Looking for a concealed hinge - for a table-top 'grommet'

[radhak]

I am finally close to completing my office desk, and it's top is going to be laminated cherry planks (3/4 thick). Since I have not yet glued them all together, I have the opportunity to put in a grommet for cables. I want to avoid the black/beige plastic stuff like this rectangular grommet, and now want to create something similar in the same cherry wood - so that the grommet is practically indistinguishable from the table-top.

Nothing to the design of it - I'm thinking I could just cut out a small 8 x 4 rectangular piece of one of the planks and re-affix it with a metal hinge.

But what hinge should I use? I want this to be concealed from the top, and as near seamless as possible.

I did find one option - the Soss hinge. My wood is only 3/4 thick, so I cannot use any hinge thicker than 1/2". Since this grommet will be nowhere as heavy as a door, I'm guessing this small hinge should suffice. My problem? Install looks like a lot of trouble - mortising an exact hole, etc! Isn't there an easier install option? Any suggestions?

The grommet is to going to be over a pedestal cabinet so the lower part is not going to be visible so I don't need to worry about aesthetics below the surface. I just need to be able to pull it open from above, and push it back down to close it.

[atgcpaul]

It's not clear to me if you want to make a "trap door" that swings upwards, but that's what it sounds like to me. Would your cables only be used some of the time?

If that's the case, I would use a concealed cup hinge like you'd use for a cabinet door. On the unhinged side, I'd use a touch latch to help with opening it. Push down on the unhinged side and the spring loaded touch latch would pop your trap door up enough to lift it up by the exposed edge.

The Soss hinge would be ideal for best concealment, but the level of difficulty is up there. Soss does sell drilling jigs, though.

I'd probably also install a basket or something under the trap door to hold your cables. Otherwise you'll be under the desk fishing cables all the time.

Paul

[twistsol]

Look at barrel hinges. They are very easy to install an Rockler has them down to 10mm or a little over 3/8 in

http://www.rockler.com/hidden-barrel-hinges-select-size

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[d_meister]

radhak,
if you haven't decided on a design, yet, the Doug Mockett & Company is just about the last word in creative wire management solutions. It's good for ideas and inspiration, anyway. It's certainly worth a look for anyone, here. Pretty stuff in many products. Knobs, hooks, drawer pulls, table legs, etc.

https://www.mockett.com

[radhak]

Yes Paul, that trap door is exactly what I want! The cup hinge is an option if I can get a smaller sized proportionate to the opening (9 x 4").
And yes, I have to organize the cables underneath. A basket, or a ledge, or something.

Chr's, I had thought barrel hinges would need a clearance to swing out and would not allow butt joins, but looks like they might work and be easier to install, as this googled link shows! Thanks!
(btw, that site has the hinges at a third the price of Rockler; seems like a good site to bookmark).

Thanks d_meister for the link. lots of ideas there!

[d_meister]

You're welcome. Doug Mockett is an interesting guy. There should be a link somewhere there for his participating in the Pan-American Highway races in a way overpowered '56 Oldsmobile.