Four Things to Consider When Choosing a Weld-on Hinge

Weld on hinges or welding hinges can provide a strong, compact, and attractive method of attaching metal doors to metal frames for electrical, agricultural, security, safe, tool cabinets, gate, enclosure, and many other applications. Whether you’re purchasing a weld on hinge, though, there a few things to consider when choosing one.

1. Application

Weld on hinges offer high control quality and are typically used in heavy duty industrial applications such as steel cabinets, electrical boxes, steel gates, machinery doors, transformer enclosures and tool boxes. Not only used in industrial applications, weld on hinges are also used in industries such as marine, automotive, shipping, construction, electronics, commercial and more for applications such as barbecue pits, fishing equipment, tool boxes, cab enclosures, security gates, traffic light controls, truck or trailer bodies, boats and cabs.

2. Material

Typical materials used in weld on hinges include iron, stainless steel, zinc-plated iron, low carbon steel, brass, steel and aluminum alloys. Able to withstand substantial loads as well as being suitable for narrow frames, heavy duty weld on hinges are excellent alternatives to more traditional hinges. What type of environment will the hinge be used in? If you intend to use it outdoors or in other humid environments, you should choose a hinge made of a rust-resistant material. Stainless steel hinges are a popular choice because, unlike other metals, they don’t succumb to rust when used in a humid environment.

3. Structure

Weld-on Hinges come in various styles of hinges that welding performed as a secondary process performed to it, such as bullet hinges, strap hinges, barrel hinges, butt hinges, round hinges, flat hinges, square hinges, flag hinges, bat wing hinges and so on. Most often, weld on hinges are designed as two halves of a hinge that can separately be directly welded on to the surfaces. These halves are referred to as the male and female barrels, which is why weld on hinges are also referred to as weld on barrel hinges or just barrel hinges. The male barrel is the barrel with the pin and the female barrel is the barrel without a pin. The male barrel is welded onto the structural surface, such as a door frame, while the female barrel is welded onto the other surface, such as a door. Since doors that use weld on hinges become lift-off doors, the female barrel must fit on top of the male barrel. This is because lift-off doors are often dropped and the bottom barrel must have the greater load bearing capabilities.

4. Advantage

RF carries a variety of weld on hinges, including weld on barrel hinges, weld on round hinges, weld on adjustable hinges, weld on flat, weld on butt hinges, weld on square hinges, weld on bat wing hinges, weld on strap hinges and our most popular weld on bullet hinges. These hinges are best choice for welding on metal doors and lids when fasteners are not desired. The popular type of hinge for welding is our bullet hinges, specifically designed for welded applications. Some advantages to our bullet hinges are

A. they are strong and can carry heavy weights;

B. they can be taken apart and dismantled easily;

C. they offer a clean and smooth appearance due to its leafless design.

Want to know more about weld on hinges? Take a look at our guide to the different types of weld on hinges. If you do not find the exact hinge you are looking for, RF can supply the perfect custom weld-on hinge for you. Also our online customer service department is available to assist you and can help you choose the most cost effective solution for your requirements.