The ends are fixed, and the interior pieces pivot around the axle. They’re a bit more complex, and you need to ensure that there’s a strong fit/bond between the hinge pegs and the box. This particular example uses a single axle than spans the width of the box, but you can easily break that into two small segments instead.
The one we made for the Hinged Lid Box is certainly the least obtrusive design we could come up with. For small boxes made of wood, the strength is pretty good. But for very large boxes or brittle materials like acrylic, strength is an issue with this design.
Another option might be to buy small metal hinges.
I last used a design similar to the Cuttle one in your post, but instead of having ugly loops sticking up, I cut rings that fit inside the sides that are not visible when the lid is closed. The back of the box needed to be taller than the sides, by the thickness of the lid material plus the thickness of the top of the ring, and the lid needs to be a hair shorter so it misses the back and can swing up.
I don’t have a pic showing the inside of the finished box, but this is the corner of the design and I’ve highlighted the ring that I mentioned. They are just glued in-place. Black is the lid closed and at 45º. Orange is the side and back panels.
So there is a lip all the way around the edge above a recessed lid? Interesting, and probably a bit more stable than just having the same thing outside the box.
Yours made me think of a double layer box that kind of combines a couple of the designs. So, just a basic box with the “ring” portion as part of the sides that rises up above the sides by the thickness of the lid. Then, put that box into another box that was as tall as the side + ring. That way, no hinge is visible outside the box, the lid is flush with the outer walls, and it has the added stability of being contained. I like it.
But if it is a double layer lid as well, then the bottom layer would be the part in the ring and the top layer would be flush with the top of the ring and the sides.
I laser cut one based on a traditional pin and leaf design. But the “pin” has to be 3 times the material thickness. I thought I posted it, but I guess not.
I really like that idea. I need to try that on my next box. I usually do the heavy hinges that Doppler mentioned, but I don’t like how bulky they are or how far they have to stick out.
I really like the inset lid idea, if it is strong enough for the use case I would need.