Brusso Hinge Templates

[Jeff Ramsey]

I'm considering using Brusso's template for their smaller hinges, but I'm mystified as to the router bit, and bushing. I've exchanged several emails with their tech support and I'm still mystified. Their template calls for a 3/4" OD "bushing". A bearing would work, but in that configuration such a thing doesn't exist. Here's my last email exchange with Brusso. Has anyone used these templates, and if so how was the bit/bushing combination achieved? I may just fit the hinges manually with chisels like I always have.


Me: what's confusing me with your template description is the requirement for a 1/4" straight router bit WITH a 3/4" OD bushing. I know of no off-the-shelf router bit with that configuration; it's the 3/4" bushing that's baffling.

Brusso: Our best advice for this would be to simply cut and/or grind the router bushing to a shorter length. We are not aware of an off the shelf router bushing that is short enough to work with our templates.

[Mike Henderson]

I've set a lot of small Brusso hinges on jewelry boxes. If that's what you're trying to do, take a look here where I describe how I set the hinges.

If you're trying to set quadrant hinges, I have a description elsewhere on my website. Let me know and I'll provide a pointer.

Mike

[Michael Pyron]

I'm considering using Brusso's template for their smaller hinges, but I'm mystified as to the router bit, and bushing. I've exchanged several emails with their tech support and I'm still mystified. Their template calls for a 3/4" OD "bushing". A bearing would work, but in that configuration such a thing doesn't exist. Here's my last email exchange with Brusso. Has anyone used these templates, and if so how was the bit/bushing combination achieved? I may just fit the hinges manually with chisels like I always have.


Me: what's confusing me with your template description is the requirement for a 1/4" straight router bit WITH a 3/4" OD bushing. I know of no off-the-shelf router bit with that configuration; it's the 3/4" bushing that's baffling.

Brusso: Our best advice for this would be to simply cut and/or grind the router bushing to a shorter length. We are not aware of an off the shelf router bushing that is short enough to work with our templates.

I'm not sure where your confusion lies...

disclaimer: never used these templates

that being said, apparently their templates are set up for those conditions...1/4" straight bit combined with the 3/4" bushing...it would appear as if the "length" of the bushing prevents its use with their template (logically a thin template) and the only solution is to shorten the bushing (I've done this before as required for whatever the heck I was doing at that point in time)...so, simply cut the sucker down in whatever fashion you find comfortable

the depth of any mortise when using a template is determined by the math of thickness of template and projection of router bit...in this case my comments above most likely hold some water

[Jeff Ramsey]

I've set a lot of small Brusso hinges on jewelry boxes. If that's what you're trying to do, take a look here where I describe how I set the hinges.

If you're trying to set quadrant hinges, I have a description elsewhere on my website. Let me know and I'll provide a pointer.

Mike

Mike, thanks for the link to your site. Nice description (and project!).

Jeff

[Jeff Duncan]

Not an answer to your question, but I make templates for hardware out of 1/2" mdf scrap and use a pattern bit in a laminate trimmer. Costs nothing but time, maybe 15 to 20 minutes for the template, and then your good to go. Got a bunch of them piled up for different hinges and plates.

just a thought anyway,
JeffD

[Ted Derryberry]

Router bearings RouterBearings.jpg
Router bushingsRouterBushings.jpg

[Jim Tobias]

+1 on what Michael Pyron said. I have several of Brusso Templates. You have to take whatever bushing is needed(in your case a 3/4" OD bushing) and grind/shorten the length of the protrusion. It's the length of the bushing that fits and guides around down inside the template. The Brusso Templates are 1/8" thick solid brass, so your bushings have to be ground down so the guide/protrusion is just a hair under 1/8".
Brusso had a big 1/2 price sale on their templates several months back. I bought several on sale. You might contact them and see if they are going to bring that item back on sale anytime soon.

Hope this makes sense.

Jim

[Andrew Hughes]

I think you should scrap the router path.And continue using chisels. Theres no way I'd offer up all my hard work to a router.
brusso hinges can be done using chisels and different techniques. It takes time,sometimes a half a day or more depending on the wood. It's clearly a safer and precise way to fit hinges.
These hinges are not brusso but get done the same way.

[Stan Calow]

I have their quadrant hinge templates (a pair makes it much easier). The instructions that came with it specified the router bit and bushing. I had to grind down the bushing to the right depth as Rockler recommended to you, so brass bushings are preferred. That was easy, although I don't know why they didn't take standard bushing sizes into account when they designed them.

I used my Bosch trim router for this which also required getting a bottom plate adapter to use with the PC bushings I already had. Altogether pretty expensive investment, but I could not have done this by chisel in such a narrow working space.

If Rockler sells the hinges your using (they did sell Brusso quadrant hinges), the may also have their own plastic micro jig-it template for the hinges.

[Ted Phillips]

I used their templates for a while and hand-filed a bushing to get the right fit.

Then I got tired of all the fiddling and went back to my razor sharp Blue Spruce chisels and haven't looked back. Any body need a set of Brusso hinge templates (TJ01 and TJ02)? They are very nice quality - heavy and easy to clamp. I'll even throw in the bushing...

TedP

[Mark Wooden]

+ 1 with JeffD- takes only a little bit of time and since you're using a flush bearing bit, there is no offset to figure into the layout like there is with a guide bushing.

[Thomas L Carpenter]

I have used this jig from Fine Woodworking n the past and it seems to work ok. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neeJ3shVtp8&t=14s.

[Ted Derryberry]

Not the same type of hinges.