On 2008-05-12 20:46:11 +0100, Rod said:

Lobster wrote:
I'm bought some concealed (Euro?) hinges from Screwfix for the doors of
a row of bathroom units I'm making:
http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;jsessionid=2QAWLRQQVY30OCSTHZOSFFY?_dync harset=UTF-8&fh_search=19361+&x=10&y=8

Now,

I've fitted these things from scratch in the past, but I now can't
figure out how the hell to do it! Must be getting old :-(

Which component do you fit first - frame or door ? - and how do you get
the positioning correct? There's no info that came with mine to give
any inkling, and Google is unfriendly on the matter today.


David,

I bought one of these:

http://www.isaaclord.co.uk/productDetail.aspx?product=3113&subCat=000

Yes, well worth it to get the precise positioning/


Decide on position for door part (critical to get door edge to hole
spacing right - depends on material thicknesses). I think most of mine
have had centres 100mm up or down from door edge and a gap of something
like 3 to 5 mm from edge of door to edge of hole. (Need to check that.)

It also depends slightly on the model of hinge.

The hole needs to be drilled with a proper hinge cutter - not any old
Forstner bit. Otherwise there is a risk of the locating point
breaking through the material when the ole has reached the required
depth. I use a scrap of the frame material and set the whole thing
up on the drill press.



Fit the door parts of the hinges. (I usually smear some PVA inside the
35mm holes and let them dry before fitting the hinges themselves.) Put
both hinges into their holes and use a long straight edge to make sure
they align with each other. Screw into place.

Place door alongside main cupboard. Mark exact position of hinges.
Using template (above) you can mark both sides of the hinge or the
midpoint.

Used template to mark and/or make holes for screws. (Or laboriously
measure, check, measure, check and eventually mark and drill.)

Fit the cupboard parts.

Assemble. (With the Clip Top this is just snapping them into place -
none of this hold in place and tighten an awkward screw.)

I have now fitted Lama and FGV (and probably other) hinges. Mostly in
kit furniture but also in new work. My conclusion? Pay double. Get Blum
lay-on Clip Top hinges. Get the Blumotion soft close mechanism (shown
on that page) - one per door should suffice. Makes the cheapos supplied
by Wickes/B&Q/etc. look the cheap tat they are.

http://www.blum.com/gb/en/01/20/10/index.php

Reasons:
Quality of design and manufacture.
Ease of fitting and adjustment. Mostly just turning a screw - whereas
many others you have to undo a screw, adjust, tighten - repeatedly.
Availability of fitting template (cheap too!).
Availability of fitting details.
Available in an extraordinary range of wide opening and special versions.
Best soft close I have ever used.
Pretty good web site with lots of info. - when you work out how it is
structured.

The only negative I can come up with is price. (See Andy Hall's posts
passim. :-) )

"The quality remains long after the price is forgotten!"

Disclaimer: I do not have any shares in Blum. :-)

I've used exactly the same parts on my cloakroom cupboards as well as
other projects. The price of Blum stuff is more than that of the
cheap generics, but is virtually zero in the context of a complete
project or the time taken in making a new door.

It's also worth getting a copy of the Blum catalogue. Isaac Lord
will provide one on request, a well produced hardback book.