mepla hinge boring

[Mark Boyette]

I'm looking to pick up a mepla boring attachement for my drill press. I saw CMT came out with a mepla drilling attachment but I can't seem to find anything about an attachement to press the hinges in place? I know
euro-eze makes a unit for the drill press that both drills the holes and presses in the hinges in place but not for mepla.
Any thoughts or suggestions greatly appreciated. $1,000 for a mepla alift is a bit much for the volume I do.
I'd rather stay with mepla since we also used them at work and I can buy from the same rep.
thanks, Mark

[Jamie Buxton]

Mepla cup hinges fit the same hole pattern as all the other cup hinges, so you don't have to use Mepla tools to bore the holes. You can use any manufacturer's tools. What to buy depends on how many doors you need to make. If you're making an entire cabinet, hinge boring takes only a few minutes of a many-hour job, so investing in expensive equipment doesn't make sense. Me, I use a shop-made template. A plunge router with a template guide bores the 35 mm hole, and a drill makes pilot holes for the screws that secure the hinge. It takes two minutes per hinge, instead of the few seconds that the $1000 rig does, but then mine cost $0 in materials, and twenty minutes to make.

[Mark Boyette]

thanks for the reply. here's bit more detail on why I'm looking for the drill press unit. I build kitchen cabinets so I average about 40 hinges per kitchen and want to use the hinges with the nylon dowels thus I'm drilling 3 holes at the same time. like this unit does
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017YPVMK?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=nextag-tools-tier5-delta-20&linkCode=asn
I'm curious if there is an attachment to press the hinge in place after drilling. can't seem to find anything on that online. Seems like a waste of time to use this unit if I have to hammer them in. If that was the case I'd just use a 35MM drill bit and screw them in.
We have the mepla alift unit at work and it's really nice but $1000.
thanks, Mark.

[frank shic]

mark, you can use the euro-eze drill press attachment that they sell on woodworker's supply. it bores the 35mm/8mm blum inserta hinge pattern. you will NEVER go back to the regular hinges or the ones that require pressing after you use these. just a little manual pressure and the hinge is installed! it's pretty affordable as well.

http://woodworker.com/sitenews/euroeze.html

[Mark Boyette]

thanks frank so i press them in by hand with this unit or the drill press? also I'm guessing I'll have to change to blum hinges? might be worth it as you said. I've always used mepla but would consider the change for this unit. I've heard a lot of good things about the blum.
thanks again,Mark.

[frank shic]

mark, this drill press jig will bore as well as press but if you use the inserta blum hinges, you can press them in with moderate hand pressure yourself. i would also highly recommend the inserta mounting plates as well. for a full kitchen's worth of cabinets, you'll easily save at least 1-2 hours using them.

[Andrew Nemeth]

Have you considered using the Blum inserta hinges? They only require a cup hole. There is a lever you throw while pressing the hinge in by hand that expands barbs outwards into the cup. VERY easy to install, after using them on my last built-in install I don't think I will ever screw or press cups in again. I don't know if any other harware companies makes a comparable product or not. If you are using many of them you will need to find a wholesale supplier becuase they can be pricey if you by them at a retail location (like all good hardawre).

[frank shic]

andrew, the insertas actually require THREE holes: the main 35mm hole and the two 8mm adjoining holes.

[Mark Boyette]

ok.. I got it now with the inserta. I will look into the inserta blum. sounds like a good way to go.
BTW.. new to this forum. What a great resource.
thanks, Mark.

[frank shic]

welcome mark!!! please post pics of the kitchens you've done - we always love to drool over them!