Many home craftsmen prefer to make furniture with their own hands. A cabinet or stool assembled in a garage is sometimes in no way inferior in quality to a factory-made product. If the master has the tools and skills, of course.
Moreover, homemade furniture is much cheaper. A sheet of laminated chipboard is relatively inexpensive. With proper sawing, you can make a cabinet and several stools, and maybe more, from one blade. The only question is the size.
But to make furniture, in addition to the above-mentioned skills and tools, you also need special equipment. Various types of conductors and templates for marking, which greatly facilitate the work.
For example, in order to install hinges when assembling cabinet fronts, it is necessary to make the most accurate markings for the strike plates and hinge cups. That's what a template is for. It can, of course, be purchased in a store or online. But in small towns or villages, due to the remoteness, purchasing such devices is very difficult.
Marking for loop
An important part of the correct installation of any furniture hinges is, of course, the most accurate markings. If it is done poorly, it will certainly affect the functionality of the door.
The correct markings for furniture hinges will help you find the right center to make the recesses.
You need to “move away” 7-12 centimeters from the edge. The number of hinges is standard two, but it can vary depending on the type of furniture. It is necessary to maintain a specific distance between the loops. It is equal to fifty centimeters. The door parameters depend specifically on the number of canopies.
When you have finally decided on the quantity and all the necessary dimensions of furniture hinges have been installed, you can mark the central holes in relation to the width of the door. The distance from the side should be approximately two centimeters. It is also impossible not to take into account that the fastening should not be placed where the shelves in the closet or cabinet should be.
After taking all the necessary measurements, make notes. Remembering to respect the width spacing, mark the placement point. At the intersection of these marks, you need to make a “hole” with a nail or a self-tapping screw. If the facade is higher than a meter, make notes every half meter.
For more precise marking, you can use a special template called.
Drilling furniture templates and jigs for marking the body
In its simplest design, a furniture jig for marking for confirmation and other connecting fasteners is a flip ruler with holes for drilling holes with a diameter of 5 mm in increments of 32 mm.
Moreover, in confirmed joints, a distance from the edge of 37mm is absolutely not critical. Many furniture makers also retreat 32mm to add holes for assembly. In kitchen furniture you can find a gap of 50mm. But all subsequent holes are made in 32mm increments.
For kitchen and other modular furniture with identical sidewalls of a “mirror” assembly, to speed up the assembly process, it is important to make additive cards in such a way that they are absolutely symmetrical in terms of fasteners. And the master did not have to “throw” the part. System 32 with the same distance from the edge for through holes on both sides contributes to this.
Adjustment
Adjustment (or adjustment) is the final stage of installation of furniture hinges. It must be performed in several planes at once - vertically, horizontally, and in relation to depth:
- Adjusting the depth will help press the door closer to the body, or ease the pressure. You need to tighten the oval hole.
- On the vertical side - it will help to move the facade. This is done by twisting oval-shaped holes.
- On the horizontal side - ensures free movement of the door back and forth and back. The purpose of this adjustment is to avoid gaps between the cabinet and the door. The method is great for rooms with uneven floors or walls.
Now you know how to secure furniture hinges. As you can see, this is not so difficult to do. You don't need to have any special skills or abilities. Doing this kind of work with your own hands will be another reason for a little pride.
Other types of loops
So, all types of loops can be classified in different ways. Thus, there are different types according to design, purpose, method of fixation and application. In general, there are several dozen types of furniture hinges, some are more common, some are less common, but almost all find application in various types of furniture designs. In addition to four-hinged hinges, let's look at a few more variations of hinges that may be encountered by furniture assemblers or people who have bought new interior items and decided to assemble them themselves.
Card loop
Card loops are considered the oldest. Their ancestor is a forged hinged hinge with a long overlay. Outwardly, they resemble an ordinary door hinge, only slightly smaller in size. The design consists of two metal strips connected in parallel using a thin rod that acts as a hinge. Nowadays they are rarely used, but are indispensable in the manufacture of retro-style furniture.
Butterfly door hinges
Pendulum type hinges or bar hinges make it possible to open the door 180 degrees. What happens is something similar to how the doors open at the entrance to a saloon in old westerns.
Bar loop
Mezzanine hinge structures are designed to attach horizontally oriented doors that will open upward. The hinges have a spring mechanism and also allow you to fix the door when open. They resemble ordinary overhead variations of loops.
Mezzanine hinge MK01
Ombre structures are used for so-called hinged doors. They will be mounted on both ends of the cabinet and do not require insertion, but may require minor milling (up to 2 mm). Then the sash can be opened 180 degrees. This is an ideal hinge for a folding table.
Hinge for folding elements
Secretory structures are similar to the card ones described above; they have an axial hinge and plates. They make it possible to open the façade downwards and keep it in a horizontal position. They can be accompanied by a special bracket that provides a supporting function. Usually installed in those cabinets where a bar is provided.
Secretory loops
Blind hinges, otherwise called adit hinges, are used for doors on the side of the cabinet that is adjacent to the wall. They can be used to attach the door to the false panel.
Gallery hinges
Heel products are extremely rarely used because they are designed only for lightweight doors. But they can be installed on facades with any type of opening. Installation is carried out in the lower and upper parts of the sash.
Heel loops for furniture
There are special hinges for glass sashes. They also come in different types, but their advantage is that they can withstand significant loads, and they look very beautiful.
Glass hinge
And relatively recently, hinges with 8 hinges, eight-hinged, appeared on sale. To install them, you do not need to resort to milling or cutting. This is an improved variation of the usual four-joint hinge. True, they are more difficult to install, and therefore, despite the absence of the need to carry out any preparation, such loops are rarely used.
8-joint hinge
Making your own template
Making a template for furniture hinges with your own hands follows a clear plan
It is important to follow the sequence of steps. If you follow all the rules, then there will be no difficulties in the process.
Stages of developing a template for loops:
- Selection and preparation of materials;
- Preparation of necessary tools;
- Development of template details;
- Final assembly of all elements.
Paper template for download
- To create a template yourself, you need to print a sample.
- According to its dimensions, make a blank from solid material, plastic or wood
- Attach the paper template to the workpiece
This is what should happen
To create a workpiece you will need to take a drill, router, hammer, jigsaw. You will also need tools for drawing markings. First you need to make a base. The optimal dimensions are 19x38 cm. A hole measuring 13.5x7 cm should be made in the center. The edges should be smooth. A router will help with this.
Bolts need to be placed on the workpiece
It is important to maintain symmetry relative to the width of the base. The bolts must be deepened into the structure so that they do not interfere with further manipulations
The hole is made wider than the connecting elements and additionally driven in using a hammer.
It is necessary to retreat 7 mm from the 13.5x7 cm holes and make small notches. Around an element with dimensions of 37.5x7 cm, notches are made on one side at a distance of 30 cm from each other.
A homemade template requires a holder measuring 2x5 cm and a length of 5.8 cm. You will need to install a limiter on one of the sides, which looks like a small block. This element will not allow the distance to shift when installing the facade.
Then all parts of the template are attached. Washers are installed under the bolts and nuts. This element increases the durability of the template. The manufacturing process does not require special skills or knowledge. It is enough to familiarize yourself in detail with the template development scheme.
Selection of materials for work
For the template, you can use plywood, chipboard or MDF. More durable structures are made of plexiglass and metal. You can take several materials for one template. So you can use chipboard for the base, and make the guides from a more durable material. It is easier to work with wood, as it is easier to process than glass and metal.
Required connecting elements:
- Bolts. You will need 6 pieces with a thickness of 6 mm and a length of 30 mm. To fix the connecting element, you need to have a 10 key.
- Nuts. Need 6 pieces. The main requirement for the element is convenient adjustment. Wing nuts are most often used.
- Washers. Their diameter should be 6 mm.
- Self-tapping screws. They are selected depending on the thickness of the remaining connecting parts.
Furniture template for overhead hinges
The hinge template is designed to simplify the process of installing facades; it is often called a hinge jig. To use the sample, you do not need to have any special skills or knowledge. First you need to mark the location for the center of the fastener. Then the template is applied. Its nose should coincide with the applied mark.
Next you need to mark the hole for the strip. This can be done with a marker or a self-tapping screw. Then the template is applied so that its nose coincides with this mark. Next, the place for attaching the bowl is marked. Using a cutter, make a hole for the internal hinges. Self-tapping screws are used to secure the fittings.
Features of working with the template:
- The sample is made of durable materials, but it must be treated with care. For this reason, drilling through a template is prohibited. This may reduce the life of the product.
- When marking, be sure to step back 1.1-1.2 cm from the edge.
- Hinges from different manufacturers may have slight differences in size - the spacing between the centers of the screws. Then the template is used to determine the location for the cup. This hole is universal for all fasteners.
The number of hinges depends on the dimensions of the doors. The cutters are selected depending on the façade material. It is recommended to use reinforced self-tapping screws for fastening. During operation, the risk of damage to the fittings is reduced.
Description
A furniture jig is a special template tool that is often used by specialists in small and large enterprises to mark drilling points on products and, in some cases, also ensures that the drill fits straight into the material. Depending on the needs of the master, conductors can be either factory-made or self-made. Most often they take the form of a metal template with sleeves for the hole and marking the distance between them. The main advantage of using a furniture jig is that specialists spend less time taking measurements and making markings for drilling.
Using it, you can quickly mark the necessary points on the product blanks, and then make their high-quality connection using different fastening methods. The scope of its application is quite wide, but most often it is used for quick insertion of standard furniture hinges. The device may vary in appearance and markings on the template depending on its intended purpose and operating conditions. For example, a jig for furniture hinges in the production of doors will differ significantly in appearance from a jig that is used to fasten massive furniture doors.
Universal furniture jig for drilling
In terms of functionality, it combines the two previous devices, since it can adapt to marking with drills of different diameters, and the ruler allows you to set any desired distance from the edge and pitch. It is used both for drilling the front surface of parts and the end.
Well-known manufacturers of furniture jigs include Cheron, Kreg and Wolfcraft. Before choosing any model, we recommend comparing prices, quality and functionality with smaller manufacturers and suppliers of furniture components Blum, Hettich and others. Often the optimal price-quality ratio, and even with a guarantee, can be found where it seems that “everything is expensive.” Do not exclude this possibility for yourself and consider all possible options. After all, a furniture jig can serve faithfully for many years, helping to speed up production processes without losing the quality and accuracy of making furniture with your own hands.
Drilling holes
Installation is carried out with all the rules:
The depth of the hole for the furniture hinge should be about thirteen millimeters. If possible, the insertion of furniture hinges should not be deeper, otherwise the front side of the canvas may crack; The diameter of the hole depends strictly on the cup of the loop
Tools must be completely aligned with their axis to prevent damage to the surface; A sharpened cutter will help protect the blade from damage and chips; Do not rush while drilling, otherwise there is a risk of doing it sloppily; It is worth paying attention to the dimensions of the cups and their dimensions when installing furniture hinges;
Having drilled one hole, proceed to the next and so on until all the holes for laying the hinges are prepared.
What tools should I use for this?
The bowl must be secured to the facade, and the bar to the body of the bedside table. The furniture hinge must be inserted into the hole, which must be made in advance. The shoulder of the loop becomes a kind of bridge, now connecting both parts. To make holes for such loops, you need to prepare the following tools:
- screwdriver or drill;
- special drill-mill;
The diameter of the cutter for the hole for a furniture hinge is 35 millimeters or 25-26mm. It is selected depending on the size of the loop cups. To create holes for such hinges, you can also use a simple drill.
A multifunctional drill, with attachments that are easy to replace, is quite suitable for such work.
The middle spike must be installed in the center of the circle, outlined using a specially prepared caliber. Automatic calibration is used on the corresponding machines, but at home the master cannot do without a specialized electric tool.
During installation, hinges require a high level of care and precision. The chance to complete exactly the required niche is the most important advantage of the so-called Forstner drill. It can provide a stop that will prevent you from penetrating further than required. And the teeth of the drill do not allow it to deviate from the intended “course”. The end result is an almost perfect hole. And due to this, the cup fits into the recess quite tightly.
But the above-mentioned drill also has one significant drawback, which manifests itself when working with a solid piece of wood. This is low quality, which is to be expected if the instrument was not made in a factory. This is why you should choose tools exclusively from official companies. And, of course, don’t forget about warranty cards.
Depending on the type of panel you are working with, the cutter can get quite hot. Due to this, it can burn the edges and wood that is removed from the recess. That is why, when working with such a foundation, you should not forget about breaks in work. So that the drills have time to cool down at least a little. Working in three to four sets will be ideal.
Particular attention should be paid to breaks when working with MDF sheets. If the activity is carried out with chipboard sheets, parts made of strong alloys will be able to make recesses for hinges really quickly and without much stress
Fastening rules
Most often, no preparation is needed to connect parts made of wood using self-tapping screws - the screws can be screwed into the part without drilling a hole. For these purposes, use a Phillips screwdriver or screwdriver. You need to act smoothly and carefully, especially when working with oxidized screws (they are considered the most brittle).
The tool should be kept strictly in line with the screwing hardware. You should not try to screw the fastener into the knot - despite the fact that these are the densest areas, such fastening will be considered ineffective. If you plan to screw screws into high-density natural wood, it is recommended to pre-lubricate the hardware with laundry soap. It will act as a lubricant and ensure easier insertion of the fastener into the material.
It is worth considering that the screw should not go through the 2 structures being connected.
Before drilling, you need to apply markings, and then make a hole in the main part measuring 0.8 times the diameter of the screw. The depth of the hole must correspond to the screw-in base of the hardware. If the fasteners are thin, you can use an awl.
When drilling soft lumber, it is also possible to make holes by hand. To work with hard materials, drill a hole that matches the profile of the screw-in fastener. To make a recess you need a drill and a drill. It is best to use a countersink.
After the preparatory work, the screw is inserted into the hole. It must be strengthened in the material by twisting it clockwise with a screwdriver. In this case, the correct selection of hand tools is important. If you take a screwdriver that does not match the size, there is a high risk of damaging the slot on the head - in this case, it will be impossible to tighten the fastener. You can also fasten screws using electric or pneumatic screwdrivers. Their use makes work easier and speeds up the assembly process.
The final stage is installing stickers or plugs on the fastener heads. Such accessories are sold in a wide range of colors. Their main task is to camouflage fasteners. Thanks to the use of stickers, you can increase the aesthetics of finished furniture.
For more information on screws and self-tapping screws, see below.
Classification of conductors
The main function of jigs is to ensure straightness in drilling wooden surfaces throughout the entire depth of the hole. Such devices are used quite often in metal processing and, as a rule, are supplied directly with the machine. Due to the need to create such holes in furniture production in large quantities, such devices are in great demand among craftsmen.
There are the following types of conductors:
Invoices. This type does not require fixation before starting work. They are practical and simple, but they should only be used with one hand unless the drill is mounted on a special stand. You can make such a conductor yourself easily and simply, but it must be used in chipboards.- Rotary. With their help, you can make two holes in planes that are adjacent to each other. This operation is performed thanks to a folding bracket.
- Jig for drilling holes at an angle. This option is used in highly specialized industries. It can be used to drill holes at an angle. Sometimes used in conjunction with slip-on conductors.
- Sliding. They are designed to drill holes in multiple locations while keeping the original settings the same. They are mainly used by professionals and require little experience to operate successfully.
If the jig has sufficient rigidity, then it can be used not only on flat planes, but also for curved pipes, etc. In this case, it is secured with a clamp. But under no circumstances should it be used for fastening on wooden surfaces, as it can damage the furniture. You can buy it in a store, or you can also make it yourself.
The jig is in fact a template for making holes, with the help of which such work can be done with maximum accuracy. Due to the simplicity of the structure, they are often used not only in the areas of furniture production. In particular, they are actively used in the field of mechanical engineering for drilling holes in various workpieces, etc. We should not forget about the furniture industry, where such a device is used for various needs when assembling furniture fittings.
