Hinging a treasure chest--advice sought

[Watery Graves]

I'd like to make it possible to open and close a 28mm scale treasure chest (the one from the old Mordheim accessory sprue). I tried using a bit of duct tape as a sort of hinge, but it was a little too stiff. I'll try a bit of actual cloth next, but if anyone else has already done something like this, I'm eager to profit from your experience!

[Cory]

Find the smallest brass tube you can and cut it into three short lengths totalling the length of your lid. Then take a piece of thin brass rod that just fits inside your tube and do cut it to a length just shorter than the lid. Slide the 3 pieces of rod onto the rod and glue the two end pieces to the box and the center one to the lid. Seal the ends to keep the rod coming out and you have a hinge.

If this is too complicated use a piece of fine chain and make a hingeless lift off lid bound to the back of the chest with two chains, much like you tried with the tape.

[Scout_II]

Much like Cory, I like the tube method.

You can make small scale strap hinges from thin brass sheet, rolling the tube around a pin and then attaching each leaf to the top and bottom of the chest (or doors...).  If you are not comfortable working with metal, and don't mind being slightly out of scale - the smallest styrene tubing can also be using to make hinges (it is about 2 mm OD though).

If both of those don't seem to work for you - head to a model RC shop.  You can pick up airplane control surface hinges.  There are several different varieties of them (and dozens of sizes for each type).  You should be able to find what will work for you and your application.

I can't remember that exact treasure chest - but the easiest would probably be styrene tube glued to the chest (four pieces of tube...two on top and two on bottom).  Insert the pin to align all of the tubes while you glue them on - careful not to get glue on the wrong tube or wrong side of the chest.

[Watery Graves]

That's brilliant, thank you both very much! I'll try this tube method.

[bandit86]

You can buy small hinges at Craft stores and doll house stores and use glue instead of nails just don't glue the hinge part.

[dampfpanzerwagon]

I remember there being an article in Fine Scale Modeler where a modeller had made opening hinges for a Kubelwagon in 1/35th scale.  No idea what issue, but maybe another reader can point you in the right direction.

Tony
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/

[Watery Graves]

Whoa, thanks! I looked on the FSM forums, which led me to a video of the guy putting hinges on the Kubelwagon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=lN8WCPbDKVE#t=247s

(Also cool is the part just before this, where he drills out the hinges on the passenger doors--this guy is good with a pin vise!)

[Watery Graves]

The part where he does the hinges starts around 5:45.

[Silent Invader]

I make hinges using a short length of metal paperclip inside a section of tube that is cut from the shaft of an ear bud.

Bend the metal into an L shape with one end superglued into a hole drilled in casket.  Meanwhile other end of wire has been slid into tube that has been glued to lid.

[Dan]

Some good advice here  I intend using the same chest for my Robin Hood game and was wondering whether I should glue it open or closed but now think I should make it hinged instead. Thanks.