Sealing a piano type door hinge

Anything to do with mechanical, construction etc

Sealing a piano type door hinge

Postby doug hodder » Sat Sep 09, 2006 7:09 pm

For those of you using a concealed piano type hinge for your door...I noticed when washing the tear and driving in a downpour across Nevada...I got some water through the hinge gaps on the knuckle of it. Not a lot, but enough that I wanted to do something to stop it...There is no clearance to allow any sort of weatherstripping, without damaging the hinge, or stressing the screws, however I'm sure there are differences in the hinges..I'm using Grants because they really strengthen the door. Anyway, what I used was a 1.25" piece of rip stop nylon full length...and stuck it down on both sides of the hinge using double faced thin carpet tape...you can't put the tape down the knuckle of the hinge at all...just attach it to the 2 sides leaving the material in the middle unattached...make sure you allow enough material for when the door is full open...seems to have worked, material is shown on the hinge in tan...see the light colored dashes?...that's where the water gets in, although it is not as bad when closed...just an idea...Doug

Image
doug hodder
*Snoop Dougie Doug
 
Posts: 12625
Images: 562
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 11:20 pm

Postby asianflava » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:26 pm

This is what I did, I used an open cell foam near the pin (charcoal colored). It stops most of it from coming in.
Closer to the inside of the hinge, I used a rubbery type P shaped weatherstripping (white colored). It sits in the offset so it doesn't have to squish too much. It continues along the bottom so any water will go towards the outside.

Click the thumbnails for bigger picture:
Door closedImage
Door openImage
User avatar
asianflava
8000 Club
8000 Club
 
Posts: 8412
Images: 45
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:11 am
Location: CO, Longmont

Postby Jim Marshall » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:27 pm

Doug, I used a bicycle intertube behind my Paino hinges and it doesn't leak a drop so far.
I started out with nothing and I still got plenty left.

VOL-N-TEAR
User avatar
Jim Marshall
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 343
Images: 63
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2005 12:31 pm
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Top

Postby doug hodder » Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:12 pm

Rocky...where did you get the P shaped stripping? I haven't found something like that, that's why I did what I did...but then I didn't do a big search...just what I found locally....Doug

Jim...I think I know what you are saying when you say behind...but our hinges may be different....got a pic? I checked your album and didn't see any...thanks...Doug
Last edited by doug hodder on Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
doug hodder
*Snoop Dougie Doug
 
Posts: 12625
Images: 562
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 11:20 pm
Top

Postby asianflava » Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:18 pm

I think I got it at Home Depot. The roll came in a yellow box (not a bag). It was one piece, 2 round ends with a flat in the middle, you had to separate the two halves to get 2 P-shaped pieces. I'll check the garage to see if there is some floating around.
User avatar
asianflava
8000 Club
8000 Club
 
Posts: 8412
Images: 45
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:11 am
Location: CO, Longmont
Top

Postby doug hodder » Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:27 pm

If I find it...I'll pull this off and give it a try, and if you know what it is officially called that would be helpful, I'm sure there is some sort of name for it other than weatherstripping, but it may be one of those things...you can get it there, but not typical stock here...thanks...Doug
doug hodder
*Snoop Dougie Doug
 
Posts: 12625
Images: 562
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 11:20 pm
Top

Postby JIML1943 » Sun Sep 10, 2006 5:02 am

Doug i used the p shaped stripping on the door t-molding works good it will flatten down really thin,i got mine at Lowes.
Some days all you can do is smile and wait for some kind soul to come along and pull your ass out the bind you've gotten yourself into.

Image
Happy camping Jim & Barbara
User avatar
JIML1943
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 230
Images: 71
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2004 7:22 am
Location: Lexington,N.C.At highrock lake
Top

Postby Endo » Sun Sep 10, 2006 6:07 am

doug hodder wrote:If I find it...I'll pull this off and give it a try, and if you know what it is officially called that would be helpful, I'm sure there is some sort of name for it other than weatherstripping, but it may be one of those things...you can get it there, but not typical stock here...thanks...Doug


It sounds like the same thing I used. I bought it at Ace hardware. It is made by Frost King. It is called X-treme Rubber Weatherseal. It comes in a box. It has a "P" profile. The role is 3/8"wide 7/32"thick and 17'long (Actually it is two strips 8 1/2 ft each).

Hope that helps.
Brad (aka Endo)
ImageImage Image
In God We Trust
User avatar
Endo
500 Club
 
Posts: 721
Images: 138
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:59 am
Location: Ohio
Top

Postby Endo » Sun Sep 10, 2006 6:38 am

Here is a picture of the box.

Image
Brad (aka Endo)
ImageImage Image
In God We Trust
User avatar
Endo
500 Club
 
Posts: 721
Images: 138
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:59 am
Location: Ohio
Top

Postby sdtripper2 » Sun Sep 10, 2006 8:28 am

Hello, All

I have a Hunter Shadow Teardrop and so does
Dave and Kathy McGrath who have a large
selection of pictures on their website and I will
use some here to show how this issue of leaking
is dealt with in the Shadow. http://campadk.com/pjsnoozer

Image

As you can see they use a rubber to cover the
outside of the piano hinge. I have never had a
leak with this method in place.

Also the hurricane hinge has the same type of covering on the Shadow.
Image

Image
"A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country
is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards." -------Theodore Roosevelt

Steve
User avatar
sdtripper2
Search Garoux
 
Posts: 2162
Images: 168
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:32 am
Location: California, ... San Diego
Top

Postby asianflava » Sun Sep 10, 2006 2:52 pm

Thanks Endo, that's the same stuff. I looked for the box but I remembered that I actually installed the weatherstripping the last time we camped at Inks Lake. At least while I was looking for the box, I found some other things that I've been hunting for.
User avatar
asianflava
8000 Club
8000 Club
 
Posts: 8412
Images: 45
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:11 am
Location: CO, Longmont
Top

Postby halfdome, Danny » Sun Sep 10, 2006 5:25 pm

Doug, even though my hinge has weather stripping on the inside I put a bicycle inner tube on the outside with a couple of 1/2" strips of aluminum trim. I did this since I noticed the weather stripping was getting crushed and tiny rays of light were coming through. It gives a nice finished look too. Scratches complements of Western Trailer Repair Seattle where I purchased my alum skins. Danny

Image
Image
ImageImage
"Conditions are never just right. People who delay action until all factors are favorable do nothing". William Feather
Don't accept "It's Good Enough" build to the best of your abilities.
Image
Teardroppers Of Oregon & WashingtonImage
User avatar
halfdome, Danny
*Happy Camper
 
Posts: 5882
Images: 252
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 11:02 pm
Location: Washington , Pew-al-up
Top

Postby doug hodder » Sun Sep 10, 2006 6:19 pm

Thanks everyone...I'll look for that weatherstripping...the inner tube idea is a good one, but my doors are on and siliconed behind the hinges...I don't want to take them off now, and something on the exterior is going to ruin the "woody look"...I did what I did as it seemed like the easiest way out from a door that is already hung...probably shoulda thunk that one through before...the first trailer didn't have the problem though...oh well...live and learn...Doug
doug hodder
*Snoop Dougie Doug
 
Posts: 12625
Images: 562
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 11:20 pm
Top

Postby 48Rob » Sun Sep 10, 2006 6:54 pm

Hi Doug,

I had the same concern...ruining the woody look.

I used stainless piano hinges, and covered them like they did it in the old days.

Back then, a piece of treated canvas wrapped around the outside of the hinge, and was secured behind the hinge on both sides by the hinge screws.

Being that canvas wasn't a great outdoor material, they didn't last long, but they did work well while it lasted.

I chose a vinyl material, such as is used for automobile vinyl tops.
I used a buckskin color to help blend in with the wood.

Image

Since the trailer is stored inside, I expect to get 10 years or so out of it before age takes its toll.

In ten years, it will be time for close inspection of several areas anyway to maintan or renew seals.

Rob
Waiting for "someday" will leave you on your deathbed wondering why you didn't just rearrange your priorities and enjoy the time you had, instead of waiting for a "better" time to come along...
User avatar
48Rob
Super Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 3882
Images: 4
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:47 pm
Location: Central Illinois
Top

Postby doug hodder » Sun Sep 10, 2006 6:59 pm

I think I'll do it like that on the next one....Doug
doug hodder
*Snoop Dougie Doug
 
Posts: 12625
Images: 562
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 11:20 pm
Top

Next

Return to Teardrop Construction Tips & Techniques

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests