Magnetic strip is out because the lids and frames are fiberglass.

I looked a several overcenter ideas but they all had major drawbacks. First
they are hard to clean which is not good inside a refrigerator. Second,
they have no damp0ing so the light weight lids will either slam shut or fly
open. But mainly to get any significant closing force and still be long
enough to open the lid fully the lid pivot has to be way down in the frige
wasting a lot of space and increasing the possibility that something will
catch and jam it.

Gas springs are just neater and more effective. The down side is they cost
$50 a set and the force can't be adjusted after they are filled. That means
they have to be right the first time.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"carl mciver" wrote in message
k.net...

Regular fridges have magnetic tape inside the seal to ensure no
leakage.
I was thinking that you might work with an overcenter idea on the lid.
Cabinet shops and other woodworking sources will have nice hardware just
for
this. If you locate the pivots in the right spot, it will overcenter in
the
closed position to hold closed and again in the open and full up position.
I think that if you had the pivot of the spring to the side of the box, at
about a 45 degree angle relative to the centerline of the hinge it'll
overcenter at both ends, assuming you also mount the other end on the side
of the lid. Lower pressure spring, too.