How to chisel door hinges. Position a mortising template on the edge of the door at the location of one of the hinges. Cutting a door hinge mortise with a chisel. Place the edge of a sharp chisel into any of the mortise outline grooves. Shop made hinge mortising jig if you have lots of doors to hang a router and this easily made jig will help you cut mortises accurately and quickly.
You can cut mortises with a chisel and hammer or with a router and a special hinge mortising jig. But you might want to consider using a door hinge jig and a router instead. The general rule is to use a chisel which is the same width as the hinge when closed and depends on the size and weight of a door that will be used to hang from them. The hinge mortise allows the hinge to be mounted flush with the jamb and door so the door will close properly.
The mortise depth is equal to the thickness of the hinge leaf so as a guide put a piece of tape on the chisel at the thickness of the hinge. Tap a chisel into the scored outline. This is the traditional method of cutting door hinge slots and takes approximately 4 minutes per hinge to. How to cut perfect door hinges.
Although a router and jig can be used mortising hinges with a chisel is a solid time tested method. Tom obrien is a former fine homebuilding editorphotos. Then gently tap the back end of the chisel with a hammer or mallet pushing it into the door. Adjust it to the size of the hinge and tack it with double headed nails or screws.
Mortises allow hinges to install flush to a wood surface so they dont impinge a doors operation and for the best appearance. Example of how to use a bevel edged chisel to create hinge slots on a beech wood door. A hinge mortise is the shallow cut made in the edge of a door and the door jamb that mirrors the size and thickness of the door hinge. Common hinge sizes tend to be three quarter inch and one inch and a quarter h.
How to cut and install door hinges is a do it yourself video shows how to cut in the perfect door hinge for a new door i used a bevel edged chisel to create hinge slots on a beech wood door. It is a lot quicker and more.