files that are the same size all the way down please, not sure what to ask for.