How To Cut Mortises For Door Hinge With A Router

I use a 1 4 straight bit inside a standard guide collar for this task.

How to cut mortises for door hinge with a router.

I mistakenly assumed that having a mortise about 1 16 too deep would be no big deal. A plunge router is one of the best choices because you can accurately control the depth of cut and the machine delivers clean and precise results. Drag the blade along each of the pencil lines creating small grooves you ll use later. When routing the mortises this way you ll cut them to match half the thickness of the hinge barrel.

Once you re happy with the outline remove your hinge from the door. There are many ways to make mortises and just about as many tool options. With this setup hinge mortising becomes a standard template routing operation. 2 cutting hinge mortises making a door hinge mortise can be done with a chisel but it s more efficient with a standard trim router.

Cut your mortises to a depth that will have the hinge sitting as flush to the edge of the door as possible. Leah demonstrates how to use a router and jig to cut perfect door hinge mortises quickly and easily. Then grab a utility knife and extend the blade to no more than 25 in 0 64 cm. Get the door hinge jig shown in this video through our l.

The jig is clamped to the door and guides the router through the cut. First use a hinge to set the router bit s cutting depth photo below. Turns out once the door is hung it lacks the 1 8 gap between it and the door jamb making it semi difficult to shut. The hand tool method requires just a utility knife a hammer or mallet and a sharp wood chisel.

How to cut mortises accurately with a hand held router a straight bit a template guide and a few scraps. The first step in the process of making the hinge mortise is to mark the location of one end of the hinge mortise. The power tool method uses a router and hinge mortising jig. Repeat at the top edge of the door.

You can cut a hinge mortise with hand tools or a power tool.