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flush pulls – mortising techniques

galvichaser | Posted in General Discussion on March 4, 2006 09:42am

I have about 16 flush pulls to install on pocket doors. I have a small router/laminate trimmer. Any ideas on how to build a jig for such a project. Or any recommendations for books, articles that cover the subject well. Thanks, Chris

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  1. Frankie | Mar 04, 2006 11:50am | #1

    Screw the pull to the door edge, inside out. Trace/ mark edge with pencil.

    Do the same thing on the face off a peice of 8" x 12" plywood. Cut out the plywood hole.

    Clamp 2 peices of 1x to the door flush with its edge. Place ply over door edge so it aligns with tracing on door edge. Nail or screw ply to 1x.

    I am sure you can figure out the rest.

    Frankie

    There he goes—one of God's own prototypes—a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die.

    —Hunter S. Thompson
    from Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas

  2. stinger | Mar 04, 2006 03:11pm | #2

    I use a guide bushing.  Here is a pic of one.  Sold usually in sets of 6 to 8 sizes, they accommodate bits of various diameters and provide specific offsets.

    View Image

    Lets say I want to rout a mortise in the door edge that's 1" wide by 2-1/4" high.  If I use a 1/4" dia. bit and a bushing with outside dia. of 3/8", the bushing guides the bit at an offset distance of 1/16".

    So, overall I need a template hole that is 1/16" all around larger than the size of mortise I want to cut.

    I like to use 12mm baltic birch plywood for templates like this.  I would rip a small strip at precisely 1-1/8" width, cut it in half, then egdeglue them with larger flanking pieces to make a template that ends up with a rectangular hole in it of size 1-1/8" x 2-3/8".  With some edgeguides screwed to the backside, I can clamp it to the door and rout my mortises.

     

  3. User avater
    Pondfish | Mar 04, 2006 04:02pm | #3

    Make a template in 1/2" MDF that is the exact outline you want for the hole.  Then fit your router with a template bit (a straight bit with a bearing the same size as the bit mounted at the top).  Clamp the template onto the drawer/door front, align the hole, set the bit depth and rout away.

    Ridge Carbide, MLCS and other bit suppliers will carry these.  Attachment shows what the bit looks like.

     

    Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005
  4. TomT226 | Mar 04, 2006 04:07pm | #4

    Every thing that was said plus, the smaller the bit the less radius you'll have to chisel out on the corners.  You can buy a "corner cutter" but I don't think they're worth it.

     

    1. galvichaser | Mar 06, 2006 02:55am | #5

      Thanks to all for your help on this. Your input is a great help to me. Chris

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