How should I hinge my oven doors?

[Guest]

So I'm hoping for some advice from the furniture builders out there on how to hinge an oven door. I'm building myself a little stove for my San Franciscan, because 1. I don't have a lot of room and needed something to fit a particular space & 2. I just couldn't find anything that size that a. I liked. b. wasn't too expensive c. fit my theme of retro enough to be cozy comfortable but not olde worldy... lol

So anyhoo, I've been building one out of the wood inserts from the windows of my kit (reuse, recycle, repurpose!) and I've hit a snag.... how on earth do I hinge my oven doors??? 

I've looked at my RL oven and don't think I could replicate the complicated contraption that is a hinge in that one! Then I looked at mini ovens on ebay and see they use kind of a U shaped hinge & pole contraption. Not sure I could master that either. Does anyone have any ideas. I've quickly mocked the pieces up below so you can see what I'm up against. 

 

There is paper bunched inside to hold the pieces in place and obviously the handles will be in two parts not across both ovens in one stretch but you get the idea. The tiny bottom doors are actually draw fronts for warming draws..   (oh, and my edges aren't that rough.. it's masking tape on the inside so that I don't get the enamel paint I'm using on the exterior on to the black interior.)

[KathieB]

Does the oven door need to be hinged? How often will you open it? 

That said, what about a strip of cotton or twill binding glued to the bottom of the door and the floor of the oven? If it's painted black, it won't be that noticeable.  Remember the mantra: it's all smoke and mirrors  

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, KathieB said:

Does the oven door need to be hinged? How often will you open it? 

Oh yes! It must open... I will not let this challenge beat me!

 

[KathieB]

1 minute ago, Samusa said:

Oh yes! It must open... I will not let this challenge beat me!

Meeting the challenges is part of what makes this hobby so interesting.

[Guest]

Ooh.. I've had an idea! 

What if i drilled small holes in the exterior side wall of the unit and in the sides of the doors at the point I'd want them to pivot and then put a jewellry nail through the outer wall and into the door. It would then pivot/turn on the nail to open....... nope... problem... there's two doors!!

I need a dividing wall flush with the front.. and I don't want one... 

Sorry, thinking and typing don't mix! Oh the roller coaster of emotion... 

[Sable]

FedEx had a crinkly envelope and the material was perfect for hinges. Just cut two small rectangles and sandwich them between glued on boards; one end on the door and the other end on the floor of the oven.  The plastic material does not stretch out like cloth would. You would need a light magnet or latch to keep the top closed.

[L Swearengin]

https://youtu.be/nc6wYng0HlE

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, Sable said:

FedEx had a crinkly envelope and the material was perfect for hinges. Just cut two small rectangles and sandwich them between glued on boards; one end on the door and the other end on the floor of the oven.  The plastic material does not stretch out like cloth would. You would need a light magnet or latch to keep the top closed.

Are you talking about Tyvek, Lawanda? I have a whole packet of First Class mail Tyvek envelopes that I salvaged from my Dad's office when he retired... I might give this a go. 

That tutorial is exactly what I was thinking but alas, it would only work for a one oven range I think. Maybe I could drill one long hole all the way through both doors and use a long jewellry nail through both and the outer walls all at once... too ambitious?... probably... lol

[havanaholly]

Iff you're going to show the oven with food cooking in it, leave the oven door open to show the food.  Otherwise, I'm with Kathie; why must it open/ close?

[Guest]

I don't think I could contemplate an oven that doesn't open. I bought a mini aga once that is just a mould with non opening door. I find it wholly unsatisfying! 

This is the mini stove that is my inspiration along with these 50's RL solid door models. It will be a mash of both. I really want it to open like this one does.. adds to the realism...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimsdollhouses/7832496030/in/album-72157612259853172/

[havanaholly]

If that's the look you're goin for, why not glue the oven door into the position you want it?

[L Swearengin]

I found a hallmark ornament that is that type of stove.  it's a itsy bit smaller than scale, but I will use it in a smaller house like the orchid 

[Sable]

Yes, Tyvek.

[rbytsdy]

That's a tough one, with no divider between the doors. I believe I'd glue a length of Al tube on the lower inside, and pin-hinge through it (with a robust pin/small dowel) from each side.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, L Swearengin said:

I found a hallmark ornament that is that type of stove.  it's a itsy bit smaller than scale, but I will use it in a smaller house like the orchid 

Lawanda, I looked up this stove and I actually think it is the exact stove that was used in that mini scene. I looked through the flickr album and when they use it in another miniature kitchen beside the benches it's actually sitting on a plinth to make it a bit higher. Also the details are exactly the same. I just think this mini maker has hit theirs with a can of white enamel.

Thanks for alerting me too it. They are for sale on ebay but are a little expensive, especially with shipping to Australia. But I might have to splurge for this!

Could they be any cuter with the electric socket and vanilla fragrance insert! Apparently you can plug them into string lights and the oven lights up and the fragrance gets dispersed. 

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, rbytsdy said:

That's a tough one, with no divider between the doors. I believe I'd glue a length of Al tube on the lower inside, and pin-hinge through it (with a robust pin/small dowel) from each side.

This is a good idea, that I might be able to pull off! I think it could work if I do two different tubes on the back of each door but use the same dowel all the way through. This might (might!) make the doors work independently and still hold them flush if the dowel is sturdy enough. :)

[Guest]

6 hours ago, havanaholly said:

If that's the look you're goin for, why not glue the oven door into the position you want it?

Because I'm a stubborn old mule who must get what I want.

Thanks for the idea Holly, and it might be the fall back option, but I am determined!

[L Swearengin]

The fridge I got has the working light, the stove didn't  (guess that's why I didn't pay much). Wires were cut.  Didn't matter to me since I'm not going to attach to electricity. 

[havanaholly]

Much as I love the Chrysnbon wood-burning kitchen range, that darned oven door won't stay shut for me!

[shannonc60]

I got this tape stuff called hinge tape. It's clear and you just stick it on. I have used it for half scale doors and works quite well, especially if you sandwich it between layers of whatever material you are using. It's used a lot in model airplanes. I got mine on ebay.

[Guest]

12 hours ago, shannonc60 said:

I got this tape stuff called hinge tape. It's clear and you just stick it on. I have used it for half scale doors and works quite well, especially if you sandwich it between layers of whatever material you are using. It's used a lot in model airplanes. I got mine on ebay.

Thanks Shannon! I'm going to look this stuff up. :)

[havanaholly]

I pin hinged all the windows & doors in the Washington 2.0 farmhouse, using steel dressmaker's pins.

[mesp2k]

[Guest]

Ah, Mike, you are a gem! This is a great idea. I was just going to glue some tubing to the inside of the door and stick a thin nail through it. This is MUCH better. I'll let you all know how it goes. Waiting on supplies.

Love the graphics that you do to explain your ideas. Makes it so clear. Thank you!

[mesp2k]

2 hours ago, Samusa said:

Ah, Mike, you are a gem! This is a great idea. I was just going to glue some tubing to the inside of the door and stick a thin nail through it. This is MUCH better. I'll let you all know how it goes. Waiting on supplies.

Love the graphics that you do to explain your ideas. Makes it so clear. Thank you!

Oh I forgot - the tubing should be cut where the doors meet,

and the nail should go all the way across - but you knew that already!

And thanks to rbytsdy for the original idea - I just build on it.