staple, or snipe hinges

more on the topic.
here is a more proper snipe hing, how to make it:
http://www.finewoodworking.com/2013/10/01/make-your-own-snipe-hinges
Forging them like this will make them stronger and therefore easier to drive through the holes.

Here is another blogger posting on how to install them:
https://pfollansbee.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/setting-gimmals-you-might-know-them-as-snipe-bills/
His orientation of the heads is important.  i'm not so sure about driving the lid onto the hinge, but if this guy does it that way there must be merit.  I'll try it with the next ones I do.

Much of the interwebs thinks these are a colonial american hinge, and while they certainly were used a lot then (or at least, many have survived)  there are also extant examples from english and continental chests.  Here is an English or continental example from 1550's

 This is an English example from 1680's

Here is a 17th c oak frame and panel blanket chest with snipe hinges:

 and a detail of the hinge:

This is an English 6-board chest from 15th-16th c.:

Staple hinges on a Six-Board Chest

These are nice quick utilitarian chests that can be knocked together in a few hours.  Hardware for the box can be an issue however.  Nice blacksmith-made hinges can easily run $45 for a pair, and hinges from the home center are all too modern-looking.  But with a staple-hinge, the materials are about $25 at various lumber yards or home centers.  12 feet of 1x12, a few nails and some wire do the trick.

On this box I compass scribed arches for the feet.  I had the pieces cut to length and sitting on a pile for about 2 years, left over from a previous box class.  Note that the ends are cut away to allow a spot for the sides.  this makes the interior of the box slightly smaller.

For hinges, I went with staple hinges.  These are very easy to make.  Two lengths of wire are bent over and interlaced with each other.  A gimlet, twice the diameter of the wire, is used to wymble the holes for the hinge.  You'll need at least two hinges, more if the lid is long or heavy.

Notice how the wire loops around, and bends back the other way to decend away from the loop.  this helps keep it tight so the hinge action is less floppy, and it looks better against the wood.

Pick a spot for the hinge, not too far from the end, and cut a small notch in the top outside edge of the back, where you want the hinge to be.  

 Then, use the gimlet, or a drill, to make the holes for the hinges.  try to keep this at about a 45 degree angle.

 Drive the hinges into the lid first.  I had a rough time of it as the wire was still rather soft.  I ended up pushing them partly through, then pulling with pliers.

 Then, Mount the other leg of the hinge into the back board of the box.  Bend over the end of the wire, and drive them down into the wood.

 here's what it looks like on the inside:

A hasp can also be made from the same wire, with two staples, one to hold the hasp to the lid, and another in the front for the hasp to hook around.

So there you have a nice wooden box for your medieval stuff.

Wood work

Thanks to miles bowman for some fine mahagony I can make this frame for an hourglass

Tree seeds

From left to right
Cherry
Peach
Plum
Hazel
Pawpaw

Flood

Rained 29th oct all day and night, into the 30th. Medium flood level, not to the garden

A great lot of weeding

A great lot of weeding today. A out half the garden is empty. The garlic failed, among other disappointments. The leeks are doing well an considerably tastier than the ones from the market. Tomatoes are finally getting good, bu as they are a new world crop, we won't talk about them.

Weeding and mulching

Hot today. In the garden are: garlick zucchini tomatoes calendula nasturtium leek

Repotting houseplants

With my motherinlaw

Cleaning up the asparagus bed

Before and after

Chest

Probably the last woodworking project for the summer, the garden needs attention.

First of this sort of chest. You might have seen it, partially assembled, at Birka. A very interesting build, lots of hand cut mortises. didnt want to invest in a plank for the lid, so using a piece of plywood to get the mechanics of the lid down. There's a few flaws. The lid hinge pins aren't quite lined up, and the back bows a little, enough to interfere with the lid. Really need meatier planks back there. Relish is fine on hot dogs, not in woodworking. And it's not square so it doesn't sit flat. Not that big a deal because the floor isn't very flat either. A real problem though is the bottom panels tend to drop out. They are half-lapped onto each other, but one of them reverses the half-lap so it can come out. I'm not sure if they are too short or I the sides bow out too much.

Pollard

Spring is finally here, the daffodils tell me so. So do the forsythia and early azalea, but as they are not period, we won't mention them here. Time to cut the pollard tree. An added bonus is a copious amount if sticks to use in the garden.

Before, after, and sticks

Drill press

Drill press

New table saw

Here is the new (to me) table saw, Delta 10" contractors saw. First purchased by my uncle, then from him to my father, and then to me. There's a bunch of it that isn't set up in my shop due to the tight quarters.

All set up and ready to trim the feet for the list posts

Posts for the fighting listfields

So there have been a number of setbacks which have seemed rather daunting. But there has been a great deal of progress made. All the posts are to size, and the feet are about 3/4 done.

Not having enough to do...

A project. You know you want in on this action!

Hutch - nearing completion

So the hutch is mostly assembled. Very little glue used, as most of the joins are across grain. All that remains is the lid. At 15.5 inches wide, it will take more than an ordinary plank. As the pin hinges aren't really working right, I may tack on a piece of plywood first, to see if it will work, rather than risk ruining a good board of that width.

Hutch- fitting the bottom

Each board is trimmed to fit in the groove only where it needs to be, middle has full thickness

Chest

On the right side, the central post is in two pieces. On the other side, it is one piece.

And here's a nice bone-headed move. Wonder why these nails aren't holding...