While we, as crafters, strive to create terrain and objects that are beautiful and realistic, not everything we make is practical. I would never discourage someone from crafting whatever they wish, just for the joy of doing it (I myself crafted a three-foot-wide, two-story, octagonal keep for my last campaign, just to say I did), but sometimes time and resources dictate what is realistic to make for a session. Most professional crafters stress re-usability and recommend that certain things not be made at all, such as tavern interiors or functioning door hinges, and I tend to agree. Usually.

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In a couple of instances I have wanted functioning door hinges, once for strategic purposes during a fight, and once as an obstacle which could be overcome in more than one way. Crafting tiny hinges took some doing but, after many failed attempts, I settled on cylindrical beads and barbecue skewers.

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At this point, I would like to extol the virtue of beads. Whether you are crafting Wyloch’s potion vendor or just need a doorknob, beads are awfully useful. Watch for one of innumerable sales at Michaels; find a friend who has kicked their jewelry-making habit; or check your local hobby store, but have some beads on hand. Now to the crafting.

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There are several types of cylindrical beads that will slip onto a cocktail skewer and still rotate. In the first two photos, I used tube beads, but rondelles and hoops can also work. The order in which you glue everything together is what's vital, since each bead "hinge" will rest on a crossbeam of the wall or fence structure. I recommend marking off where the wall slats will be attached to the vertical beams first, gluing on the bottom slat, then sliding on a bead. Do the same with the remaining slat(s) and bead(s). Once these hinges are in place, make sure that the door, once attached to the hinges, covers the opening properly. Next, glue the door to the hinges, making sure that the door is perpendicular to the ground and to the wall structure. This may take a couple of tries, but the end result is well worth it.

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The theory was the same for the stockyard gate in the second set of pictures, though I used hoops and dowels. Once again, bottom slat, hoop, middle slat, hoop, top slat, then glue on the gate. For both of these crafts, I recommend using super glue, and ensuring that each joint has dried before starting the next step. And again, make sure that your door fits the opening before gluing, and that it is held perpendicular to the ground and square with the wall.

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I have also used a technique I learned from DM Scotty using a cocktail skewer threaded through the corrugation in a cardboard door frame. This works great for trap doors and situations in which you desire a functioning door between rooms or between interior and exterior areas.

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I hope you find this tutorial useful. If you have any questions, please send me a note and I'll do my best to help out.