Installing quadrant hinges

[JR]

My latest box will have quadrant hinges similar this:


It't the first time I've used them. Does anyone have have any tricks or gotchas I should be aware of?

I had thought I'd use a router to cut the mortises. But it occurs to me that with mortises going in two directions it might be difficult to get them lined up properly.

Also, what about that swing-arm thingy? Do I cut some sort of deep mortise for that?

TIA,
JR

[scmhogg]

JR,

I used a mini-router/trimmer to inset the hinge. It is well worth the time to make a pattern to guide the router.

I used a drill to make the clearance hole for the arm. I made three holes and cleaned them up with a little chisel.

Steve

[pecker]

Brusso makes a jig for installing those. Seems geared toward production quantities, rather than for single use. Here's there instruction sheet:
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/p...pdf/TJ-680.pdf

You might also read the reviews at Rockler:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...Select=Reviews

[JR]

Thanks for the links, pecker. I had seen both of them, but they didn't help much. I had in mind that I might get some ideas from pictures of the jig, but couldn't find one anywhere on the 'nets.

Part of the complication is that the cheapo hinges I bought are 21/64" wide instead of 5/16". I searched my router bit drawer, but there no 21/64" straight bit . A good jig would allow for varying the mortise width to acommodate this kind of slop. I couldn't noodle it through to designing a jig that would do all that.

Having stared at the problem all weekend long, I think I've defined a process. I'm going to make the mortises on the router table using my 5/16" bit. It will be necessary to do climb cuts on half the mortises, so I've been reluctant to settle on this technique. This will give me the basic shape and depth I need. Then I'll use the hinges as a template to mark the extra 1/64" and cut with chisels.

Thanks for the feedback.

JR