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I've never installed a piano hinge and will be installing one later today.

It is 40" long on the lid of a blanket chest.

Any pointers, tips, avoid this help that the crew can provide?

I was thinking about placing the hinge on the lid and folding it over the edge and marking and drilling and setting a few screws, say four. Then remove them.

Then place the hinge on the chest doing the same thing making sure to have a consistent alignment mark on both the lid and the chest to ensure that those align.

Then attaching with say four screws to both and then drilling and mounting the remaining screws.

Any pointers or thoughts?

I like to stick it down with double stick tape to make sure it doesn't move, then starting in the middle install a few screws. Then do the same for the other side. With just a few screws installed if its wrong you can start over and only have to deal with a few misplaced screw holes instead of all of them.

trying to hold it in place without the tape and installing screws I've had it shift.

I put mine in a rabbet when I use them. Makes it so it won't shift around. Then I use one of those cabinetmakers transfer punches and then gimlet all the impressions

On one that long I usually put a small piece of double sided tape on both ends plus one in the middle to hold one side in place. Then I use a vix-bit to drill the holes in every other hole on the hinge. I do not use the brass screws to attach it first time. I use the same size stainless steel screw to attached it. I will even put the screw in some wax to help it along..... Then on the opposite side I make the holes in the opposite place as the first set... That way the screws will not hit one another when the lid is closed......

I quit using double sided tape. I use hot glue now.

Should you use breadboard ends on the lid stop the hinge just short of the batten (breadboard end). The hinges are made in varying widths get the correct width. There are various materials from which the hinge is made and quality ones can be ordered by the web.

I limit the amount of opening by mounting a piece of wood all the way across in the back just below the hinge as shown in FWW 236, Dec 2013.