
How to cut mortises for door hinges. Hinge mortises on a door are often cut by machine with a router and straight bit but you can cut mortises by hand using a hammer and chisel as well. To ensure hinges fit properly and dont restrict an entryway you have to slip them inside shallow mortises carved into the side of a. Screw the hinge to the door or jamb. It allows the hinge to fit flat and flush with the edge of the door inside a shallow cut.
How to cut mortises for door hinges. This results in a much cleaner more accurate mortise than marking it out with. How to mortise hinges on a standard interior door. Cut mortises for door hinges with a chisel you can cut a mortise by hand starts with scoring around the hinge with a utility knife to mark the outline of the mortise.
To do a good job cutting mortises the chisel needs to be razor sharp. Any misalignment in any of the mortises can cause the hinges to bind or leave unsightly gaps when doors or lids are closed. 1 mark the spot on the door edge where the hinges will be located. This video will show you how to cut the perfect hinges on a brand new door.
Mark the door for hinge positioning. In order to rout perfect hinge mortises in boxes fine woodworking senior editor matt kenney developed a simple router jig that works in conjunction with a bearing guided pattern bit. Hinges are small metal plates that allow doors to open and close. I will show you how to cut the perfect notch for the hinges.
Mortises allow hinges to install flush to a wood surface so they dont impinge a doors operation and for the best appearance. You can cut mortises with a chisel and hammer or with a router and a special hinge mortising jig. Im renovating my bathroom and needed a new entrance door. Leah demonstrates how to use a router and jig to cut perfect door hinge mortises quickly and easily.
Measure 6 inches from the top of the door with the tape measure and make a mark with your pencil. Lay the door on its side with the side that will receive the hinges facing upward. To cut hinge mortises on a door.