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25 cent hinge mortising jig for any hinge

tod evans

tod evans

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ozarks
i suppose i could go buy one of the commercial jigs but this works pretty well for me and has for quite a few years. i make the same jig for whatever hinges i`m using fron small clock hinges to 5" institutional. just trace the hinge on some scrap baltic or mdf cut accurately, attach a register fence and use a top bearing bit to follow the pattern......simple is good:thumb: ...tod

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tod,

Simple IS good...and I like your jig...

"How" do you cut accurately? Jig saw? Coping saw? Band saw? And do you find you need to sand to exact finished size, or is that level of detail not necessary?

How do you attach your fence? Brads/Nails? Screws? Glue?

Thanks...
- Marty -
 
marty, i just cut in the middle of a pencil line on the bandsaw, then glue-n-shoot the fence on.......make sure the hinge fits the template before attaching the fence.....tod
 
Thanks Tod. I have been wanting to make some boxes using hinges and that whole aspect kind of keeps me from routing them. I am afraid of ruining the box :)

Corey
 
And a couple of months ago I bought a PC hinge mortising jig to do a door. How dumb is that!!!! 25 cents would have done the job and would not have been so complicated---and more substantial.
 
Hi Tod,
Very practical and just the thing I needed to see. It is simple , inexpensive and easy to make. Glad it's morning cause I have time to go put doors on something, :rolleyes: Now let see.....where would a door look good? :rolleyes: :rofl: .
That is the best, thanks Tod. :thumb:
Shaz
 
just trace the hinge on some scrap baltic or mdf cut accurately

I'm making a sewing machine cabinet using butler tray table hinges for the top folding extentions. The plans have me cutting out the hinge jig with a router. So began what I know will be my unforgetable journey.

First I screwed a hinge to the jig (8"x12" flake board) and was about to cut around the hinge when I realized the bushing was too tall and would touch the jig surface before base plate so I taped on some thin pieces of wood to decrease the distance between the jig surface and the base plate surface so that the router would slide on the jig and not have the bushing protruding from the bottom so much so that it would touch the jig surface. The bushing now protrudes just under 1/8" from the base. The hinges are 1/8" so now I can rout around the hinge using the hinge as a guide.

Don't leave me now. I know this might sound complicated I'm doing my best, really.

I placed the router on the hinge to begin routing around the perimeter which half of the hinge measures about 1.5" wide and 2" long when I realized now I'm teetering the router on a very small area ( half of the hinge). I then decide to tape the other hinges to the bottom of the router to get a 3 point pivot.

I then I'm ready to rout. Taking just small cuts I proceed around the hinge, about the 5th round I realize my final cut is going to allow the hinge and the small piece it's screwed to freely orbit into action. I finished the last cut then carved out the rest with a knife.

Now I have a hinge template that can be placed on my workpiece and rout perfectly matched mortises for my hinge. Well not my hinge because this gets me a template for a bigger hinge. If you can follow me you know it's a template for my hinge plus the radius of the bit.

I messed with this until I just gave up. I tried making customized bushings to accomodate the bit changed bits. I don't get it:dunno:


Tod, are you saying I should free hand this thing, carefully sand and fit into a jig then use a bushing on the hand fitted template to make the hinge mortises? On the other hand maybe I should because I've aready morticed 4 of the 8.:D

Rereading this message I sound as if I'm going to solve something but I'm not. This really bugs me.

Certainly someone knows what I'm talking about "Been there Done that" kind of thing?


I'd appreciate anything.

Mark
 
Hey Tod, cool jig! :thumb:

I make similar ones, but I use a rub collar in a laminate trimmer (mostly cabinet size hinges), which makes them a bit of a pain to make- what with getting the gap right for the collar. May have to see if I can get a top bearing bit thats short enough to use with small stuff. I also like to glue wet/dry sandpaper on the fence so's I can hold it snug without a clamp- again probably small hinge specific.

John
 
the 'right' router bit for hinge mortising

Rockler makes a short 1/2" diameter cutter with a bearing on the 1/4" shank.

Well, they used to. I just looked on their site. Maybe I just can't find it.

I did find an Amana bit #45487. Pricey at $25, but it hard to imagine needing more than one a lifetime, unless you hit something with it.

I know I got them for less at Rockler at one time, but its been awhile.

Its easy to make templates because its easy to check the fit directly with the hinge. I have a half-dozen jigs for standard size hinges. Even made on for a 36" long piano hinge once. :)
 
mark, yup! you gotta freehand a cut in scrap.....don`t use "flakeboard" or cdx plywood.....mdf or baltic birch works just great.....
all, here`s the bit i use in a laminate trimmer, 1/4" shank 1/2x1/2 top bearing 10 bucks from woodline.....tod
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Sweet! Next time I need a new size jig, I'm ordering that bit and doing it a little easier.

Thanks!
 
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