To use a piano hinge, you don't need to own a piano. This type of hinge may have been invented for, and appears most frequently as, the hardware attaching the piano's lid to its body. C-media usb headphone set driver windows 7. But, the long solid brackets, close-spaced fasteners and sturdy construction make it ideal as a secure hinge for all kinds of projects where the weight of wood or reliable repeated use are considerations. Piano hinges work well for bifold doors and hinged tables or counters. Follow the steps below to install a piano hinge, whether as part of restoring a piano or building another project.
Measure piano lid for hinge. Open hinge and lay it flat on cabinet edge, with rounded hinge section just over the edge. Mark screw holes with pencil. Double-check alignment by closing hinge and placing lid on top--rounded hinge should show evenly between cabinet and lid (like a sandwich).

Lay lid flat (inner side up) and place hinge on lid. Mark holes to be drilled with pencil. Drill holes and attach hinge with screws to lid. Make screws fast but save final turn until you have attached the lid to the cabinet. Drill holes in cabinet edge. Summon your other set(s) of hands--this is not a one-person job. You have very little tolerance for unexpected movement at this point because your screw-holes are drilled into narrow pieces of wood.
INSTALLING PIANO HINGES ON COWLINGS Attaching a piano hinge to the inside of a cowling can be a tricky operation because the alignment of both halves of the hinge is so critical. Do not put any lubricant on a hinge pin until after the cowling has been painted.
Have helper(s) hold lid/hinge assembly still while you insert screws. Insert first screws at each end of hinge, then work toward the middle. Check lid/cabinet alignment, then do final tightening on all screws. Lay door panels flat. Remember any outside/inside issues you may have when laying out panels. For example, your door is blue on the side facing the living room and white on the side facing the den.
When you open the door from the living room, you want it to fold inward into the bedroom. You will therefore be attaching the hinge with screws to the white side of the door. The blue sides will fold in toward each other and the door itself will fold in toward the bedroom.
Line up panels, leaving just enough room between them to insert the rounded part of the hinge. Mark holes on both panels, drill and attach screws. Your door is now ready to be mounted with conventional door hinges. Use the piano-lid method for mounting a folding shelf, desk or counter (that is, attach the hinge strip to the item first, then to the wall--round up your second set of hands, if needed, to hold things still while you attach). Remember, when installing your hinge, which way you want your shelf to fold--it's easy to get mixed up. In general, when the shelf is closed/folded up, all you should see is the hinge-ridge; when it's open/down, you should see the whole strip. Others disagree.
The important point is to attach the hinge so that your shelf opens and closes the way you want. Test before setting screws.
• Drill • Self-adhesive notepaper (i.e. Post-its) • Package sealing or masking tape • Screws Step-by-step instructions on installing surface-mounted hinges If you like the idea of quick and easy hardware installation, you’ll love using surface-mounted hinges.
There’s no complicated routing and chiseling—just great-looking results in a hurry. Whether repairing an old box or hinging a new one, the steps are the same. Photos by Robert J.
Settich This article originally appeared in Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Choosing and Installing Hardware (2003). The finished product Add spacers and mark centerpoint: If you’re uncomfortable visually aligning the hinge, you can position it with a try square. Drill the pilot holes and drive the screws, but keep checking as you work to make certain that the base and lid remain flush. Repeat the process for the other hinge,and remove the tape and the spacers.
The slightgap at the back of the box ensures that the front of the box will close tightly even when the box changes size due to changes in moisture content. Drill the pilot holes Space and attach the hinge leaf: Make sure that the screw is fully seated in the countersink. Hook the plate over the end of the door, and register the barrel of the hinge against the face of the door. Drill pilot holes, and drive the screws into the holes in the hinge leaf that have the countersinks visible. Move the jig to the carcase, and set a spare hinge atop it and with the barrel against the edge of the carcase.