Thread: Setting and adjusting flat leaf hinges

I'll have a run through my library tonight and get back to you. I've just taken delivery of some more books and one might be just what you are looking for.

cheers
Wendy

Thanks - I also just purchased a P&N self centring drill so I'll see if that addresses the issue of the screw and countersunk hole misalignment.

Originally Posted by RussellB

Thanks - I also just purchased a P&N self centring drill so I'll see if that addresses the issue of the screw and countersunk hole misalignment.

Where did you buy the bit from?

Originally Posted by groeneaj

Where did you buy the bit from?

Bunnings in Alexandria, Sydney. They sell individual ones for $15 and pack of three of different sizes with a quick change bit for just over $40. Haven't tried one yet but will give it spin this weekend. It looks like you can change the bits as well.

See this page 'Quickbit Self Centering' (scroll to the end)

P&N | Sutton Tools

There is a PDF link on the right of the illustration

On small boxes and similar items, I use a nail in place of a drill bit to drill the hole, this creates a hole the correct shape for the screw and the point of the nail doesn't drift. You have to remove the head of the nail first for it to fit tightly in the drill chuck. This method works well when installing very tiny or small hinges on boxes etc.

Sorry for the delay in replying. the books I have contain some information on setting hinges and hanging doors, but not what I would really consider 'indepth' and don't seem to include much if anything on adjusting/troubleshooting.

Thanks anyway - I'm going through a few of my books as well.

Menruben's post on using a nail is a good one. I'm thinking of starting with say two shallow screws on the hinges until it tests OK then finishing with long screws in case I need to redrill. Don't know if there are other rough and ready techniques carpenters use (they always seem to wave a tape measure at a job, barely touching anything and it comes out a perfect fit!)

What precisely are you hinging, and in what configuration? IE: inlay doors, overlay doors, box lids? Single mortise, double mortise, sloped mortise?

Originally Posted by Scissors

What precisely are you hinging, and in what configuration? IE: inlay doors, overlay doors, box lids? Single mortise, double mortise, sloped mortise?

I'm a bit lost on that question. Standard hinge for a house door - smaller version for a kitchen cupboard. Nothing fancy. Sort of thing a carpenter would do all the time.

I've never hung a house door but I've hung a bazillion cabinet doors with butt hinges. This is the quick and dirty single mortise method for an inlay (where the door is flush with the cabinet not proud of it like a modern kitchen cupboard) cabinet door...

1: Size the door to the opening, you want to make the door the same shape as the opening and have enough clearance around it, let's say 0.5mm for a small door for arguments sake. I'd make the bottom edge and the hinged edge match the opening then plane the door until I get an even 1mm (twice 0.5) gap along the top and unhinged side.

2: Route the mortises in the door. The depth of the mortise should be the thickness of the hinge when the leaves are parallel minus your clearance (hypothetically 0.5mm). Screw the hinges into the mortises after drilling with a self centering bit and set a marking gauge to the distance from the front of the door to the middle of the screw holes in the hinge.

3: Use the marking gauge to scribe lines on the cabinet where the hinges will be. Place the door in position using a packer of your clearance amount to jack it up from the bottom of the opening. Press the open hinge leaves against the cabinet and use a pencil to "trace" one of the screw holes in each hinge. Only do this for one hole per hinge. Square from the centre of the pencil circles to the marking gauge lines. At these intersections drill pilot holes (using brad point bit or an awl/centrepunch and twist bit.$

4: Screw the door into these holes. Still only one screw per hinge. Check the fit. If the gap between the hinged edge and the opening is too fine, pack the hinges in the door with some thin card or sandpaper, if it's too big, chisel the door mortises deeper. If the door is too high or low, or hanging too far in or out from the cabinet you can adjust the door by backing off the screws in the cabinet a little, moving the door in the correct direction and drilling a new hole using a self centering bit in one of the "fresh" hinge screw holes.

Any really bad screw holes can be plugged. When you are happy with the fit of your door, use the self centering bit to drill all the fresh and any plugged holes and screw away. You may need to plane an edge or two again, some times it's easier than adjust the door by a fraction.

I hope that's what you wanted... Sorry if it doesn't make sense, it's kind of one of those things that's easier done than said, and I'm writing this message on my iPhone so I can't really read what I'm writing!

Originally Posted by RussellB

I'm a bit lost on that question. Standard hinge for a house door - smaller version for a kitchen cupboard. Nothing fancy. Sort of thing a carpenter would do all the time.

I'm no carpenter, however i was a locksmith for a time, hung a few doors, not a lot.

I've always marked and morticed the door, installed the hinge using the mortice to hold the hinge perfectly in place for the screws.
Set the door, flip out the hinges and mark them out (using the outer corners and edges of the hinges), mortice the frame and again using the mortice for a hold reset the door into place. Where both sides of the hinge mortice i'll use the mortice itself for positioning rather than the screw holes.

A lot varies to hinge type some surface mount. this type just require more accurate marking.

Some tips i'd give would be make sure when you set your door it doesnt move, get some extra hands, mark very accurately, have sharp chisels and allow for line thicknesses (mark outside of hinge / chisel inside the line), matchsticks an pve for a stripped hole, and a hinge can be moved within the morticed area just by using the ramps of the countersink holes in the hinge itself when putting the screws in, it really doesnt take a whole lot.

Hope this is a help.
Neal.

Thanks scissors for your detailed reply - I've worked out what to do in what order with a bit more insight into the whole process

Thanks also thompy - need to be a bit more careful in my marking out, but that ramping on the countersunk is a good idea

Transferring from the open leaf is a good idea as well