RBrown Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Iv got an oprotunity to make some strap henges for one of the historic houses i have started demoing at. They have built a new building and they have receved some complants becuase the door and window shutter hardware was just normal hardware store items. So one of the board members aproched me last weekend and was asking about strap henges and door hardware. I have not made any strap henges but i understand the process and how to make them. my problem is figuring stock size for handeling the job is there a good rule of thumb for determinging how long and wide i would want to make the henges to one work properly and bare the weight of the door or shutter and be proportional to look nice. i have to go down there some time soon and get some meshurments to i can start figuring the amount of stock to do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 no real hard fast rule but what looks good .. usually strap hinges are much stringer than they need to be for a particular job i would use 1 1/2 by 3/16 strap iron for door hinges and 1x 1/8 strap for shutters have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooseRidge Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Some of the others will need to chime in on this but..... Much of this is from memory of research but I'd recommend a trip to the library or on-line search for examples for the specific time period and style of the restoration project.... The proportions that I have seen do not vary much by time period. (Colonial vs Craftsman vs Victorian, etc...) The weight and span of the door/shutter determines the stock used, the length, and the number of hinges. The width of the door/shutter x 2/3 should be the length of the hinge from the pin. (Example 2' shutter x 2/3 equals 16 inch hinges). This is functional length with at least 2/3 of the original stock useable for drifted holes for screws/nails. Any ornamentation is extra and may require additional holes for support. An addition way to attach the hinge ornamentation is to bend back sharpened sections to use as anchors. Drive into shutter/door with wood/rawhide mallet once attached. The number of holes per hinge seems to be about 1 per 3 or 4 inches. More for wide hinges, usually staggered. The number of hinges is at least two per side, after 4' or 5', a third is added. If extremely heavy, a 4th might be added. All hinges should be same weight of stock, either identical patterns or grouped (top/bottom with middle different, top/bottom with middle two different). The hinges need to carry the full weight of the door/shutter (Plus any ornamentation, locks, hasps, windows, bars, etc...) Number of hinges and size of stock will vary based on weight of door/shutter. The support side of the hinge is also critical as that is what distributes the weight of the total door/shutter/hardware combination. In most cases, the number of support holes in the strap is equaled by the support holes in the support hinge. The shape and size of the anchor position will determine the shape of the hinge plate. My best recommendation would be to find another historic house (same type, style, time period, etc...) in your area and measure the period hardware. Then verify with the interested parties that that is what they want you to make. Pictures and sketches withe dimensions will probably be required.... Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 You may want to be sure the "period hardware" you measure was the original hardware. It may be that several years from now, someone will be measuring YOUR hardware in order to make hinges for THEIR project, because it is "period hardware". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 I use 60% of the door width as the overall length of the hinge.(pretty close to 2/3) For man doors, I use either 1/4 x2 or 3/8 x 2. For barn or garage doors, I use 3/8 x2. I usualy punch square holes for carraige bolts, unless I am also making the bolts. ( I make fake carraige bolts, no square part. Its just not worth it.) If I have to make bolts, I always use 304 s.s. I head them in my 75# mechanical power hammer that I built. I make mostly colonial style hinges, because of my location. Lately, I have been having my hinges color-galvanized(black naturaly). This is a great deal for me and my clients. Last week, 38 hinges, 30" long, hot dipped, epoxy primer, polyurathane top coat, for $214. About $5 a hinge. I can't paint them for that, and I don't like painting anyway. For colonial style restoration jobs, I believe the length of the hinge should be more like 90-95% of door width, as the oldtimers were far too practical, to not use the iron to hold the door together as well as hold it up. A note on installing strap hinges: mount the pintal first. With the strap on the pintal, hold the strap a few degrees above level. mark the pintal holes, bolt the pintal to the door frame. Put he strap back on the pintal. Push the strap against the door, pull the end of the strap down till it is level. mark,drill, bolt etc. You will like how the door stands and swings if you do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 Here's some I had to do for a circa 1755 site: Here's what I was matching: I used 2" x 3/16". 1/4" seemed excessive; 1/8" seemed too flimsy. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 Note that "colonial" depends a lot on where and when. Out here iron was used very sparingly in colonial times as it was shipped over from Spain to Veracruz and then came by donky back all the way up to Santa Fe NM! Check your local area is the best advice and beware of 80 year old colonial revival hardware lurking as original. Also ask them if they want to pony up for real wrought iron like the originals rather then modern mild steel. (Switch over being somewhere between post ACW to around the 1930's) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ornametalsmith Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 Just thought I'd add this to the mix. There is a wonderful book that might be VERY helpful to you regarding the "period" strap hinges. It's "Early American Wrought Iron" by Albert H. Sonn. with 320 plates from drawings by the author. It would be a great resource for anyone interested in "period hardware". IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Southwestern Colonial Ironwork: The Spanish Blacksmithing Tradition (ISBN: 0865346011) for folks in Florida too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Stegmeier Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 The Sorber Collection... book is also excellent sorry I am not a real bibliophile and cannot provide the complete title, author, publisher and ISBN;-) I had to check it out from the IBA libarary along with the Albert Sonn book they both seem to go for over 100$ used if you can find them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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