USING A HINGE RING

by Maureen Williams
 

This information is from a chapter in my e-book, Bright Ideas & Facets of Egg Artistry - Book 1.
Full step-by-step instructions for many designs are included as well as hints & tips for all levels of egg artistry.
For more information on the e-books and instructional videos I have available go to
 http://diamondinnovations.net.au

A hinge ring, although expensive, has the advantage of spreading the stress evenly around the edges of the shell instead of in one place as with a normal hinge. The finished result is much more elegant and is well worth the extra cost for a special egg. Hinge rings come in a variety of sizes for different size eggs from duck egg through to ostrich egg.

You may have to check a number of eggs with the template before you find one that allows the    template to sit where you want the hinge ring to fit the egg. For example, an even sized egg will    allow the template to sit closer to the centre of the egg, whereas an egg which is larger on the fat end and more pointy at the top means the template will sit much higher above the half way point.

There is no right or wrong way as to where the hinge ring should go. Personal preference should be the only indicator.

REQUIREMENTS:
Hinge ring
Hinge ring template.
Egg to fit hinge ring template (mine was a goose egg but same principle applies to any egg)
Paper and glue

MAKING A TEMPLATE FOR THE HINGE.

• Place the hinge ring on a piece of stiff cardboard. Use a very fine pencil and trace around the outside of the ring as close as possible to the ring.

• Use a craft knife to cut on the inside of the line you have marked.

• To verify the accuracy of the template, drop the piece of cardboard you have cut out into the hinge ring. It should drop in neatly without having to force it.

• On the template, mark the position of the hinge pin.

MARKING AND CUTTING THE EGG.

My instructions vary to those you may find in other books, as I cut the egg before painting thus  avoiding a wasted egg if you cut in the wrong place.

Place the hinge ring template over the goose egg and position egg in the marker.

Align the template parallel to the top plate of the marker and mark the position with a pencil. Scribe a line around the egg at the template position. Remove the egg from the marker. Re-check the template sits on this line.

Note: If a marker isn't available, mark the egg into quarters to find the centre top of the egg. Place the template over the egg and mark where the template lies on one of the lines. Measure from the centre top to the template mark for all lines. Scribe a girth line at these points and re-check that the template sits on this line.

Mark 2 mm (1/16”) above the template line (or as required to allow for the curve of the egg) This will be the cutting line. Mark in the hinge position at the back of the egg as indicated on the template.

Cut the egg along the cutting line. (not on the template line!)

Place the hinge ring over the bottom part of the egg and draw a line around the egg using the hinge ring as a guide. (Hinge ring line)

PREPARING TOP PORTION OF THE EGG

These steps can be ignored if you are happy with how the top looks in relation to the bottom of the shell.

If the top part of the egg is small you may wish to “extend” the egg so that the edge of the shell is level with the top of the hinge ring. This will avoid the top looking “dumpy” and means that you will have less gap to fill in between the hinge ring and the curve of the shell.

Using this method allows you to make use of some of those pointy eggs, which aren't really suitable for horizontal trinket boxes.

• Measure around the edge of the top portion of the shell then cut three strips of paper 12 mm (1/2") longer than this measurement and approximately 20 mm (3/4") wide. Use a brush and thin PVA (Aquadhere, Elmers, etc) to glue these strips together. This will give you a strip of paper close to the thickness of the shell

• Allow to dry thoroughly then draw a line the depth of the hinge ring (approximately 4 mm or 1/4") along the bottom edge of the paper.

• Along the length of the paper make cuts to this line approximately 7 mm - 10 mm (1/4" - 3/8") apart.

• Use thick tacky glue to position this fringed paper inside the top of the egg, with the edge of the shell level with the line you marked on the paper. Overlap the paper where necessary on the inside of the shell.

• This collar of stiffened paper will then sit down into the flange and allow the edge of the shell to align with the top of the hinge ring.

PAINTING AND LINING THE EGG

•  Paint the egg as desired but paint only as far as the hinge ring line on the bottom portion of the shell. Any paint above this line will mean the hinge ring won't fit.

Hint: A piece of Micropore or  Magic Tape  stuck around the edge of the shell on the bottom     portion down to the hinge ring line will help you to keep paint off the shell where the hinge ring will be glued.

• Apply decals if desired then apply a water-based sealer - again only going up to the hinge ring line

• Line with your choice of lining. Place hinge ring over each piece of shell and make sure the   lining sits in the right place. Adjust if necessary so that the lining and/or braid sits neatly underneath the rim of the ring.

ATTACHING THE HINGE RING

• Epoxy the hinge ring to the bottom of the egg by smearing epoxy above the hinge ring line and then positioning hinge ring carefully over the shell. Epoxy the top of the egg to the top part of the hinge ring.

•  If necessary, use cord to fill in the gap between the ring and the egg. Finish decoration with cord and braid then attach to stand.

• Fix finial to top if desired.

I hope you find these how-to instructions helpful in your design work. If you have any queries don't hesitate to contact me.

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