RE: [SilverStreak] Walk in cooler hinges would work and be affordable. Take a look.

["Silver Port" <silverport@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

AJ,

Great idea, but I did not see a compound hinge anywhere
that would allow two doors to open from a single pivot
point along with a single open option.

What makes the SS hinge unique is it allows both the
'screen' and 'main' door to function separately or together.

$540 is not outrageous for a custom hand made set of hinges.


----------------------------------------
> From: bigearlscustom@hotmail.com
> To: sslist@tompatterson.com
> Subject: [SilverStreak] Walk in cooler hinges would work and be affordable. Take a  look.
> Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 23:03:41 -0700
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> Just a thought on the hinge debate and a solution that could very well handle
> the job and last for the lifetime of any of our trailers, would be to use walk
> in refrigerator hinges.  They are available in many styles and offsets and are
> made to carry doors that are 100+ pounds to say the least.  Kason makes some
> fine examples.  Here are a couple of websites I found,
> www.coldsupply.com/hinges/index.htm
> www.refricentral.com/
> www.refrigerationgaskets.com/kasonhinges.html
> I'm sure these hinges would work and with the right style, they would blend
> right in with our trailers.  A reinforcement plate may be necessary to cover
> the old hinge holes, but it could all be done w/ some stainless or aluminum
> sheet, a hand shear or kett sheer, a drill and rivet gun.  If I needed hinges,
> this is the route I'd go.
> All the best
> AJ
> 
>> From: rcooke@bak.rr.com
>> To: sslist@tompatterson.com
>> Subject: RE: [SilverStreak] New Stainless Steel  Hinges
>> Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 16:20:28 -0700
>>
>> STAINLESS STEEL HINGES
>> I picked up my new Stainless Steel Hinges and my partially repaired
>> door on Friday morning 5/23/08.  I spent Friday and Saturday
>> completing the repairs and replacing the door seals on the door, and
>> installing the hinges, then the door on my 26 foot 1972 Cont. Atlas.
>> I had the hinges made up slightly oversize to hide all of the damage
>> from four or five hinge replacements over the past 35 years.  Based on
>> the hole patterns, the original hinges were much smaller, such as the
>> older 1960's style.  I have taken a LOT of pictures and as soon as I
>> get time I will download them to my computer and make them available
>> to Tom to post, and will send them as email attachments to anyone who
>> wants them, just send your email address to me at
>> rcooke@bak.rr.com
>>
>> GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS.	FIRST THE GOOD NEWS!
>> The hinges fit and the doors operate perfectly.  I had to use a small
>> "drift" to help line up all of the holes for the Pop Rivets.  The Pop
>> Rivets are Large Head 3/16" Aluminum with a Steel Shank.  These are
>> the strong, large head, rivets we use in Auto Racing and are available
>> from "5 Star" in boxes of 500 Rivets.  5 Star is a maker of racing
>> body panels and bodies for various classes of circle track race cars.
>> I used an Air Operated Rivet Gun to "Set" the rivets, as a small hand
>> rivet tool is not really adequate, it can be done, but will be a lot
>> of work and very slow.
>>
>> Because the previous instillation of many sets of hinges left the
>> trailer body looking like "Swiss Cheese", I also ran two 1/4" 4" long
>> stainless steel bolts through each hinge and the body of the trailer,
>> into the, sliding door cabinets next to the hinge side of the door.  I
>> used Stainless Steel Lock Nuts and 1/4 inch Stainless Steel fender
>> washers to secure the bolts.
>>
>> I installed the hinges with a layer of "CRL" Aluminum Silicone
>> Sealant.  I bought the Silicone Sealant from a small local RV shop.
>> "Camping World" does not carry this sealant.  I also used this sealant
>> to seal the new Aluminum panel that repaired the damage to the top
>> "latch side" of the door.  The use of the sealant sealed all of the
>> extra holes in the trailer body and the two doors, as well as
>> providing a seal around the Pop Rivets and Bolts that were used to
>> mount the hinges to the trailer body and the doors.  I used quite a
>> bit more of the sealant that necessary, but I am more interested in
>> "Function" than" "cosmetics".  I lubricated the hinges with Silicone
>> Spray Lubricant.
>>
>> NOW FOR THE BAD NEWS!
>> PRICE.  My cost was $540 for the set of hinges.  I asked if there
>> would be a lower price per hinge set if we order hinges in quantity.
>> I was advised that as everything is very precise "Hand Detail" work so
>> each set of hinges would cost the same.  Each hinge takes a little
>> more than 3 Hrs for a total of 6 hours labor for a set of two hinges.
>> The shop rate is $75 per hour, for a labor total of $450.  The special
>> Stainless Steel Hinge material, plus the stainless plate and TIG
>> welding supplies added another $90 for the total of $540.00  I know
>> the material cost is accurate as I chased down the hinge material and
>> the stainless plate and my cost was $81.40 including tax, so I was
>> only charged $8.60 for the welding supplies.
>>
>> Only one man at the shop is capable of building the hinges, so "mass
>> production is out of the question"
>>
>> I have been advised that if I prepay for each set of hinges, I can
>> have any number of hinge sets made up at the $540.00 price, it will
>> just take time, as there is only one man who can make the hinges, and
>> it is all detailed and very precise "hand" work.  The guy that built
>> the hinges is quite a "Craftsman".  I had been told in the past, by
>> several larger fabrication shops, that they could not build the
>> hinges.
>>
>> I was further advised by the shop owner, that he does not want to get
>> into the "Hinge" business, and has no interest in building a lot of
>> hinges and hoping to sell them.  I was also advised that if they did
>> go to that effort, they would have to mark them up at their standard
>> 40% mark up, making the end price $756.00 + Taxes of $54.81 for a
>> total of $810.81.  As the shop has no interest in searching out
>> potential buyers of the hinges, and or advertising, they will only
>> build the number of hinge sets that I can prepay for.
>>
>> I will help anyone who wants a set of hinges get them at a price of
>> $550 + shipping, I will check the shipping cost with UPS (they are
>> more dependable than USPS for shipping high value items).  My guess is
>> the cost, with insurance, will be in the range of $25 to $40,
>> depending where in the country they are shipped to.  Because I have to
>> be involved, I will add $10.00 to my $540.00 cost for the hinges, to
>> cover my gasoline expenses only.
>>
>> I sure wish there was a cheaper way to get good dependable hinges for
>> our Silver Streak's, but I, as well as many others of you, have been
>> trying to get a source for hinges for the past two + years, and this
>> is the only success I am aware of.
>>
>> I was able to purchase a set of "New" Silver Streak Hinges that I
>> bought on Ebay over a year ago for $450.00 + $25 Freight, which I
>> never installed, as I knew they would not last and there would by no
>> more "Original Silver Streak Hinges" at any price.  I saved the hinges
>> to use as a pattern for new stronger hinges and am now convinced I
>> have a "PERMINANT" set of Stainless Steel hinges, they look good and
>> should out last the trailer.  As all of us Silver Streak owners are in
>> the same "Leaky boat" with respect to finding a solution to the hinge
>> problem, I am willing to take a bit of my time to facilitate a
>> solution to the problem.
>>
>> Several of you indicated that you needed more than one set of hinges,
>> I suggest you get one set and assure your self that you are truly
>> satisfied with the hinge fit and quality before you commit to more
>> than one set of two hinges at $550.00 + freight per set.
>>
>> For anyone on the West Coast, I will be attending the Vintage Trailer
>> Rally at Smithwoods RV Park at 4770 Highway 9, Felton CA 95018, Phone
>> (831) 335-4321, on May 30 through June 1.  If you can drop by, you can
>> see the new Stainless Steel Hinges installed on my Silver Streak.  I
>> hope Tom will have a chance to attend the Rally, as his opinion of the
>> hinges would carry a lot of weight.  Lets face it if it were not for
>> Tom Patterson, we would not have this great resource for our Classic
>> trailers, and we would not be able to share information and knowledge
>> about our Silver Streak and Streamline trailers, campers, fifth wheels
>> and motor homes.
>>
>> Ralph Cooke
>> rcooke@bak.rr.com
>>