Question about Hinge-Mate door hinge template

[Erik Frederiksen]

I was wondering if anyone has used this one and if they like it.
It's solidly made of aluminum, it's adjustable, comes with a router bit,
the last bit is the best, it clamps to the door, not nailed! No ugly nail holes
to try to hide quick before someone sees them . . . .

http://www.amazon.com/Hinge-Mate-HM-...5170670&sr=1-1

thanks

[Larry Prince]

For just one or two doors it's kinda pricey but if you're installing several it's well worth the cost.

The jig works quite well and makes quick work of the hinge mortises. Be prepared to do a little chisel work tho if you're using square-corner hinges.

[glenn bradley]

Be prepared to do a little chisel work tho if you're using square-corner hinges.

Or two smacks with a hammer and your outta there:

http://www.amazon.com/Whiteside-9600.../dp/B000MQC1UY

As Larry said, handy if you're going to be doing lots of doors. If I was doing a neighborhood I would get the jig and bit to match the hinges spec'd so there would be little tweaking per hinge. If I was just doing one house, I would cobble together a shop-made jig and move on ;-)

[Paul Girouard]

I say it's not worth it as it only sets one hinge and you'd be doing a lot of measuring between door and jamb , then hinge to hinge.

I have this jig , it locates all three , it could be extended if you had to do 7 ' doors , on the door then indexes itself from the jamb head for the top gap , and locates all hinges on the jamb.

http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-83038-De.../dp/B0000224KW

It's more money but it's way more tool.

So as has been said , it depends on how many doors your doing, I do it for a living so I've hung at least 100 doors , if not more with mine.

If you THINK you'll only do ten doors sharpen your chisel and do it that way.

[William OConnell]

I would just make my own if it was for doing one at a time. If I'm just doing a door or two I usually just freehand them with a router and some pencil lines.
I think your worrying way to much about tiny nail holes on a side of a door that people never really see.
I have the 4 hinge PC which is just like Paul's in theory. Its a much better Jig than what you've shown IMO. Its also allot easier transferring the mortises from the door to the jamb

[Erik Frederiksen]

Thanks for the replies.

It's funny Glenn, I just yesterday received, by mail, one of those corner chisels you mentioned. It looks very nice.

[Steve Clardy]

I would just make my own if it was for doing one at a time. If I'm just doing a door or two I usually just freehand them with a router and some pencil lines.
I think your worrying way to much about tiny nail holes on a side of a door that people never really see.
I have the 4 hinge PC which is just like Paul's in theory. Its a much better Jig than what you've shown IMO. Its also allot easier transferring the mortises from the door to the jamb

Ditto that. I too have the PC jig, for 8', 4 hinge doors

[Neal Clayton]

i agree with the PC one as well. it's plenty rigid to leave laying around at the setting you want/need, and while you do nail it in place, i don't fret over nails in the inside edge of a door or on the door side of a jamb.