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A working hinge, straight from the print bed. Customize leaf dimensions, knuckles, screw holes and fit clearance. The captured pin prints in place, so there are no separate pins, glue or supports.
How long the hinge is along the pin (the barrel axis). Longer hinges spread the load along an edge; the knuckles stretch to fill it.
How far each leaf reaches from the pin to its outer edge. Wider leaves give more screw purchase and a stiffer mount. The open hinge measures about twice this across.
Thickness of each leaf. Also sets the barrel diameter (the barrel is flush with the leaf faces so it folds flat). Thicker is stronger and gives a sturdier pin, but must be deep enough to seat the chosen screw head.
How many knuckles interleave along the barrel (always odd - the two end knuckles belong to the same leaf). More knuckles spread the load and resist twist but each is shorter; 5 is the classic butt-hinge look.
How many mounting screw holes go through each leaf, spaced evenly along its length. The leaf must be long and wide enough to seat them clear of the ends.
Screw the holes are sized for (clearance holes, so the screw passes through). Larger screws hold more but need a thicker, wider leaf to seat their heads.
How the screw head sits. countersunk: a 90° cone so a flat-head screw finishes flush (the usual hinge screw). counterbore: a cylindrical pocket that hides a cap/pan head below the surface. straight: a plain through hole.
Running clearance of the moving joint. standard suits most printers; snug stiffens the swing on a well-calibrated machine; loose frees it up if the knuckles seize. Print in place - the leaves are captured on the pin and separate when you first work the hinge.
How many identical hinges to lay out in a row on one plate. Leave at 1 for a single hinge, or raise it to print a matched set at once.
