Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 09, 2008 08:13pm | #1

   This site has the information you need:

   http://www.whitechapel-ltd.com/tech/fiche_hinges.shtml

   I found it by googling "fiche hinge" there were a lot of other sites with information on the hinges.

   John White

1. 
   furniture | Feb 09, 2008 11:37pm | #2

   john,

    

   though at first sight I believed my question had been answered, I miss the crucial part in the whitechapel site. the original way of installing fiche hinges requires a very thin mortise, as mentioned about 1 mm. I'm searching for a way to do this in a workable manner. could you focus on this please. thanks again for your time.

1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 10, 2008 04:39am | #3

   In issue number 9, page 24 of Fine Woodworking there is supposed to be a tool described for cutting the slots for a fiche hinge but the information doesn't seem to be accessible on line. Unfortunately my back issues are packed away until I can finish moving into a new office. My guess is that you would basically just make a very thin chisel out of something like a hacksaw blade.I wish I could be of more help. You might try asking on the regular Knots site, there are several European furniture makers who post there. They may have some first hand knowledge about how these hinges are installed. You could also ask someone on Knots with that back issue to describe the tool in issue number 9.John White

1. 
   saschafer | Feb 10, 2008 05:15am | #4

   The FWW#9 reference is to a tool called a Fischbandeisen (in German). It is, in essence, a really skinny mortise chisel. It looks like you could make one from a spade bit:

   View Image

   -Steve

    

   
1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 10, 2008 05:38am | #5

   Thanks, I was picturing something like just one side of the blade, the double pointed blade has the advantage of setting the length of the slot automatically if it is as wide as the leaf of the hinge. Presumably an additional single pointed chisel or two would be needed to clean out the waste in the slot started by the vee shaped tool. It seems like a difficult way to mount a hinge, but the end result, with only the barrels showing would be very clean looking.John W.

2. 
   furniture | Feb 10, 2008 08:54pm | #6

   thanks again, I will go to the other knots discussion forum, and keep you informed about any progress.