JANESAWYERMAKES.COM
  • Home
  • Templates
  • Articles
  • Merch
  • Videos
  • About
  • Landing
  • Home
  • Templates
  • Articles
  • Merch
  • Videos
  • About
  • Landing
Search

How to Make a DIY Tiny Hinge

4/13/2023

8 Comments

 

Watch the video tutorial here!

Look no further if you're looking for a robust, small hinge that you can DIY for your art or craft projects. This  instagram viral workhorse of a hinge is easy to make out of a few scraps of wire. You just need a pair of pliers and other common household tidbits.
You can use these hinges for kinetic sculptures, tabletop gaming terrain, or for the mini walnut boxes I wrote about here.
The step-by-step breakdown of how you can make a small hinge with wire ​is presented below. I think this one is easier to understand in video format as part of my Walnut Shell Box video. The hinge portion of that DIY tutorial is at 1:30.
Picture
Adjust the size and softness of the wire you're using to the size of hinge you want. I buy this wire at the hardware store. Cut two 8 cm lengths.
Picture
Start wrapping the wire in a coil around your rigid thing. The first two coils are the most difficult.
Picture
Pull out the rigid thing...
Picture
Bend the second length of wire into an "L" shape.
Picture
Bend down the free arm of the L.
Picture
You need something rigid (inflexible) to wrap the wire around. I'm using the pin of a thumbtack here. You could also use a finishing nail or a toothpick.
Picture
Continue until you have about 5 or six loops around the coil.
Picture
... and squeeze the loops of the coil together.
Picture
Slide the coil onto the L.
Picture
Trim the ends of the hinge to length and install using your desired method.
If you want help installing your hinge, there's a few options presented in the video tutorial.
8 Comments
Gigi
11/30/2023 11:27:16 am

Love this! Thanks so much, I've s few matched shells I am thinking could make lovely Holiday gifts. ❤️

Reply
Tracy
7/14/2024 10:37:50 am

This is SO helpful. Thank you! I love making something instead of buying it pre-made. I’m going to use this so much.

I love your website. Happy crafting.

Reply
Hannah From Atlanna
1/21/2025 07:17:09 pm

O.M.G. this is EXACTLY what I needed. I had not even considered MAKING a hinge for all these matching shell sets. I am trying to make boxes and lip balm containers. Thank you!

Reply
Troy Wetzel
2/20/2025 02:41:18 pm

Thank you for the idea.I’m going to try and make some.

Reply
Ben Gluyas link
3/12/2025 06:34:18 am

Thank you kindly for sharing this 🙏🏼 . Such a simple idea which I know already I am going to use for many applications. I am going to see how some big heavy duty “black-smithed” versions go for big projects 🤞🏼, as well as see how small I can go for concealed hinges for jewellery boxes for my daughters.
💡 I already have a super cool idea without much modification at all (not that this isn’t great already). I am very confident it will work with the right wire. I’d love to draw it for you/everyone now or send a pic once perfected.

Reply
Ginny Barrett
3/15/2025 01:29:53 pm

I would love to see what you create.

Reply
Ginny Barrett
3/15/2025 01:31:23 pm

Thank you so much for sharing this. It will work even better for my project that a purchased hinge ever will. Thank you ❤️

Reply
Jernny
5/5/2025 10:22:53 pm

Thank you for this amazing tutorial!! This worked out so well! I'm very proud of the hinge I made from this hehehehe

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    More Articles

    Earth Dragon Egg
    ​Water Dragon Egg
    Fire Dragon Egg
    Large Paper Mache Snake
    Paper Mache Jackalope
    Paper Mache Blob
    Polymer Clay Toad
    Pumpkin Cottage
    ​Pumpkin Basket
    Cardboard Jack o' Lantern
    Paper Mache Pumpkin
    Splatter & Bloom Review
    Pringles Can Bird Automata
    Pringles Can Spooky Tree
    Pringles Can Fake Cake

    Pool Noodle Tentacle
    DIY Tree Bark
    Walking Bigfoot Papercraft
    Log Bookends
    Polymer Clay Mushrooms
    Dry Brush Painting
    ​Less Mess Paper Mache
    Sock Abominable
    Elf in e.l.f
    Soapstone Fox​
    Realistic Leaf Hack

    ​Audrey II Plant
    String of Hearts
    Foam Roller Plant
    Age a Terracotta Pot
    Polymer Clay Pumpkin
    Crystal Ball​
    Air-Dry Clay Bat
    5-Step Mushroom Jar
    3 Reasons to do Game of Shrooms
    5 Reasons You're a Fake Artist
    Alice in WALNUTland
    Walnut Shell Ring Box
    Apothecary Walnut
    Bigfoot Forest Walnut
    Baby Dragon in Walnut
    Tiny Hinge DIY
    How to Split a Walnut
    DIY Crystal Geode
    Propagation Station 
    Tiny, Tiny Chairs
    Abominable Snowman
    Krampus
    ​Sock Mothman
    ​Mini Top Hat
    Baba Yaga's Hut
    Less Mess Paper Maché
    Head Mount Dragon
    Building Moonwatcher
    Testing 5 Fill Media
    Thumbs-Up Machine
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Templates
  • Articles
  • Merch
  • Videos
  • About
  • Landing