Door latch router fixture

[Mark Hultzapple]

Has anyone made a router fixture for recessing strike plates on interior doors? My problem is due to settling over the years the latches nolonger match up to the strike plate. Some are not off by much and can be filed out enlarging the hole but others are off pretty far. I'm looking for a way to inset new wood, move the latch plate up or down and ,using a router, route the inset for the plate to the frame. Got any ideas for a quick fix? I would also like a fixture for insetting the latch in the edge of the door. I used to use the utility knife, hammer and chisel method before round corner latches. There has got to be a better way. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Peter Quinn]

So you need to reset the strike plate in the door jamb, and reset the latch plate in the edge of the door style? Do you have a pocket hole jig? I make lots of quick templates using 1/2" MDF strips and a few pocket holes using the actual hardware piece as a guide for the internal dimensions of the template. You can also just glue and clamp strips of MDF, it glues very well. You will need a 1/2"X1/4" top bearing pattern mortising bit (whiteside, PC and a few others sell these, pretty standard for mortised door hinges and hardware).

Basically you just butt two mdf strips up to each end of the piece of hardware to be inset, cut the other two sides to match the length of the piece, locate it on the door or jamb and pin nail or screw perpendicular a depth stop that also acts as a clamping point and route away. For a piece that needs a dutchman behind it, I usually make a slightly oversized template, route it out until I reach solid wood, chop the corners square with a chisel, fit a dutchman and glue it in, then flush trim it freehand with a router trim router or block plane and sand paper. Does this make sense?

The radius of those little pattern bits matches most of the rounded corners on modern hardware, which was meant to be routed using a router and template. I forget the name but there is a company that sells stupid expensive prefab templates to match most major door makers hardware sizes (hinges, strike plates, latch plates etc). Great for field carpenters hanging door for a living, a bit rich for the occasional fix.

Personally I prefer square corners and source hardware with them. I do not like the factory made look, but if you have existing hardware to work with you have little choice.

[Bill Houghton]

You might consider a butt mortise plane. These are described as hinge mortise tools, but they work for strike plates, too.

You can make one: http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/handtools/articles_114.shtml

[Gene Howe]

When the plate is shifted, you will have a void where the old plate was. My solution on painted doors is to remove the hardware and fill the entire recess with Bondo then re-cut in the new position.