Yet another question/recommendation
lunabean1
| Posted in Tools for Home Building on
I rescued a bunch of old, solid oak doors that were being thrown out, and we’re planning on using them in our new house. Most of them will have to be cut down just a touch. Can anyone recommend a good hinge template to use for cutting the new mortises, that isn’t too expensive? FHB had shown one years ago, a Templaco that was just $22 or so, but I can’t find it anywhere on their website.
Replies
I have the Porter Cable 59370, template and it does a good job.
I've used the Miles Craft, and it worked ok.
The Big Porter Cable door haning kitt is great but spendy, and unless you are a pro will be hard to justify the cost.
Luna
You certainly can make a decent single hinge template. All you need is the router bit w/guide to figure the opening needed in a pc. of plywood to guide.............the guide.
Can be made so it can clamp to the face of the door while firmly being placed on the edge.
or
screwed down
or
tacked down directly to the edge.
I'd bet Gary Katz has something on his site that might take you further. I know there's a couple hanging tricks that he has on dvd and it's worth a look at
garymkatz.com
expanded template......
You can further expand that single hinge template plan to make a one piece unit that will do 2 or 3 hinges all at once for either the door or jamb.
Saves all the grief of laying out the distance between hinges repeatedly.
If you make it big enough so the motise is guided by the outside of the router base instead of a template guide the whole thing can be flipped over to use on either edge of the door.
oldhand
When cutting hinges on the door to match up with those on the jamb, I like the individual template. This especially in houses that did not have prehung factory jams. The placement is not always spot on between jambs, when hung onsite.
But in a production set up where you are cutting new mortises in both-you are absolutely right.