hey door hangers: What door hinge and strike plate mortising tool do you recommend?

[pablodomingo]

There seems to be a few choices and they each have their pro's and con's so input from those who have hung a lot of doors would be useful.

[dave_k]

It depends on what you are doing. Are you always working with the same size doors? Do you do retrofits? Do you work onsite or in a shop? What sort of volume are we talking about?

I was very happy with the templatco templates I bought for edge and strike preps. I would buy their hinge templates in a minute IF I was doing enough of the same size doors withe the same hinges to justify it. They are cheap, simple and they are easy to handle and take care of. I don't know if they are still around though.

If I was doing a high volume in a shop doortech would be nice but that sets you back $6 -7K.

I don't like Porter cable hinge templates, too many bits and pieces and they have been known to slip in non standard applications. A lot of guys here like the Bosch. I don't have any experience with them.

If I was getting into the business of installing residential doors I would buy this setup. http://www.norfield.com/default.aspx...mcode=MFG56100 I costs about $1k if you include a dedicated router but you could really move and no chance of error.

[kreg McMahon]

Templeco. Out of San Diego. They have a great set up. Quick and easy. And the door jig also they carry. Check out there website

[pablodomingo]

So far just retrofits into existing jambs. I was recently given a lock mortising jig that clamps to the door and with the aid of my supplied drill drills both the large hole and 1" bore for the lock barrel and that works great.

I guess I could continue to scribe around the latch and hinge plates using utility knife and chisel them out as I've been doing, but now that my door scribing has been improving I'm looking to up my game on the finished door look. Is the Templaco Latch Face and Strike Plate Template Kit ($55) the one you're both talking about?

[Joe Adams]

I was recently given a lock mortising jig that clamps to the door and with the aid of my supplied drill drills both the large hole and 1" bore for the lock barrel and that works great.

Just curious what brand it is?

I'm in the market for a lock boring kit and trying to decide which one to get. I buy most of my doors pre-bored so I don't need one very often.

For what it's worth, I have an old Porter Cable hinge template jig and it has served me well.

[kreg McMahon]

pablo yep that is the one and it works great have used it over and over and over again

[Overbuilders]

If I was getting into the business of installing residential doors I would buy this setup. http://www.norfield.com/default.aspx...mcode=MFG56100 I costs about $1k if you include a dedicated router but you could really move and no chance of error.

Uh oh. Another tool/toy I don't have, but...

Are you always working with the same size doors? Do you do retrofits? Do you work onsite or in a shop?

Never the same size doors from project to project, only retrofits to date, all work onsite.

I use both the PC and the Stanley/Bosch hinge templates depending on existing conditions, dedicated routers, and dedicated PC latch face templates. Haven't done a retrofit since before Memorial Day, but I did have a nice little system going. If you're doing nothing but retrofits it doesn't make any sense not to have a fully adjustable/adaptable, 3-hinge template kit that can be dialed in to existing conditions.

[pablodomingo]

Deep creek, I'll have to check but its simply for boring the hole for the lock. It doesn't have any templates for mortising strike plates or hinges. A neighbor gave it to me not knowing what it was and its worked like a charm on a couple door blanks I've put in so far.

[R James S]

I have both the PC and Bosch templates sets but I find myself using the Milescraft interchangeable setup for the the onesys and twoseys. Easy to use and quick setup. Will do the hinges, edge mortise and strike plate mortise in probably 6 or 7 minutes per door. They look Mickey Mouse but they do the job plus all the templates fit in a small bag that sits in the back of my pick up box until needed.

[pablodomingo]

James, do you use the Milescraft kit that requires screwing the plate to the door or the one that clamps?

[Kent Brobeck]

The Bosch works better for retro fits over the PC. Easier to adjust.

[texastutt]

I make my home made jigs... Dave K's written the book on commercial installs, Gary K on residential. because I do homes I went with the templaco for the boring and I got their pins and Locators.

I just used all my door stuff today and I used single templates as everything was one off.. If you can't make your own Templaco's has something for everything. so that's my two cents.

[Catspaw]

I have a question on using hinge templates on a retrofit job. What is the easiest way to accurately align the template with the existing hinges given that the template is larger than the hinge? Eyeballing it doesn't seem very accurate especially with the Bosch set that I use. I have a solution that works but I'm wondering what others do.

- Rich

[Overbuilders]

What is the easiest way to accurately align the template with the existing hinges given that the template is larger than the hinge?

Story pole. Or mortise a straight 2x4 and swing it in the opening(s) as if it were the door(s).

[Joe Adams]

What is the easiest way to accurately align the template with the existing hinges given that the template is larger than the hinge?

The Porter Cable has indentations at the center of each template that you can align with the center of each existing hinge mortise. Of course, you have to take the time to make accurate pencil marks first.