Hafele aluminum extrusions for glass front doors

[Packard]

Hafele manufactures aluminum extrusions for fabricating narrow rail and stile glass frame doors. 

It assembles by mitering the corners, inserting cast corner keys and tighten with set-screws.  In other words, it assembles the same way aluminum poster frames are, and I have made hundreds of those. 

Also, the aluminum extrusions accept Hafele soft close hinges that can be slid anywhere along the extrusion.  Also held in place with set screws. 

I can find this extrusion online, but only as pre-cut kits.  I would like to buy the “sticks” of aluminum extrusions and cut my own. 

Does anyone know a source for uncut extrusions?

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I have done something similar a few times, but I don't remember the brand right off. I'm pretty sure it wasn't Hafele though? CR Lawrence maybe?
The corner fixings were like that, but the extrusion itself was quite different. If I remember correctly, they were more alike on the back and front sides. The hinges definitely did not fit into the extrusion like that, which would be far easier. They had to be drilled with the normal 35mm cup holes.

I'll see if I can find some pics

 

[Packard]

Thanks for the reply. 

As a former picture framer, this assembly technique falls directly in my sweet spot. 

I have a dedicated sliding table saw that is calibrated to cut 45 degree miters only.  It has a saw blade that cost me north of $200.00 in the the 1980s.  With inflation that is about $671.00 in 2023, so probably a pretty good blade. 

I have a wall mounted Fletcher glass cutter, so accurate glass cutting is as easy as setting the fence on my table saw. 

The hard part, it seems, is obtaining the extrusions.  I don’t need to pay someone $75.00 to cut four miters.  It will take me minutes in my basement. 

And this will make a much narrower frame than I can do with wood.  So, a natural (if I can find the extrusions domestically.  The Chinese are offering it, but I respectfully decline.  Hafele makes impressively designed and manufactured products.  A much larger catatog than Blum, but with similar quality.)

 

[Cheese]

It's probably a given that Häfele isn't the extruder so I'd start by Googling "aluminum door extrusions" or "aluminum kitchen door extrusions" and see what pops up.

As you mentioned, the corner connectors appear to be exactly the same as conventional aluminum picture frame connectors so that's a bonus round as you already know the source for those. 

 

[Packard]

While the corner keys are similar, I have doubts that they are interchangeable.  Most of the corner keys I used were stamped pieces.  The ones that Hafele shows are castings, and probably are thicker—too thick to stamp. 

I can import from China the extrusions in larger quantities.  But I probably need only three or four lengths (6 one 8 pieces in UPS-able 6 foot lengths). 

I’ll keep looking.  Thanks.

 

[guybo]

Hi,maybe i read this screen wrong it look to be a single piece,2.5m long. I get fedex up to 9.9ft

 

[Packard]

Hi,maybe i read this screen wrong it look to be a single piece,2.5m long. I get fedex up to 9.9ft

I think you are reading it correctly.  But it is for doors “cut to size” (mitered).

I think they will also ask you to purchase the interior trim pieces, and those require some milling to be fitted.  I am fairly sure I can make satisfactory interior pieces from milled and painted wood.  Making the interior trim (which would be milled to neatly surround the hinge) would be beyond my equipment capability.  It would require a milling machine.  They probably have a dedicated milling machine that makes that cut.