Replacing doors ... looking for jig

[steve_b]

Hello..
I have a number of entry doors that I will be replacing (bedrooms, bathroom etc) I thought that at one time seeing a jig at Lee Valley at you would set up against the existing door and use to transfer the exact location to the new door. Can't seem to find it in the catalog anymore, don't know what it would be called so I can do a google search.
Any thoughts from anyone whom may have done this.



regards

Stephen

[Pappy]

What you are looking for is a hinge mortise template. Porter Cable makes one that is sold at the box stores for ~$20, but it only does one hinge at a time. Transfering the hinge position from the old door to the new one should be easy.

I am hanging new doors and jambs throughout my house and built this simple jig to give me repeatable hinge mortises. By lining up the notch in the end with the top of the door it gives me the desired top clearance when the door is hung.

[steve_b]

Thanks for the reply...
Can't seem to see the attachment thou

[drumpriest]

Actually Pappy, I'm pretty sure PC (or someone) makes one that'll do the whole door. Norm used it on an episode, I shudder to think of the cost though.

[crokett]

Norm and Tommy both used it on an episode, but it did look expensive. For only one job I would just make a template. Either that or take the first existing door off and use it to transfer the layout to all the new ones.

[twistsol]

Porter cable also makes a full door version PC-59381, which is over $250. The reviews I've seen said it is great to use, once you figure it out. It was priced out of my range so I have no personal experience with it.

[cabinetman]

For what a 3 mortise jig would cost, it might pay to make one like Pappy's. Make a reference point for one end of the door (top is best), so when the jig is transferred to the jamb it will line up.
.

[Pappy]

I've seen the whole door, 2/3 hinge jigs by several mfg's. I didn't bring them up because of the $250+ cost. Not practical unless you are hanging doors for a living.

My jig is set up for interior, 2 hinge, door applications and registers at the bottom of the side jamb dado or the top of the door. It is set up to be reversible for left or right swing doors and puts the top hinge 7" down and the bottom hinge approx. 10" from the floor. (There doesn't seem to be a hard fast rule on exact placement.) I use a top bearing pattern bit to cut the mortises.

[DustyandLefty]

3 in a row

I built a jig/template like Pappy's but with 3 hinges when I had 26 doors to install in our house. Mine was more like a story-stick with three of the $20 Porter Cable plastic hinge templates attached to it. I had to remember to flip the template for the door jambs to provide clearance above the floor, but it worked well.

Note: the Porter Cable jigs have gone up in price and are probably $25 each now. I was able to get mine at a steep discount from a hardware store going out of business 12 years ago.

Always Lefty, often Dusty

[LinuxRandal]

All my doors, use hinges I cannnot find anywhere. They look like a standard hinge on the frame side, and are square with a big round center section on the front of the door.

Eventually I may replace several doors (or return one that was removed YEARS ago (pre me). I found a Rockwell hinge butt templet kit at a garage sale for $20. It needs a couple of pins, but the guy (retired contractor) told me he use nails with it the last time he used it.
With prior planning, I have seen different brands of the same thing (B&D, Rockwell, Porter cable) on both CL and Ebay, reasonably ($40-80). The other option that no one has mentioned, and may be money ahead for you, if you can get them all done fairly quickly, is tool rental houses.

[steve_b]

I will start on this shortly and make up a jig as per the suggestions..
simular jig would be needed for the striker as well.. any links to a PDF for a 'striker' jig?

Thanks

[KLF]

This is a bargain:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Porter-Cable-593...d=p3286.c0.m14

I have one that is similar, much older, but made by Black & Decker. Very nice and works great.

[Hoover]

Milescraft Tools can be found at Lowes
Link"http://www.milescraft.com/product/1213.html
HTH
Think is was about $20 to 25 dollars.
Also can be found here:United States

•Ace Hardware
•Berland's House of Tools
•The Andersons
•Do It Best
•Home Depot
•Klingspor's Woodworking
•Lowe's
•Menards
•Meisel Hardware Specialties
•Midwest Woodworkers
•Mill's Fleet Farm
•Performance Line Tool
•Rockler
•Sears
•Woodcraft
•Woodsmith Store
•Woodworkers

[LinuxRandal]

Has anyone had any experience with something like Ebay Item number: 230354235437 ?

I figure use the hinge template on a board (even spacing) and it comes with a lock install kit. (not mine, just thought it might be worth a look)

[siliconbauhaus]

I'd be interested in seeing more info on the jigs.

Unfortunately the doors here are on non mortise hinges so I can't reference the old hinges to the new.

I bought the PC one from blowes for $25ish and I thought everything was going according to plan but once I had the door mounted it was tight at the bottom and 1/4" out at the top. I've got to figure out my goof and fix it now.

I may go buy another PC jig and make something like pappy did as I'm going to have to eventually do every door in the house.