Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

by **Jst83** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:39 pm

I am switching from regular door hinges to the piano style to give my heavy doors more support. Question, I know Stainless Steel is good for outdoor use and won't rust but I hate the shiny silver. What other choices do I have for piano hinges that aren't bright silver and are outdoor safe?

by **halfdome, Danny** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:07 pm

Jst83 wrote:I am switching from regular door hinges to the piano style to give my heavy doors more support. Question, I know Stainless Steel is good for outdoor use and won't rust but I hate the shiny silver. What other choices do I have for piano hinges that aren't bright silver and are outdoor safe?

If your doors are 1" thick or less Grant Whipp sells aluminum ones that work quite well and arn't shiny like stainless. You could also cover the knuckle of a SS hinge with rubber, I did that on my first TD, helped keep water out.

Danny

by **Jst83** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:12 pm

Does aluminum hold up to the weather? Will it rust, mine lives indoors most of the year other than camping. My doors are thicker than 1"

by **halfdome, Danny** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:54 pm

Jst83 wrote:Does aluminum hold up to the weather? Will it rust, mine lives indoors most of the year other than camping. My doors are thicker than 1"

Aluminum has it's own problems of corrosion but won't rust.
Sounds like Stainless is your best bet or stay with what you have.

Danny

by **madjack** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:11 pm

Scott, only chromed or highly polished stainless is shiny...regular stainless is a greyish color...the SS hinges I used on my first tear, which I got from Austin Hdw were that greyish color...unless they are designated as "bright", "shiny', chromed" or other such words, I think you will find them to be that "greyish" color..........
madjack

p.s I can no longer, in good conscience, recommend Austin Hdw as a supplier...try McMaster or Alegis........MJ

by **halfdome, Danny** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 11:00 pm

madjack wrote:p.s I can no longer, in good conscience, recommend Austin Hdw as a supplier...try McMaster or Alegis........MJ

Inquiring minds want to know why.

Danny

by **Roly Nelson** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:18 am

My 10 dollar, Lowes brass-plated piano hinges have held up very well for the past 6 years on my woody, and they don't leak a drop. Of course, I am building on the cheap, but it works for me.
Roly

by **Esteban** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 3:00 am

I bought stainless steel hinges from www.stainless-hinges.com. The finish is "Bright Annealed." I got one .060" gauge 2" x 72" hinge with countersunk holes. The hinge was promptly shipped inside a protective plastic pipe. It looks good. The door and hinge installation is probably months away. So no experience to share, yet, about how well they work. BTW, I got the thicker gauge hinge because it will fit the 1/8" gap on each side of the door I planned for.

by **Jst83** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:23 am

Roly Nelson wrote:My 10 dollar, Lowes brass-plated piano hinges have held up very well for the past 6 years on my woody, and they don't leak a drop. Of course, I am building on the cheap, but it works for me.
Roly

That's what I wanted to hear something I can buy local and 6 years is good for me. :thumbsup:

Thanks

by **Walt M** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:30 am

Scott I used a living hiinge from McMaster-Carr it's polypro. hinge comes in colors and will never corrode. I also put half the hinge on the edge of the frame (I used the sandwich build method) then I applied the hinge to the door on it's surface (so only half the hinge is exposed)

Walt

by **48Rob** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:56 am

Scott,

If you hate the shiny silver because it will be visible on the outside of your trailer, cover it with a strip of vinyl.
You'll probably need to anyway, to keep it from leaking.

If you don't want to see silver when you open the door, paint the hinge before installing it.

Rob

by **Jst83** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 7:14 am

48Rob wrote:Scott,

If you hate the shiny silver because it will be visible on the outside of your trailer, cover it with a strip of vinyl.
You'll probably need to anyway, to keep it from leaking.

If you don't want to see silver when you open the door, paint the hinge before installing it.

Rob

I think my biggest issue is not the silver, I'll probably paint it anyway to match my bizarre color scheme. I'm just not sure about using something other than SS

by **kennyrayandersen** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:27 am

Walt M wrote:Scott I used a living hiinge from McMaster-Carr it's polypro. hinge comes in colors and will never corrode. I also put half the hinge on the edge of the frame (I used the sandwich build method) then I applied the hinge to the door on it's surface (so only half the hinge is exposed) Walt

How it it for UV? I like how that looks and if the outside is painted [white] fiberglass, it should blend in quite well. What was the cost per foot? and what length does it come in? I wonder if it could be used for the hatch?

by **Jst83** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:33 am

kennyrayandersen wrote:
Walt M wrote:Scott I used a living hiinge from McMaster-Carr it's polypro. hinge comes in colors and will never corrode. I also put half the hinge on the edge of the frame (I used the sandwich build method) then I applied the hinge to the door on it's surface (so only half the hinge is exposed) Walt

How it it for UV? I like how that looks and if the outside is painted [white] fiberglass, it should blend in quite well. What was the cost per foot? and what length does it come in? I wonder if it could be used for the hatch?

I used the hinge for my hatch and it's 6'6" wide and have had no troubles with it other than sealing it only because of the way I mounted it :oops:

McMaster Carr :thumbsup:

by **Dean_A** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 2:45 pm

I used an aluminum piano hinge from McMaster, and so far so good.

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