Screwing piano hinge into 18mm ply

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by gongoozler, Dec 3, 2018.

  1. gongoozler

    gongoozler New Member

    Hi,

    I am trying to join two sheets of 18mm hardwood ply together with a 6' piano hinge for a sofabed. There are about 30 ~3.5mm holes on each side of the hinge for some sort of screw.

    I was wondering how best to attach the hinge. My thoughts were to use 3x16mm screws (eg https://www.screwfix.com/p/turbogol...k-multipurpose-screws-3-x-16mm-200-pack/16957) - though I'm not sure if this is the best option.

    Any thoughts would be much appreciated
     
  2. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    That should be fine, I presume you're butting the 2 sheets together and laying the piano hinge on top.
     
  3. gongoozler

    gongoozler New Member

    Exactly, then they will sit on top of a box with storage underneath. Thanks for the quick response
     
  4. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    I would use spruce ply though, it's lighter.
     
  5. gongoozler

    gongoozler New Member

    It's too late for that unfortunately!
     
  6. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    No problems.
     
  7. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

  8. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

  9. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    Even allowing for the thickness of the hinge itself?

    Cando
     
  10. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    Piano hinge is well thin, I doubt you'd get away with it.
     
  11. gongoozler

    gongoozler New Member

    Yeah the hinge is about 0.5mm

    While we're here, I'm planning to screw and glue some other sheets of 18mm ply to 44mm birch legs to make the box underneath. I was thinking regular wood glue, but that I would need a fine rather than coarse screw as it's going into hardwood - is this right? And also, what length of screw would be suitable for this?

    I heard a rule of thumb that was along the lines of 1.5x the length of what you're screwing through...
     
  12. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    Ahhh! I stand corrected!
    Cando
     
  13. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    Just use soft wood 44x44 legs, if you've bought Birch then take it back or burn it, you will regret using it if you do.
    Use 45/50 x 4 screws, countersink the heads, PVA if you like.
     
  14. gongoozler

    gongoozler New Member

    Ah ok, I was sold them as being the best for the job - what's the problem with it?

    I'll see if they have anything different in any case. Thanks
     
  15. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    Birch legs, so hard you won't get a screw into it, Buy some 44x44 from Wickes or B&Q.
     
  16. Pollowick

    Pollowick Screwfix Select

    KIAB likes this.
  17. KEVIN NAIRN

    KEVIN NAIRN Member

    When I was in shopfitting, we used a special technique to screw thin hinges or metal to wood: drill a CSK hole in hardwood or steel, place the hole of the hinge over the CSK (or drill pilot holes in the sheet metal and place over the hole) get a big centre punch and hammer the thin sheet into the CSK. This is known as "coining" you will need to CSK the ply to allow for the coined metal to be let into the surface. If done carefully, you can get a flush surface. By the way, Screwfix turbogold screws are pretty good, I use 1000s of them. Maybe not the best quality, but ok for most jobs (like screwing floorboards to joists with 5mm x 50mm). Kevin
     
    chippie244 likes this.
  18. KEVIN NAIRN

    KEVIN NAIRN Member

    The point being that you can't CSK thin metal. you'll just make a big hole. I will up load a picture of some thin steel angle "coined" so that the screwheads are flush or slightly below the surface.
     

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