Mounting Cabinet Doors...how?

[Brent Romero]

I need to install doors on a vanity and I am using Blum concealed hinges. What is the typical method to install doors to get them perfectly aligned with each other. Also, what is the method to install a door when you don't have access to the inside of the cabinet?

Thanks in advance for the help

[Van Huskey]

what is the method to install a door when you don't have access to the inside of the cabinet?

Before I say anything I need to understand what you mean by this...

[tyler mckee]

Before I say anything I need to understand what you mean by this...
I also don't understand that part. I have always drilled and installed the hinges on the door following the manufacturers directions for hinge cup location. Then I simply measure from the top of the door to the top Mounting plate hole for each hinge, subtract whatever overlay I may have and mark and drill my top two holes in each hinge. Install my doors, get everything aligned, then I install the final screws on each hinge. Ive only installed new doors on existing cabs that are out of square and have slight variation, which is why I start with just one screw. If I was doing a whole kitchen I made I would just make a jig for drilling holes

[Brent Romero]

I bought the Blum hinges and they were shipped without any instructions. The cabinet guy bored the 35mm holes in the doors for me. I guess my questions are:

1) What is the best way to ensure that the horizontal edges are on the same plane?....so that when you look across at the doors they are not at different levels

2) How are the brackets that mount to the cabinet (not the part that mounts to the 35mm hole) mounted and aligned to achieve #1

3) In a situation where there is only one door and there is no way to mount the hinge on the door first and reach around inside to drill the mounting plate, again, how do you mount the plant to ensure that the vertical position of the door is in the desired location?

I think this is all simple stuff once I hear how it is done.

Thanks

[Bob Lloyd]

Brent

You can get the instructions on Blum's website.

[John Lanciani]

http://woodworker.com/ez-template-base-plate-jig-mssu-148-223.asp?search=Hinge Jig&searchmode=2

Measure, mark, and drill. I've used this jig for years on virtually any brand of concealed hinge and it has never let me down. As for aligning the doors, that is what all of the adjustments (X,Y, and Z axis) on the hinge are for.

[Don Jarvie]

Nice part about Blum hinges is that they can be adjusted. There are other screws on the cabinet part of the hinge that will adjust it so it will square up with the other.

[Sam Murdoch]

The advice to go to Blum's web site and get the specifics on your hinge is good advice.There are many variables. Having said that word of caution, the position for the mounting plate for most "regular" overlay style Blum hinges is 37mm from the cabinet side face to the centerline of the base plate. The "regular" position in the case of an inset door is 38.5mm plus the thickness of the door to the centerline of the base plate.

To locate the up and down position of the base plate you need to establish the centerline of the piece mounted on the door relative to the cabinet. The easiest way to do that, for your one door, is to apply a piece of painters tape to the edge of the door at the hinge and to the outside face of the cabinet approximately at the hinge location. Leave your tape oversize so that you have some room to locate your mark.

1) Indicate the hinge cup centerline on the tape of the door with a fine thin pencil line.

2) Put your door into position on the cabinet factoring the clearances at the top and bottom.

3) Transfer the pencil line on the door to the face of the cabinet.

4) Transfer the cabinet face pencil mark to the inside of your cabinet.

That should be the vertical centerline. With that mark and the cross hair of the 37 mm (or whatever dimension your hinges needs) you should be able to attach the baseplates. When they are secure you simply clip on the door and adjust accordingly.

Good luck. If I did not explain clearly, ask and I or someone else will fill in the details. Please do go and check the Blum website.

Sam

[Brent Romero]

Thanks for the help....much appreciated