help with hinges

[Jeff Dunlap]

I will be making doors for a changing table for the time and had a question about boring out the holes for 35mm european hinges. I don't have a drill press and using a hand drill for this seems akward so I thought about using a router. I saw that rockler has a jig for this you need a bushing a bit and the jig. I would have to buy all of them then I noticed that woodhave has a similiar jig, more bells and whistles andmore expensive, and it also calls for the same bushing and bit. The woodhaven jig also has another option they have a special router bit with a bearing guide for the jig. My question is that since both jigs are for 35mm hinges and both jigs require the same bushing and router bit that based on this the special router bit for use with the woodhaven jig should work with the rockler jig right? The woodhaven router bit is 8505 and the rockler jig is the conceal hinge jig it. Also if anyone has any suggestions on another way to do this please let me know. Thanks in advance for the help.

[Jamie Buxton]

I'm a big fan of pattern-routing the 35 mm hole for cup hinges. It is a much better approach, IMHO, than drilling. I use a shop-built template, with a bushing-guided plunge router.

I generally prefer to do pattern routing with a bearing-guided bit like that Woodhaven instead of a bushing-guided rig. However, in the specific case of plunge routing, which is what you're going to be doing, I prefer using the bushing-guided approach. The issue is that with the bearing-guided bit, you can plunge the router into the template if you're not careful. The bushing-guided approach does not have this hazard.

[David DeCristoforo]

I don't know the cost of the jigs you are looking at but I would go with something like this:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...at=1,180,42311

You are right about one thing. Trying to do this "by hand" is difficult at best. The thing is, you can buy a small benchtop drill press for not much more money and then you would have a drill press too....

PS ...was not so much "by hand" as "freehand" with just the bit in a hand drill. With any number of jigs, either shop made or "store bought" you can do it "by hand" just fine...

[Ed Peters]

by hand and find that they are not that much of a challenge. It's pretty simple to make a guide fixture out of scrap bits to set the edge distance as well as guide the forstner bit. In most cases, the depth can be guaged pretty accurately by observing how far the bit is in the wood. Granted, the drill press makes it much easier and provides fool proof control of depth but I would certainly prefer a hand held drill to the router option.

Ed

[frank shic]

rockler and i'm sure many other woodworking companies has a jig that allows you to do this SAFELY with a hand drill and it's much quicker than using a router.

[Gary Gleave]

I don't know the cost of the jigs you are looking at but I would go with something like this:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...at=1,180,42311

You are right about one thing. Trying to do this "by hand" is difficult at best. The thing is, you can buy a small benchtop drill press for not much more money and then you would have a drill press too....

PS ...was not so much "by hand" as "freehand" with just the bit in a hand drill. With any number of jigs, either shop made or "store bought" you can do it "by hand" just fine...

I use this unit if my drill press is not on site. I'll do up to 20-25 doors in no time flat. Quick and easy jig to use.

[sean m. titmas]

short of a drill press or hinge machine i recommend a self contained drilling jig. i have the Easy Bore from Sommerfield. It adjusts for different door thicknesses, different overlays and bore depth. The drill bits are locked into the jig and are powered with a socket on a drill. it also drills two 5mm holes for knock in hinges with the plastic dowels attached. these hinges go on faster and are perfectly parallel. the hinges can be removed multiple times(for finishing, moving, etc) with no damage to the wood.