Author Topic: OT: cabinet hinges  (Read 1562 times)

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Offline Alex EisenhutTopic starter

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OT: cabinet hinges
« on: March 31, 2021, 04:16:21 am »
This morning I opened my kitchen cabinet to get the cat food and I heard a loud snapping sound. Then the door didn't close by itself anymore.
It's a double door articulated at 90 degrees. So I looked at the hinge mechanism and saw a broken spring in the housing.
No big deal, said I naively.

Turns out there's more types and variations and sub-revisions of these hinges than there are particles at CERN. RF connectors look basic compared to the variety of hinges.

It's nuts.

It's branded Hettich. There are numbers stamped on each sub-part of the hinge which I would have figured are part numbers, but nope, no luck.

I've emailed them, no reply yet. I've dug through their clunky website and didn't find a hinge that looks like this.

The prices I've seen on American Home Depot are not bad, but Canadian Home Depot doesn't carry Hettich.

Trying to find a replacement torsion spring is hard, there's nothing out there shaped like that.

Has anyone ever done cabinet work? What do you do when you need to replace hinges? Do they have some sort of warranty?

It irks me that a simple broken spring means replacing an entire mechanism, this is a right to repair thing IMO. There are 26 hinges just in the kitchen and it seems that they're going to start popping one after the other now...
Hoarder of 8-bit Commodore relics and 1960s Tektronix 500-series stuff. Unconventional interior decorator.
 

Offline Dubbie

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2021, 08:41:28 am »
Your local hardware store should carry concealed cabinet hinges.
It looks like you need the "inset" type.
You should be able to buy a replacement for $10-20
Common brands here are Hafele and Blum. I don't know about where you are.
I would think it would be pretty pointless to replace just the spring. Sourcing it would be extremely difficult and then fitting it also difficult. Not much point when a new unit is so affordable.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2021, 08:44:16 am by Dubbie »
 

Offline Ed.Kloonk

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Offline Alex EisenhutTopic starter

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2021, 04:28:38 pm »
They are under warranty, hurray for me!
Hoarder of 8-bit Commodore relics and 1960s Tektronix 500-series stuff. Unconventional interior decorator.
 

Offline Bassman59

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2021, 04:58:03 pm »
This is the same hinge on my kitchen cabinets. A local maker built the cabinets and he specifically chose the hinges because "they're available at the local Home Depot."

Except ... not any more (15 years later)!

There are hinges which are close, but not an exact match.
 

Offline Dubbie

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2021, 08:12:46 pm »
Bassman, what part is not an exact match? The hole pattern?
If so, you can fill the existing holes with epoxy filler and drill new holes.
 

Offline Brumby

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2021, 11:41:52 pm »
Turns out there's more types and variations and sub-revisions of these hinges than there are particles at CERN. RF connectors look basic compared to the variety of hinges.
It's the same here in Oz.

5 years ago I had a look for some replacement hinges to some kitchen cupboards that were getting old.  They are still in place and getting older.
 

Offline Muttley Snickers

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2021, 12:22:38 am »
A tip for Alex.   :-/O

You could simply leave that container of peanuts out on the counter top, then you wouldn't need to open the cupboard door as often thus saving the hinges from excessive wear.   ;D
 

Offline coppice

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2021, 12:51:44 am »
In the hinges I've seen fail with age its not the spring that fails. Its the small plastic bit that supports the end of the spring that becomes brittle and fails. Although there are multiple mounting hole positions for different models of hinge they usually fall into one of maybe 3 or 4 sets of dimensions. The big hole that is drilled into the door is generally the same size. So, its usually possible to find an alternative that will simply fit into the existing holes
 

Offline floobydust

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #9 on: April 01, 2021, 02:11:04 am »
What is the Hettich warranty? Blum also makes cabinet hinges with lifetime warranty but charge a $12 processing fee, for a spring ouch.
Home Depot is carrying "Everbilt" which are cheaper stamped steel, not cast.

These hinges are some kind of German space technology, hydraulic dampers and 100's of configurations I hate choosing a model and aligning it.
 

Online tautech

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #10 on: April 01, 2021, 02:25:50 am »
Hettich make good stuff but you might need to check a specialist cabinetry or marine fitout store for them.
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Offline Alex EisenhutTopic starter

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #11 on: April 01, 2021, 02:51:10 am »
A tip for Alex.   :-/O

You could simply leave that container of peanuts out on the counter top, then you wouldn't need to open the cupboard door as often thus saving the hinges from excessive wear.   ;D

I could also clean the countertop but that's not happening either...  >:D

Those are Sichuan spicy peanuts BTW, highly recommended.
Hoarder of 8-bit Commodore relics and 1960s Tektronix 500-series stuff. Unconventional interior decorator.
 

Offline coppice

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #12 on: April 01, 2021, 03:04:51 pm »
What is the Hettich warranty? Blum also makes cabinet hinges with lifetime warranty but charge a $12 processing fee, for a spring ouch.
Blum hinges are very good, but they only last a lifetime if you die at 30.
 

Offline Alex EisenhutTopic starter

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Re: OT: cabinet hinges
« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2021, 05:28:39 pm »
Yeah my cabinets are a mixed-hinge design apparently, Hettich for the weird ones, Blum for the cushioned ones.
I'm simply going to swap the most used Blums with the least used ones, seeing how much trouble it is to get the exact right part numbers.
Hoarder of 8-bit Commodore relics and 1960s Tektronix 500-series stuff. Unconventional interior decorator.
 


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