Door and jamb hinge jig

[pugilato]

I have a new project to install 240 doors on jambs that are already installed.

Every new project is an opportunity to buy a festool, and for this I am thinking of an MFK 700.

For this to work, I need a jig to cut the slots (or whatever they are called) for the hinges on both the doors and the installed jambs. I can make it or buy it. If someone knows of an existing product that will help me I would be much obliged. If someone has a drawing of a jig, more's the better.

I already have one of the little routers (Bosch) but that is a messy beast. I have an OF 1400, but it seems using it is like killing an ant with a sledgehammer.

Many thanks

 

[tonylumps]

Porta Cable makes a good door jig for a reasonable price.

 

[monstrol]

I have a hinge mate. Works great. You will need to find out if the hinge leaves are square, 1/4 radius, or 5/8 radius. It comes with the 1/4 inch bit and the 5/8 is optional. If the leaves are square then I assume you will have square up the mortises. After rereading your post the hinge mate may not work on the jambs but will be fine for the doors. Making a jig for the jambs shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[tjbnwi]

The hinge pocket is called a mortice.

The Bosch will do the door and the jambs. You will need an extended bushing to reach the side pins if you're using the MFK 700. It will accept the standard threaded bushings.

You can make your own jig out of 1/2" plywood.

Use the short CMT 1/2" mortising bit with 2 top bearings, if they are 1/4" radius corners. As noted, if you need square corners you can purchase a corner chisel. The 700 will not work if you need 5/8" radius corners.

Tom

 

[justinh]

I make my own.

The one pictured is for 3 1/2" hinges on a  1 3/8" 6'8" door.  The pockets are fixed with no adjustment.  The template is made of poplar rips and drops glued back together to form the layout.  The pockets measure 3 1/2" x 3 1/2".  I use flush bearing pattern bits to cut the mortises.  Both the door and the jamb can be mortised without flipping the template. The center stop registers the back set.  These templates are for the one size hinge, door, and layout.  If I need to do multiples of a different size or layout I make another template.  I have quite a few of these.  Some have layouts that aren't balanced but layout centered or even with some moulding or bollection detail on the door.

The hooks on the top are removable and are designed to hook the door rather than having to feel for flush.  They are held in by a Domino pinned with a screw when installed. The screws under the stops are set around 3/32" high or more accurately the thickness of a nickle which I used to set the height.  They butt against the jamb head and the pins are tacked into the jamb to hold the template in position.  I purchase the template pins from Templaco.

I use this set up vs a metal adjustable template for production hanging doors because it is dirt simple.  Other than setting the router depth there is no set up.  Aside from mortising the door for the proper handing there are minimal chances for error as there is nothing to measure.  The chances of a cumulative error caused by flipping the template are eliminated because the template is never flipped. My layout could be off by inches and the mortises would still line up.  There is also no chance of anything coming loose or out of adjustment as there are no bolts, knobs or screws.  If I am doing multiple new doors in old jambs I own and use a Bosch with hinge gauges and extra care to make sure nothing comes out of alignment.

As for Festool routers for hinges the 1010 would be the most suitable.  The MFK would be best suited for mortising strike and latch.  The tools you own will work.  Set up the 1400 for the hinges and the Bosch for strike and latch.  Your capital investment on the project can then be spent on a good lock boring jig ($350 - $400) and carbide bits ($100-$120).  A good set of templates for strike and latch and a door plane will also be very useful.  I make my own strike and latch templates and for a plane I use the PC 126.