Keyboard Cabinet - Fitting Toy Box Lid Stays

[@dannycrossfield3498]

I bought a pair of these for my little boys toy box to save his fingers after looking around for a while then watching this video - really happy with them, they where pretty easy to fit after watching the video. Cheer for the tutorial

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Danny, Great, many thanks. Peter

[@kylehulvey8513]

Watching from the Pacific Northwest USA as I prepare to use similar stays for large workbench lid. Your video has been most helpful! And, I have to say, your precision of language is refreshing! Thank you so much! Take care!

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Kyle, Many thanks. Peter

[@user-lc1mp4jb7i]

I bought this on the strength of this video. Works like a treat. Brillant. Thank You so much.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Brilliant. Cheers. Peter

[@johnsmith-fz3qk]

What a fabulous test. Looking for a set of dampeners/hinges for a storage bench lid and this I think would work splendidly.

[@newfization]

Have to admit, I had a big smile when it closed so well at the end.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Big smile? - I had a really big sigh of relief when it worked ! Ha ha - cheers. Peter

[@lobird23]

What a clever idea. I must build one for my shop computer. Thank you for the brilliant concept.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Ray, I knew when I started that my lid was heavier than the spec for the stays and I do have to take care now when closing the keyboard cabinet lid. Try and keep the weight within spec if you can. Cheers. Peter

[@xsbxsbxsb]

Peter, I get so absorbed in your videos that I continue right onto the next one... Then I have to come back, rewatch videos and give the m the thumbs up / "like" because I don't know which I have neglected to rate!

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Benjamin, Thank you so much. Peter

[@Octobermory]

So nicely done. Thank you for showing and explaining in detail.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Many thanks. Peter

[@JoelAaargh]

This is really useful as I need to make my son a toy box! Thanks as always for the detailed look and the process for fitting these hinges. And a huge thumbs up for the new outro music!

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Joel, Many thanks and good luck with your son's toy box. Peter

[@eddyflynn213]

thanks for showing this Peter I've had issues with stays in the past it's very reassuring to see you nervous (as you let it fall for the first time) about a project as you always seem so calm even with the most testing of tasks

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Eddy, Thank goodness they worked ! Cheers. Peter

[@billyarmstrong3884]

Thank you for sharing, I have presently constructed a wheelybin storage and am looking for a way to soft close the lid, sadly my first attempt has failed. Came across your little video and it looks like this is exactly what I am after, my lid I beleive is a bit heavier, however I am prepared to spend the money and try it out, you never know it may work out :) Have now subscribed to your chanel. Video great quality, explination and guidance is perfect, once again Peter, many thanks.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Billy, I did say in my video that my application was beyond the spec of the stays and so if your wheely bin lid is heavier you should not expect it to "Soft Close" very well. They are great products and I am pleased with mine. Good luck. Peter

[@eversleyowl]

Peter, by putting the clamps all on the end on the test rig lid it looked like the weight was more concentrated at the end of the lid where the leverage is greatest. So I had no doubt the lid on your cabinet would be fine once I saw the 'three clamp' test run. Nice work. But I actually miss your old music. Terry.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Terry, My lid does have that flap which is probably about 2 kg so the original idea of the clamps was to simulate that flap. Eurofit have a lid/hinge calculator on their web site which could be very useful for a normal lid. I am trying to persuade the musician who played the original music (my son) to visit and perform the same piece on the new keyboard ! Cheers. Peter

[@yay-cat]

I want to make a vanity/dressing table that has a slanted lid like an old school/writing desk. The plan is to have a mirror with some LEDs on the inside. With the slant the hinge will have to fully extend through the entire 105deg range (I would have preferred something steeper but 15 deg could work), and with the addition of a mirror lining the lid could also get pretty heavy, but looking at the size of your lid I think I just might be able to get away with it. Thank you for the vid!

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Ayan, Good luck. Peter

[@joelfirebrace827]

Very cool!

[@devil0311doc]

Great info, spot on instruction for installation thank you

[@MultiWarrior63]

Thanks Peter, nice job

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Cheers Ken. Peter

[@johnners911]

Perfect! Thankyou, just what I needed to see :)

[@NewBritWorkshop]

The plans are available free of charge, all I need is an email address to which I can send them. Peter

[@johnners911]

Thank you, it was the fitting of the stays that brought me here. I have now ordered some. Thanks again for the detailed and helpful video.

[@meanders9221]

Meticulous work, nice! Another option might be Rockler's 15 to 60 inch-pound "Lid Stay Torsion Hinge" in which the soft close mechanism is concealed inside a conventional looking hinge, advertised in the U.S. as a toy chest hinge. Don't know if its applicable, or available, to you but might be of interest just to see alternatives. Cheers!

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Michael, Many thanks for that information but there is nothing like that over here that I have found. Peter

[@robertbrunston5406]

Thanks

[@cobberpete1]

Good on Euro Fit, I had a concern when you were using the test jig, I thought the main body of the stay would interferer with access to the socket but in the end shots I see it is clear. A good result.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Peter, Yes, I had done some tests and made some measurements before deciding on the location of the switch and socket. They work very well despite my lid being beyond the spec of the stays. Peter

[@chuongpham6638]

well job uncle.. it is helpful..Thanks

[@kerryclark1926]

Peter, have you thought about the cushion of air inside the box? I believe that the air helps the lid not slam down.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Kerry, Yes I have and I think that I mention it in another video that followed. The stays do a great job but I knew at the beginning that I was using them far beyond their stated capacity. Peter

[@elkeschein]

I woulrd need tiny ones for my aluminium case that have only a 24mm internal hight when its closed. But i dont hink they exist

[@willmain3289]

Hello Peter , did you consider gas struts , in my opinion the best things for the job.

[@lou4872]

Just a quick question. How much 'effort' was required to open/close the lid. I have made a table and chairs set for a 2 year old child. The table top lid will open and close to access small storage area for colouring books, crayons etc. So far the soft closing lid stays I have tried, require too much 'strength' from a 2 year old to get the lid open/closed, in my opinion. Great video and thanks for sharing.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Lou, The stays provide a continuous lifting force and a damping effect when closing. The effort will depend on the weight of your lid. My keyboard cabinet lid is very heavy and beyond the spec for the stays but they do dampen the movement enough to avoid damage. Peter

[@andrewbowden4882]

After seeing your video Peter, I looked these up and purchased a left and right hand. They have gone up and are over £11 each now. They also charge postage so just less than £30 for the pair. I wanted 90° like you and my calculations were the same as yours. My lid weighs 3.75 kg. It measures 490mm x 770m and is made from birch ply. The lid comes down slowly until about half way and then comes crashing down even with full adjustment on each stay. I'm not sure the best way to improve the last part of the decent. Do you have any ideas?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Andrew, Your top is heavier than mine and I knew that I was beyond the stated limit for the stays - I did say this. I do not know of any way of improving them and I am afraid that with time they will weaken a little. Peter

[@andrewbowden4882]

Hi Peter. School boy error I'm afraid on my part. I measured from the inside back edge rather than the outside. Strange how these things occur to you in the middle of the night! I've adjusted the positioning and it works perfectly now. Andrew

[@AgentSeventyOne]

I’m only here for the outro music 🔥

[@AmauryJacquot]

one thing is probably helping there, the fact that you have a lot of air moving under the lid, that gets compressed as the hole between the lid and the rest of the case is getting smaller... this also act as a form of dampener at the end of the movement

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Amaury, That is exactly what is happening and it provides that final bit of protection for the lid. Cheers. Peter

[@willmain3289]

sorry, did not see your comment earlier about struts I suppose stays are more traditional.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

No problem. Peter

[@brianc5691]

Perhaps a third stay in the centre ?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Brian, No need - it works perfectly and a third stay would be very ugly. Peter

[@brianc5691]

I defer to your experience Peter :)

[@EdemJansen]

oh my goodness what wood is that made from?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Adam, The legs and main frame are solid hard maple with a figured maple veneer on all faces. The panel work has some inset hard maple strips at the edges and then everything is veneered, again with the figured maple veneer. The music rest has some walnut under the veneer as a contrasting detail and the field of the music rest if (I think) dogwood. Peter

[@GarethJoneseurofit]

Hi Peter, A lovely looking project. I'm glad we could be of assistance, Viewers of this video can check out our toy boxes here: www.eurofitdirect.co.uk/toy-box-lid-stay-right/ www.eurofitdirect.co.uk/toy-box-lid-stay/

[@NewBritWorkshop]

...and thank you again for your super advice and the sample stays - it is now my "show off" piece of woodwork and everyone remarks on the way the stays work so well. Cheers. Peter

[@EurofitdirectCoUk]

Please note all our Lid stays can be found here... www.eurofitdirect.co.uk/collections/toy-box-lid-stays

[@Jimbob84141]

I got the cheap eBay piston type... Comes with no instructions hmmmm...

[@NewBritWorkshop]

You can work it out by laying it out closed and then open. In order to check mine really accurately I made up a dummy lid and box corner. The box corner was just two pieces of 120 mm wide offcuts of MDF joined at right angles. They were only about 300 mm long. My dummy lid was about 200 mm x 300 mm. I was then able to experiment with the placing and when I knew it was right I could take measurements for the final fitting. Peter