A simple DIY solution to a common problem.
Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us? wardrobes
Removing a door from its hinges is about as simple a DIY job as comes along. Yet more than one hinge pin has refused to budge even after employing a variety of tools and methods. If this has happened to you, we’re here to help.
There are two sources of trouble that cause a hinge pin to be difficult to remove:
We show you how to deal with both, neatly and efficiently.
The old technique of putting a big common nail under the hinge pin and whacking it with a hammer is a perfectly good way to knock the hinge pin from its bore. Until it isn’t. I’ve seen more than one pin held so securely in its bore that the nail will bend before the pin budges. That is, the striking force from the hammer goes into bending the nail and not loosening the pin.
The solution is to use a specialized tool. Mayhew makes a spring-loaded hinge pin remover. The tool is assembled from three parts: a tool steel punch pin tip, a powerful spring, and a small weight attached to the spring’s end.
There are rare instances when more stern measures are called for and, as good as the Mayhew tool is, it’s not powerful enough to knock out a really stubborn pin. That calls for a two-step solution:
Roy Berendsohn has worked for more than 25 years at Popular Mechanics, where he has written on carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, blacksmithing, welding, lawn care, chainsaw use, and outdoor power equipment. When he’s not working on his own house, he volunteers with Sovereign Grace Church doing home repair for families in rural, suburban and urban locations throughout central and southern New Jersey.
Why the Bobcat Is Such a Badass Job-Site Machine
Can Smokejumpers Still Protect a World on Fire?
Stand-by Power: Eco Flow’s Smart Home Panel 2
How Does UFO Footage Play Tricks on Your Mind?
Why Doesn’t the Living Human Body ‘Go Bad’?
Get to Know the Marines’ Favorite Ride
Is the Room-Temperature Superconductor Back?
Could AI Really Have Thoughts and Feelings?
Meet the Navy’s New Radar-Killing Missile
What 9 Months on a Cruise Ship Can Do to You
The Strange Origin of the Hollow Moon Conspiracy
A Part of Hearst Digital Media
We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.
room divider partition ©2024 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.