Door Hinge Installation

[tim walker]

I am building a wine cabinet with glass doors on the lwoer portion and raised panel on the upper portion. I am spacing the doors 1/16" all around. My question is how do I actually install the hinges. I mean do i put the hinges on the cabinet first and then on teh dorors or vice versa and how do I amke sure I have teh 1/16" cearance all around.

THanks all.

[Joe Spackle]

If you have not cut the door to final size, make it so it just fits the opening

Now mark with it in tight fit mode set the hinges ( I am assuming butt hinges here) and set your top and bottom hinge locations I just mark the distance from the top and bottom of the door on both the face of the stile and the face of the cabinet. I work from the center of the hinge location but you can just put the hinge up and mark off it

Now once marked before cutting the mortises in the door, 1/16" off the top and bottom of the door as well as 1/16" off the sides of the door then cut in the mortises for all the hinges on the stile and cabinet sides.

I tend to keep the cuts just a bit less than 1/16" so I can adjust the fit just a little once the hinges are set. a jointer and sharp knives will help you to do this step

Joe