Piano hinge strength question

[WarPony]

I bought a 30" continuous hinge made by Stanley from HD last weekend. I'm getting quite concerned because the door is getting really heavy and I am wondering if the hinge is going to hold up down the road, as time goes on.
How much "slack" do you guys have between the doors and the walls? Cripes, I'm going to Minden and the way my progress is coming, the damn glue and varnish will still be tacky when I get there!!! DAHHHHH!!!!

[Ross Wade]

Warpony,

I have about a 3/16" gap around the side doors. The only "sag" that I get from the continuous hinge, is the slight play at the hinge pin (which isn't much at all).

Don't rush your trailer. You will be much happier. Just remember, the campers we build are always a " Work In Progress". The main thing is to get it dried in. The inside can always wait.

Ross

[JunkMan]

I'm going to Minden and the way my progress is coming, the damn glue and varnish will still be tacky when I get there!!! DAHHHHH!!!!

Varnish? I'll be lucky if I have a hatch lid and doors

What's worse, I have to go out of town Wed. for a week

Oh well, on one post someone mentioned a guy that showed up with a cardboard tear. Hopefully mine won't be that far from being finished.

[WarPony]

Ross, my trailer is a rush now. Uh, "my plan" is to have it dry so I can take it to Minden rain or shine. After that, I'm looking forward to slowing down so I can finish the interior.

[Woody]

I used the same hinges you bought at Home Depot. I set my doors with a 1/4" space round the door and the side wall on three sides, excluding the hinge side. I did use longer screws though on the install. My doors are heavy also and have not noticed any sag on either teardrop and that is four doors total. Good luck on your build

[WarPony]

Cool, Woody. I made the door so I could cut to make room for the seals. This trailer was coming along nicely until the door came along. What a biznitch!!

[Arne]

I bought a 6' marine stainless hinge for $25 and cut it in half. My walls were built and the doors cut out, so the gap is the width of a saw blade.

btw, I got the widest I could, I think 2" (the width when laid flat and open).

I do have a tiny bit of sag, only noticeable becauase of the thin gap... and it probably is the pin..... I can not feel any play, but there is no other explanation I can think of. It has never worsened. I figured if I needed to, I'd put a small block of hard wood under the door as a support (end opposite the hinge).. but as mentioned, it has never changed...