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I am going to replace all the doors in my house with new slab doors. I want to buy a door hinge template set, but am not sure what set-up is best. I have seen the Porter Cable and the Bosch sets, which are functionally similar, as well as the simpler Hinge Mate II template. While the Hinge Mate II seems like it would work well for simply matching the hinge locations from the old doors to the new doors, I’m wondering if this tool lacks the versatility that the PC and Bosch sets offer. Can anyone offer some experienced advice? Thanks, Mike |
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The pc is pricy but it rocks and delivers...I love mine. Makes short work of locating hinges from door to jamb. Should have bought it long before I did.
The hingemate might be worth a try if you have 5 or less doors.Try http://www.leevalley.com.
90 day no hassle money back guarantee if it doesn't work for you. I think they stock the hingemate and they ship asap.
cheers,
silver
The hinge mate wont work on the jambs but should work for what you want. To be honest for one house of doors i would buy the plastic porter cable single hinge template for 20 bucks or so and just move it around for each hinge.
Mike;
I have both the HingeMate and the Porter Cable. I like them both, but I have found that I tend to use of the HingeMate more often. I disagree with Charles, because I can easily use my HingeMate on any jamb.
Maybe im wrong about the hinge mate, it is well made, and ive thought about getting it but there was something about it that wouldnt work for what i needed. Ill have to check it out again. By the way I see you at the thermwood site now ( at least i think you are joe). I just got the e cabinet software but have to upgrade my computer before it will work right. How do you like it?
Charles,
I’m still waiting patiently. . . ;-(
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If you use a "One hinge at a time" template you need to measure and layout the hinge locations VERY carefully.
But if you get the PC or bosch and folly the directions you will get precise locatios automatically.
PC also makes some"locator bars" that screw to the jig to help transfer the existing mortise locaations to the template and then to the new door.
Mr T
Do not try this at home!
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I have the bosch and love it.
F.
If you use the single template use a story stick to mark the hinges, faster than measuring and more accurate.
We become by effort primarily what we end up becoming
- Zig Ziglar
The templates Hingemate vs. PC/Bosch are really best for their intended purpose. The Hingemate is best suited for what you are about to do which is put new slabs in existing jambs. It is best suited for the door cut and not the jamb cut. Yes, it can do the jamb cut, but that is not its strong point.
The PC/Bosch are best suited for blank slabs AND blank jambs, meaning you need to cut both. The spacer bars hold each of the three templates at a fixed distance apart so that you can do a lot of repetetive cuts on a lot of doors and jambs. As such, these types of templates are geared toward production use of a lot of openings. You would not get one of these out to do just one door and jamb. (most of us wouldn't)
I have a Bosch and a Hingemate. Last time I checked, they were similar in cost. For what you are doing, I would buy a Hingemate. The reason is that it is more adjustable. Especially with the hinge reveal. This is the distance from the edge of the door to the edge of the hinge. It is usually around 3/16 to 1/4. The Bosch/PC jigs have minimal adjustment in this distance. The factory setting is what you get, and if your hinge's reveal is different, it can affect whether or not your new door ends up flush with the jamb after it is hung. The Hingemate is more easily adjusted. The fact that you have only one template vs. three won't slow you down.
Our hanging process involves fitting and beveling the slab to the opening with a PC 126 plane. The slab is then wedged in place in the jamb and the hinge cuts are transferred from the jamb to the slab with utility knife cuts. The hinge template is centered over each cut, clamped and routed. Corners are cut with a corner chisel. The door edges are belt sanded and the hinges are installed. Door is hung and shims are installed if necessary.
A door holder is nice, you can make one out of 1x3 white pine or spring for the Bosch model.
As far as the Bosch/PC template issue, they are both fine. I like the Bosch a little better. Especially the Bosch case. The PC case used to be about 4 to 5 feet long.
carpenter in transition
Tim,
Thanks for your reply.
My plan is to remove each door, and while using the old door as a template, trim to fit using a flush trim bit in my router.
With the two doors clamped together, I think that I can get accurate enough hinge location markings this way to transfer to the new doors and rout the mortises with the Hinge Mate.
Is this the way to make the hinge mortises, or should I make the hing marks from the jamb.
Mike
Using each door as a template sounds like the best plan. If the doors being removed were all installed in the house as one job from the same original source, you will probably find that the hinge spacing is common, and indexed identically from the top edge.
But even if that seems to be the case after refitting a couple openings, don't ease up. Use each door removed to figure the hinge mortise locations for the replacement slab.
I would use a simple story stick to measure and mark, rather than clamping one door to another. Doors are heavy, and I am not getting any younger.
Use a sharp marking knife to mark the stick, and transfer your marks to the new hinge stiles with the knife. Pencils won't cut it for the precision you want here.
This all said, the simple single-hinge router template is your best choice.
Fitting doors with a flush trim bit in a router.
Geez. I'm not sure this is going to work with great results. I was taught by the old school that was pretty damn fussy about "a nickel's width" reveal around the perimeter of the door. With paint bumps and dents and dings in the edge of the wexisting doors, I think you are heading toward trouble. Ultimately, the doors edges need to be beveled, and you can't do that with the router. The fitting is almost always done with a planer of some kind. I'm not saying the router won't work, I just don't think the results are going to be pleasing.
Transferring hinge locations from an existing door is asking for trouble also. Did the head of the old door fit perfectly before ? Unlikely. If your door reveal is correct at 3/32", you have little play to get the head reveal right on. This is best done by putting the door in the opening, shimming it to the correct height to get the head reveal perfect, and then mark the hinge cuts from the jamb. It's the old jamb you are keeping, not the door, so you want the hinge cuts to match the jamb.carpenter in transition
Which ever you template you use measure your door carefully and make sure you order them correctly.
Pre-fit and slab doors are not the same size.
I have the Hingemate from Lee Valley and it is fast and easy to use. I haven't tried the PC or others but I have to say I am very happy so far with mine. Worth the money with the time you will save.
Scott C. Frankland
Scott's WOODWORKING Website
"He who has the most tools may not win the race of life but he will sure make his wife look like a good catch when she goes to move on."
I have the PC, but ironically don't use it to hang slabs to existing jambs. Only takes a few minutes to scribe the top hinge location (I shim the bottom of the door to where I like it, then use a marking knife to mark the hinge location, and get the depth of the hinge from the jamb.) Outline the hinge with a chisel, free-hand rout with a lam. trimmer, cleanup the mortise, hang door on the top hinge, mark the middle and bottom two, pull the pin from the top hinge, chisel and rout the remaining hinge mortises, rehang.
I'll admit it's not as fast, but I can get the mortises tight the first time around. And the hand work is kinda nice. No big floppy hinge jig gouging the walls.
If you're gonna do the house, spend $200 on a lockset jig. I have the PC, but would dump it in a heartbeat if the opportunity presented itself. Jig will pay for itself, tho, no doubt.