Favorite hinge mortising jig?

[Bert McMahan]

I'm looking at replacing 7-8 doors soon, and am not looking forward to chiseling out the hinge mortises on all of them.

It looks like both Milescraft and Ryobi have kits to let me use a router. Have any of you tried these? The Milescraft looks a little more sturdy, but you have to screw it in place each time. The Ryobi one clamps on, but I'm not sure how tight the plastic clamp can hold.

Are there any others that I'm missing? Should I just make my own?

[Paul Girouard]

I'm looking at replacing 7-8 doors soon, and am not looking forward to chiseling out the hinge mortises on all of them.

It looks like both Milescraft and Ryobi have kits to let me use a router. Have any of you tried these? The Milescraft looks a little more sturdy, but you have to screw it in place each time. The Ryobi one clamps on, but I'm not sure how tight the plastic clamp can hold.

Are there any others that I'm missing? Should I just make my own?


Bosch , if they still make them.

The company has a Porta Cable , I’ve never used it but guy I’ve work with , and for over the past 35 years did use it and said the Bosch is a better jig.

[John Gornall]

Lee Valley hinge mortising sysyem

[Paul Girouard]

That being said IF these seven doors are the end of your door hanging days dap then in by hand. It’s good experience on chisel work.

[Derek Cohen]

That being said IF these seven doors are the end of your door hanging days dap then in by hand. It’s good experience on chisel work.

I agree. Chisel, then use a router plane to finish.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/FittingTheLidHinges.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Ole Anderson]

I have used these Porter Cable guys on about a dozen doors, attach with a small double headed nail, provided. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Porter-Cable-2-1-2-in-x-6-in-Single-Hinge-Template-59370/100132301?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD25T%7C25-7_POWER+TOOL+ACCESSORIES%7CNA%7CPLA%7c717000000341 27227%7c58700003933021549%7c92700031755124883&gclid=CjwKCAjworfdBRA7EiwAKX9HeJjaaQFtRU4-289Ws0sHvZpHSuhJTgu2xPjBHXns9K8cBO0ZvipJ5RoCsSIQAv D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CM7l5NOt390CFYzGwAodjV8IAA Comes with a steel router bit but I lost mine and upgraded to an inexpensive carbide bit for under $10. Frankly, I would probably try the Ryobi kit first.

https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/f3ad23dd-22d4-4f1d-967a-636fe396f191/svn/porter-cable-router-parts-accessories-59370-64_145.jpg

[Mike Kees]

I own both a Porter cable jig and a Milwaukee jig. Long story ,lost the P.C. and replaced with the Milwaukee only to find the P.C. Anyhow the P.C. is better overall quality,but the Milwaukee is easier to set up and use. For seven doors just do it by hand or make a quick plywood jig for your router. Mike.

[Wojciech Tryc]

I have used these Porter Cable guys on about a dozen doors, attach with a small double headed nail, provided. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Porter-Cable-2-1-2-in-x-6-in-Single-Hinge-Template-59370/100132301?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD25T%7C25-7_POWER+TOOL+ACCESSORIES%7CNA%7CPLA%7c717000000341 27227%7c58700003933021549%7c92700031755124883&gclid=CjwKCAjworfdBRA7EiwAKX9HeJjaaQFtRU4-289Ws0sHvZpHSuhJTgu2xPjBHXns9K8cBO0ZvipJ5RoCsSIQAv D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CM7l5NOt390CFYzGwAodjV8IAA Comes with a steel router bit but I lost mine and upgraded to an inexpensive carbide bit for under $10. Frankly, I would probably try the Ryobi kit first.

https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/f3ad23dd-22d4-4f1d-967a-636fe396f191/svn/porter-cable-router-parts-accessories-59370-64_145.jpg
i have used the Porter Cable on several doors, but i replaced the router bid with Freud.
The one supplied with the kit, burnt out quicky.

[greg bulman]

Woodhaven makes a cheap and easy to use product. I have use it for several doors.

[Tom M King]

I built one new waterfront spec house a year from 1974 through 2007. I never used a prehung door. Doors and jambs were routed before finishing/painting, and was a pretty quick process.

It's a shame that the Craftsman jig, that stopped production in the 1970's, is not available any more. It's metal, and clamps to the door, and jamb, and leaves no holes. I used it on every house, and it's still in fine shape. It can be used for the jambs too, but I decided to make a plywood one that would work for any width jamb. Sometimes there would be a very wide jamb in a basement that the Craftsman jig wouldn't open wide enough for. I ended up liking the plywood jamb jig better anyway.

The plywood jamb jig screws to the jamb behind where the stops will go, so there were no extra holes left in sight.

I used something like the Milescraft jigs (may have been, but so long ago that I don't remember) to make dedicated jigs for each of the door strike mortises. They clamp to the door, and screw to the jamb behind stop location.

Plywood jigs had their working edges hardened with epoxy, and sanded to perfection size.

My old door jigs have never been adjusted, and I wish that hinge mortise bits, with upper bearings, were available back when I first set them up. But since I kept dedicated routers for each job, they have never been touched, and those routers keep the bushings. I don't remember when, if ever, the Whiteside bits have been changed.

If I were in your position, I'd buy the Milescraft kit, and use that to make a set of plywood jigs, including for the door. Edge stop blocks can also serve to use quick clamps to clamp it to the doors. I can send pictures of mine, if you like, but probably are obvious.

Exterior doors, with their larger hinges, were hung with a chisel because it would take longer to change, or make more jigs, just for a few doors. Butt chisels are called that because they're for hinge butts. It's much easier to do the bottom of the top hinge mortise on a jamb, and the upper part of the lower hinge mortise, with a short chisel. Of the maybe 50 chisels I own, one is a 1-1/2" Stanley no. 60, that's kept just for that job. I don't know why anyone likes them for anything other than their intended purpose.

[Carl Beckett]

I have always wondered about this one:

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/hinge-mate-ii

Mainly because when I do hinge mortises with the router I make a home made version of this for the particular size hinge. Always thought it would be handy to have a fully adjustable.

But as Derek mentions, I end up doing them mostly by hand and the router plane allows a smooth, even bottom surface.

[Wayne Lomman]

Make one. It's simple and you only have a few doors. Make one even if you have 50 doors. You will wear out before your jig. Cheers

[Bob Falk]

I used the Bosch to hang 13 custom doors in my house remodel. Works great. I am done with it and its for sale, BTW. PM me if interested. It's complete with all parts, pins, etc. I also have the PC strike plate template that I will throw in for free.

[Larry Edgerton]

I make all of mine. I use ash usually. I glue it together using 5 pieces then send it through the planer. I have the PC jig but find my shopbuilt one to be more accurate. I use dowels for the stops that fit snug, but can be tapped through to do an opposite handed door.

[Charles Lent]

I use a Pro Grip hinge mortising jig https://www.ptreeusa.com/rtr_jigs_hinge.htm (the second jig shown on this page). It's easy to set up and comes with a top bearing mortising bit. Just adjust it so the hinge fits between one side (either side) of the short center piece and then locate this part of the jig where you want to cut the mortise. All that's left after routing is the rounded corners left by the router bit, but they are easy to clean up with a corner chisel. I've been mortising my hinges with this jig for about 10 years now. It can be adjusted to fit hinges down to about 3/4" length, but it works best if the hinge is being placed on something wide enough for both Pro Grip clamps to attach.

Charley

[Tom M King]

Whatever jig you end up with, the longest part of the process is waiting for the router to wind down, before lifting it out. If you don't do that, odds are high that the jig will end up with a bite out of it.

My lock and strike jigs look very similar to this one. The one for the door needs to be long enough that quick clamps, that hold it to the door, are out of the way of the router. The one for the jamb has screw holes for behind where the stop goes.

https://www.templaco.com/html/product.asp?id=455&mode=Special+Application

[John TenEyck]

I make my own as well using 1/4" Masonite and a hardwood fence to clamp it to the door. I use the same jig for the frame mortises by taking off the fence and screwing it to the frame where the door stops will be, as someone else mentioned. I used to use a collet on my router, which meant the jig had to be sized larger than the hinge, but then I discovered shallow template router bits that have a top bearing. In a palm router these bits the perfect solution for cutting hinge mortises. Best of all, using these bits you make the template the same size as the hinge so there's no guesswork or adjustment required for a perfect fit.

JOhn

https://www.amazon.com/Whiteside-Router-Bits-3000-Template/dp/B000HZX4W4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1538239997&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=hinge+mortising+router+bit&psc=1&smid=A1WO0LWTFI0BL8

[Chris Fournier]

Chisel and butt mortise plane. Or a dedicated shop jig and laminate trimmer, moments to make.

[Joe Calhoon]

For the majority of our door prehanging we use the hinge master from Norfield.
https://norfield.com/store/index.php/tools-and-supplies/door-jamb-fixtures/mfg56100-hingemaster-kit.html

It works well and the door and jamb are routed at the same time but is a little pricy for home or small shop use. I’ve also had a Porter cable jig for years and that one is a bear to use. Bosch is similar design but a little better. I think for low volume work the Templaco jigs are good.

Its easy to make a jig also. The pictures show a shop made template we used to route hinges for interior shutters that used a hinge size smaller than the hinge master could do. This one routs the jamb and door at the same time. I think similar to what Larry does.
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[Rick Potter]

Curious why some use a router jig, and then square the corners with a chisel. Why not just use rounded hinges made for this application?

[julian abram]

i have used the Porter Cable on several doors, but i replaced the router bid with Freud.
The one supplied with the kit, burnt out quicky.

Same experience, jig works fine, inexpensive, just throw the bit away and use a Freud.

[Larry Edgerton]

Curious why some use a router jig, and then square the corners with a chisel. Why not just use rounded hinges made for this application?

The kind of hinges that you would use on a $7,000 door do not come with round corners. Most of my exterior doors use roller bearing hinges. Interior doors are often cast iron. neither is available with round corners. Plus I believe square corners are less likely to move.

[Larry Edgerton]

Its easy to make a jig also. The pictures show a shop made template we used to route hinges for interior shutters that used a hinge size smaller than the hinge master could do. This one routs the jamb and door at the same time. I think similar to what Larry does.


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That is how I make mine Joe, except I most often use a short top bearing pattern bit so I can just use the actual hinge as a spacer when I glue up. Always had intention of building an adjustable one, but I can make a new one in a half hour so never do. Have a wall full in the barn.

[Joe Calhoon]

Great idea about the top bearing bit Larry! Would save some calculation.
I like routing the jamb and door at the same time. Makes getting the top gap accurate and consistent easy. That was my biggest gripe with the PC jig. And the nail holes, inaccuracy etc. My jigs don’t work for hanging doors in place though.

I started building doors in the late 70s and never pre-hung a door till the late 80s. Something changed in the industry about that time and from that point on all the builders demanded prehung. I still think hanging in place is the best but that is a rarity now. It does take a skilled carpenter to install a heavy or large prehung custom door correctly though.

[Darcy Warner]

I have like 6 of the old PC and B&D ones.

It might take me 10 minutes to set one up. I cant find plywood, and tools to make a jig in less time than that.

[James Dempsey]

Whatever jig you end up with, the longest part of the process is waiting for the router to wind down, before lifting it out. If you don't do that, odds are high that the jig will end up with a bite out of it.

My lock and strike jigs look very similar to this one. The one for the door needs to be long enough that quick clamps, that hold it to the door, are out of the way of the router. The one for the jamb has screw holes for behind where the stop goes.

https://www.templaco.com/html/product.asp?id=455&mode=Special+Application

I have the full length templaco templates in multiple heights, and really like them, heights over 6/8 they break down into 2 parts.

[John Goodin]

I have a Milescraft jig and used it on about ten interior doors without issue. These are so simple and the depth of cut so shallow that there is no need spending an excessive amount of money. I think the biggest chance of screw up would be human error. . . like putting the top hinge on the bottom. If you want to borrow mine I would be happy to send it to you but I think you can buy one for the cost of round trip shipping.

[Paul Girouard]

The Bosch jig is the way to go, IMO. Setting up a wood jig for different height doors , for different hinge sizes that I run into would not be viable.




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Then if you need a much smaller door and hinge , use a chisel. Like I said , it’s good practice.


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[Stan Coryell]

I would agree it's good practice to use a chisel. Although if you are using cheap contractor slabs I would use a router. Also keep in mind the jamb mortise may not be the same on every jamb. I would make a simple jig from plywood. Install the new hinges on the existing jambs and measure them. Transfer the locations to the new slab and use the jig. I like to mount the jig fence on the barrel side, this way if you need to change the inset on the slab you could shim it away from the door face. Hope this helps.
Stan

[mreza Salav]

When I made 32 doors for our house I made a jig and routered all the doors and jambs with it. Quick to make one.

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[Tom Bain]

The only one I’ve ever used is the Porter Cable Butt Hinge Jig, and it worked great. But, it’s pricey if you are only doing 7-8 doors. You could probably re-sell it on EBay and make at least 50% of your cost back.

[Bill McNiel]

The Bosch jig is the way to go, IMO. Setting up a wood jig for different height doors , for different hinge sizes that I run into would not be viable.



That Bosch jig looks very similar (identical?) to the old Stanley and Milwaukee jigs I used for many years, and still have one of each and the Bullet Head router. Great jigs and fully adjustable.

FWIW - hanging doors was one of many ways I earned a living while attending school (I also cut stair stringers and roofs).

[Larry Edgerton]

Whatever jig you end up with, the longest part of the process is waiting for the router to wind down, before lifting it out. If you don't do that, odds are high that the jig will end up with a bite out of it.


Sad to say, but that is a lesson I have learned more than once.:rolleyes:

[Mike Hollingsworth]

$100 for a templaco makes them all fit perfectly
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[Paul F Franklin]

I used the milescraft jig for 6 doors. It works fine but as you mentioned, has to be positioned for each hinge. No big deal, but calls for careful marking and takes a few extra minutes. If I was going to be doing a lot more doors down the road, I probably would go with the Bosch. If you are fitting the doors to existing jambs with hinge mortises already in them, then the milescraft will let you match them perfectly even if there is some variation from door to door. If the existing jambs are all perfectly identical, then I'd probably make a jig out of 1/4 mdf so I could route all three hinges with one setup.....

If you have to route for the strike as well, the milescraft set I bought handles that as well....