Hinge boring systems

[Ron Bontz]

Well I need to build some doors with Euro style hinges. Blum, Grass etc. I can't afford a full size machine at this point and don't have the space for it anyway. So it looks like a jig of some sort. I was looking at the CMT 333-03 drill press jig, but don't want to be limited to Blum and Salice. Do they still make different heads for this? Does anyone have experience using this jig? Last but not least. I saw a similar jig on Woodworker's Supply, I think. Any experience with this one? Thank you in advance.

[Eiji Fuller]

Blum makes hinges for nearly every cabinet door application so I wouldnt be bothered by that limitation.
I woodwork for a living and have a blum mini press. It bores for the inserta type hinges and also has a 7 hole line bore head. I paid 500 for it and it doesn't take up alot of space.
I have never found a cabinet door application that blum didn't have a hinge for.

[Clisby Clark]

I would(did) just buy a good 35mm forstner bit and drill them on my drill press. I set up stop blocks on the dp table three inches from the edge of the door. If necessary, put a hinge in the middle for the longer doors. Drill only as deep as necessary to get the hinge to sit flat. PRACTICE ON SCRAP! I use the Blum hinges that only require the 35mm hole and have two screws that I use a#6 Vix bit to make my screw hole. Use a straight edge to align the two flat edges on the hinges to make sure they are square before you vix bit your screw holes. As another poster said, Blum makes a jig for every hole you bore in doors and drawers but they are very pricey and not needed unless you do production work.

[Chip Lindley]

What Cisby Sed!

IF you do not yet own a decent drill press, Get One! You will use it lots in the future! A good carbide 35mm boring bit is a good investment also. The Vix bit makes it all go fast and accurately. Use it in a cordless drill, then change to phillips bit to insert the hinge screws.

An auxillary table with fence and left- right-hand stops can be made for your DP to accurately locate the 35mm hinge holes. The screw holes are self-locating with the hinge on the door. It all goes pretty quick for a whole set of kitchen doors!

[Ron Bontz]

Well I have got the drill press. Delta 959L and I've been using Vix bits for years. Wonderful little gadgets. Remember the old spring loaded center punch? I was thinking I would just use Euro. hinges a lot more since everything has gone that way. But this is the first time I Have to use them per request. Thanks again.

[Eiji Fuller]

Hobbyist or Pro?

[Ron Bontz]

Primarily hobbyist at this point. My CPA advised not to start any business until I can devote more time. Rightly so I think. I haven't found a particular nitch yet. But I seem to make a lot of doors in spurts. If I need only one or two I'll use my router table. If I need a bunch then my shaper. Caught between two worlds it seems. So in the mean time I accumulate..... "stuff" and do what I have time for. So is the CMT 333-03 worth the cost in the short run or just wait and perhaps get a used mini press down the road?

[Lex Boegen]

If you don't have a drill press and you don't need to do a large production run, you can use a plunge router with a spiral bit to make a very neat flat-bottomed hole. If you use a top-bearing pattern bit, you can make a jig from MDF with the hole exactly the size that you need. Use stop blocks on the jig to position it the exact distance that you need from the edge and top/bottom of the door. Just flip the jig over when moving it from the top to the bottom of the door. Similarly, you can use a spiral upcut bit and a guide bushing for a similar jig--just size the hole slightly larger to allow for the difference in radius between the guide bushing and the cutting diameter of the bit. It's cheap and works well.

[Eiji Fuller]

I made due with DP and carbide forstner bit for a long time before getting the mini press.

[Russell Tribby]

I did the same as Eiji for a long time as well. I had to make 40+ doors this summer and I ended up buying Rockler's jig to do the hinges. It worked great and was incredibly fast...well worth the money.

[Rich Engelhardt]

HD sells a slick little plastic jig & 35mm forstner bit kit for about $11.00.
It lays out 35mm hinges perfect.

It's similar to this:
http://www.amazon.com/35mm-Bit-with-...pd_cp_hi_3_img

I used mine to make a jig (similar to the Rockler) out of 3/4" plywood that lines up the bit with the fence.
Using stop blocks on the DP fence, I can crank out pockets real quick & mindlessly simple.

Little tip- lay a roll of masking tape on top of where you are going to drill the pocket. Position a shop vac hose or your DC hose so that it can suck up the chips.
The roll of tape traps the chips as they come out & the vac whisks them clean away.

I should add here - don't be tempted to buy the 35mm hinges HD sells. The low price makes them almost impossible to resist. You'll be sorry if you do & end up replacing them w/Blum.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

I use Blum Inserta hinges. Drill the 35mm cup hole on the drill press(I actually use a Freud 1-3/8" carbide forstner bit), and drill the two 8mm (5/16") holes by hand with a $20 Blum jig that sits in the cup hole.

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have done 100s of 35mm hinges on a drill press. I buy the screw on hinges, not press on. That way I only have to drill the 35mm hole on the drill press.

[Eiji Fuller]

For the pros- I have to say, the inserta hinges look awesome compared to the screw ons. They are much faster to install and can be removed and reinstalled easily without the fear of stripping the screw holes.

[David Werkheiser]

Ron,
If you think you will be doing more doors with Euro hinges, either look for a used hinge drilling machine, which can be bought for for $600-800, or the Ecodrill by Blum. The Ecodrill is hand held and well made , for $150 is a good investment. You said you don't want to be limited to Blum or Slice, well these two are among the best hinges available and a lot of the low cost hinges use the same drilling pattern. I have have a Blum machine, but still use the Ecodrill when I have a few doors that need a different tab setting or hinge location.
DaveW