New Hinge Design

Our new variation to [$4.00 each] hardware store hinges, is to use allthread and nuts and fender washers.

Economizing our basic sign.

Our first thought was to make some plastic hinges on our 3D printer, and include instructions to handle the signs with care because they were fragile. With out coastal winds and basic human nature, we knew that wouldn't fly.

So we came up with this prototype design to see how it works out. If the nuts and washers are bought individually, they can still be a bit expensive. Our's are purchased from boltDepot.com in bags of 100 (https://www.boltdepot.com/Product-Details.aspx?product=2648 & https://www.boltdepot.com/Product-Details.aspx?product=2965), so we spend about 15 cents for nuts and 25 cents for fender washers. Although since I don't know the price of allthread now, and the extra labor involved with cutting and finishing it, our better option is going to be a pair of 4" hex bolts (https://www.boltdepot.com/Product-Details.aspx?product=6) instead of allthread with a pair of jam nuts on each end. Now there will be just one set of jam nuts for each bolt, with a hinge hardware cost of about 60 cents.

A revision to the revision...trying to use a 3" hex bolt instead of a 4" long one, and contersink the hole for the bolt and nut, as well as using standard washers instead of 1" fender washers.

Nope...now a 3.5" bolt with no countersinking hole for bolt heads, decided it was not worth
sacraficing strength for cosmetics...getting a couple from boltDepot.com, total hardware costs per sign is a little under 75¢