Replies

1. 
   gdavis62 | Jul 19, 2004 05:01pm | #1

   I am presuming you have a "residential" steel door, with foam insulation in its entire cavity.  Those types are detailed in a couple possible ways at the hinge interfaces, depending on who made them.

   Either the hinge edge piece is separate from the faces, and a heavier gage than the faces, or the edge is a "wrap" bend from one of the faces.

   If it is a wrap bend, you probably have thicker steel backup plates embedded behind the face of the edge, and the hinge screws go into tapped holes.

   If the edge is a separate piece from the faces, it is likely just punched where the hinge screws go, and self-tapping screws were used.

   Your life is easier if you have the former, because you can simply drill and tap where you need to place new hinge holes.  Otherwise, you will need to punch and drill.

   Or, take the easy route, and use hinges with the same screw pattern.

1. 
   emaxxman | Jul 19, 2004 05:28pm | #2

   My preference is to use matching hinges. 

   However, a quick check at Home Depot, Lowes, and my local lumber yard turned up zip.  The lumber yard did make a photocopy of the hinge and will try to locate a match for me.

   There is another lumberyard in the area and some hardware stores.  I'll give them a try as well.  The tough part is that any label or indication of the manufacturer of the door has long been either removed or painted over.  Sheesh!!!  I had to power sand the door down for almost an hour to get most of the old brush strokes off of it before repriming and painting.   At this point, it may have been less headache to just buy a brand new door.

2. 
   Sphere | Jul 19, 2004 09:30pm | #3

   I have seen in most hardware stores, Blank Hinges..IOW..NO HOLES..just mark them from the existing and drill the hinge..don't mess with the door.

    

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

1. 
   JeffBuck | Jul 20, 2004 12:21am | #6

   even if he can't find blanks ...

   I'd rather redrill the new hinges ...

   JeffBuck Construction, llc   Pittsburgh,PA

        Artistry in Carpentry                

3. 
   Sphere | Jul 19, 2004 09:38pm | #4

   Also, do not use a carbide drill bit for steel or brass hinges or otherwise...you want Tin coated, or HSS..start with a center punch and a small (1/8'' or so) bit..then enlarge to the screw size and then counter sink with a real counter sink ( meant for metal, not wood). Start driling the 1/8'' hole at a good high speed, switch to the larger ( 1/4 or 5/16 I am guessing) and drill at slow speed..be carefull, the bit will want to grab the hinge and spin it at the almost done stage. Clamp it to drill. If not using a drill press, and it won't finish drilling with out locking up, flip it over and at HIGH speed ease into it from behind.

   Those blank hinges are meant to be welded or drilled..not so sure I saww them in brass, steel for sure.

    

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

4. 
   PhillGiles | Jul 19, 2004 10:09pm | #5

   Is this really a steel door, or a steel-clad door ? We see a lot o doors around here that have steel skins over wooden frames and you can treat the hinges as though it was a wooden door. It should be fairly obvious to tell which you have.

   As someone has already said, HSS for drilling steel.

   .

   Phill Giles

   The Unionville Woodwright

   Unionville, Ontario

1. 
   emaxxman | Jul 20, 2004 04:40am | #8

   Aside from the small hinge screw holes, I see nothing but steel all around.  How can I tell if it's steel clad or not?  It's the front door to my house. 

   I'll say this, it weighed a ton when I lifted it up.  I barely got it up on the sawhorses.   It actually caught me off guard because of it's so effortless to open and close.  

1. 
   PhillGiles | Jul 20, 2004 08:36am | #9

   If the hinge screws aren't a give-away, then looking in the holes they came from will be..

   Phill Giles

   The Unionville Woodwright

   Unionville, Ontario

1. 
   ponytl | Jul 20, 2004 12:45pm | #10

   if it "weighed a ton" sounds like someone used a fire rated door... even a commerical steel door isn't that heavy... to give em the fire rating they are usually what equals solid sheetrock/drywall inside the steel... if the screw holes are threaded (like a regular nut thread  not a wood screw thread) then you'll have  drill & thread the hole... or  do like i'd do and use self drilling self threading screws... if it's the thicker metal plate as mentioned then you need the fine thread self drilling screws...

   good luck

   pony

1. 
   PhillGiles | Jul 20, 2004 05:02pm | #11

   Well, the "trouble" with all this redrill advice is that unless there's a wooden style in there to plug with a dowel, then the recourse is to fill the original holes in a metal style with weld-rod. Personally, I'd rather spot-weld hinges onto the door than go through that trouble..

   Phill Giles

   The Unionville Woodwright

   Unionville, Ontario

2. 
   emaxxman | Jul 20, 2004 06:52pm | #12

   I think you may be right on the fire rated.   I've carried solid 36" pine doors with jambs up and down stairs and they didn't weight anywhere near what this door weighed.

   If I'm lucky, I'll be able to find the right hinges and this will all just be a great lesson on doors for me. 

3. 
   DanH | Jul 20, 2004 08:15pm | #13

   If it fire-rated there will be a badge on the edge of the door (unless some doofus has removed it).

5. 
   mike4244 | Jul 20, 2004 01:09am | #7

   Check yellow pages under doors, look for door hardware suppliers. They will have the hinges you need and anything else that could go on a door.

   mike