Using a pluge router to mortise a door lock cavity instead of chisel? + hinge templat

Door lock cavity . Plunge router. Plunge depth of 2-9/16-in.

So I was thinking of using a template to guide the router back-n-forth. Mortise out as much of the wood as possible then remove the bit and add an extension that allows for the router to plunge deeper into the aforementioned mortised cavity?

So a lot more work but is it essentially doing what a Porter-Cable lock mortiser will do?

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Also, re. routing the cavities for door hinges and door frames .
What do you all think of this inexpensive Porter-Cable hinge template?
Porter Cable 59370 Door Hinge Template | ToolBarn.com



By the looks of the template, I assume it uses a collar on the router bit for guidance?

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What are some decent router bits for hinges and lock cavities? Doesn't need to be topnotch like Freud just something good/decent.

For a one-off a chisel is probably fastest for hinges. I'm guessing you'll be doing a single home?

For a single home, I'd suggest drilling the holes for a lockset and deadbolt and routing the hinges. If your lock cavities aren't round, then maybe a template and router from both sides of the door could make sense. Trying to extend a large router bit with an extension and then plunging the bit to do a job better fitting a drill; particularly if it doesn't have speed control, sounds a possible prescription for problems.

You can easily make up your own hinge template or use one of the cheap ones (as you've shown). And, yes, they typically use a collar bushing. Haven't used that particular one; but since you're likely only using one size of hinges you might consider something even cheaper stamped out of a more durable steel (which I've used).

Don't need and maybe don't want a large or plunge router for hinges. A small router with a matching collar will drive most any good quality hinge mortising bit.

In normal construction these days, the sensible thing is to order doors pre-hung. My assumption here is that you want to make up your own and nicer doors?

PeteM said:

For a one-off a chisel is probably fastest for hinges. I'm guessing you'll be doing a single home?

For a single home, I'd suggest drilling the holes for a lockset and deadbolt and routing the hinges. If your lock cavities aren't round, then maybe a template and router from both sides of the door could make sense. Trying to extend a large router bit with an extension and then plunging the bit to do a job better fitting a drill; particularly if it doesn't have speed control, sounds a possible prescription for problems.

You can easily make up your own hinge template or use one of the cheap ones (as you've shown). And, yes, they typically use a collar bushing. Haven't used that particular one; but since you're likely only using one size of hinges you might consider something even cheaper stamped out of a more durable steel (which I've used).

Don't need and maybe don't want a large or plunge router for hinges. A small router with a matching collar will drive most any good quality hinge mortising bit.

In normal construction these days, the sensible thing is to order doors pre-hung. My assumption here is that you want to make up your own and nicer doors?

Click to expand...

1 home but several doors. I am getting the below Makita kit.



I just got a Porter-Cable 511 lock boring jig , like below. Below is fine for the door knob but won't work for the actuall lock assembly as that would require a rectangular cavity.

Take the door off, put in a door stand so the lock side of the door is facing up, drill holes to depth in the cavity with a regular drill, mortise chisel to clean the edges and final size, go find something else to build after 5 minutes of drilling and chisel work....

Spud said:

Door lock cavity . Plunge router. Plunge depth of 2-9/16-in.

So I was thinking of using a template to guide the router back-n-forth. Mortise out as much of the wood as possible then remove the bit and add an extension that allows for the router to plunge deeper into the aforementioned mortised cavity?

So a lot more work but is it essentially doing what a Porter-Cable lock mortiser will do? No, it is too easy to plunge on an angle and will come out side of door = ruined door.

Also, re. routing the cavities for door hinges and door frames .
What do you all think of this inexpensive Porter-Cable hinge template?
Porter Cable 59370 Door Hinge Template | ToolBarn.com Garbage, and only works with one special router bit.


By the looks of the template, I assume it uses a collar on the router bit for guidance? Only works with one special Porter Cable bit.

--

What are some decent router bits for hinges and lock cavities? Doesn't need to be topnotch like Freud just something good/decent.

Click to expand...

If you have very many doors , you will be quality ahead buying the proper Porter Cable/Rockwell/Stanley full mortise lock mortising jig ($400 used to $1300 new) OR you could change hardware to a non full mortise lock OR pay the hardware supplier to install the locks for you (~$200 each door)

For the hinges, Stanley Stanley Door Hinge Template Set Excellent Condition | eBay and Bosch #83038 made a full length 3 hinge template kit that would be much superior to a single hinge at a time. It also does the jamb using a spacer to set the gap on top of door.

Send the Makita router back and sell the specialty tools when you are finished.

MikeS-54 said:

If you have very many doors , you will be quality ahead buying the proper Porter Cable/Rockwell/Stanley full mortise lock mortising jig ($400 used to $1300 new) OR you could change hardware to a non full mortise lock OR pay the hardware supplier to install the locks for you (~$200 each door)

For the hinges, Stanley Stanley Door Hinge Template Set Excellent Condition | eBay and Bosch #83038 made a full length 3 hinge template kit that would be much superior to a single hinge at a time. It also does the jamb using a spacer to set the gap on top of door.

Send the Makita router back and sell the specialty tools when you are finished.

Click to expand...

So that Porter-Cable router bit should fit a Makita though ?? I doubt Porter-Cable would make a router bit + template that can only be used on their router. Are there other templates out there that will work with any collared router bit, and are under $60 ?

While those Hinge templates you linked are best , they are also heavy and large. I need stuff to be light and more portable cause I am taking this stuff overseas with me , and it will be in checked baggage. . So what is some good single templates for hinges, that are under $60 ?

Can't send Makita back, bought it used .

See post #2 above.

Good luck with your project.

Spud said:

So that Porter-Cable router bit should fit a Makita though ?? I doubt Porter-Cable would make a router bit + template that can only be used on their router. Are there other templates out there that will work with any collared router bit, and are under $60 ?

While those Hinge templates you linked are best , they are also heavy and large. I need stuff to be light and more portable cause I am taking this stuff overseas with me , and it will be in checked baggage. . So what is some good single templates for hinges, that are under $60 ?

Can't send Makita back, bought it used .

Click to expand...

The porter Cable templates and their bushings can be used with any router that has the PC type of base where the template bushing is held in place with the knurled ring .This goes for most routers except Craftsmen and Ryobi.Not sure if the latter has changed and will except the PC bushings.
The plastic template from PC will work,I am assuming you are a home owner and not a carpenter. If you were a carpenter I would recommend making your own single template,a two hinge template and a three hinge template from an aluminum angle iron.I did this years ago even though I owned the complete door hanging set. The PC hinge template I had could be used as one ,two ,three or four hinges.The fourth hinge template was achieved by flipping the third template over. I found that the shop made template was less prone to errors,the PC if bumped can go out of alignment.
As far as the lock mortise, Bore the overlapping holes with a multi-spur bit,similar to a forstner but has teeth on the perimeter ,cuts better in deep mortises.Then you can either pare the points with a chisel or use a router to straighten the mortise.An edge guide is all you need with a 1/2" diameter router bit or endmill if you have trouble locating a long router bit.Do not climb cut with a long bit.
Rout one side then the other. You can rout full depth in one shot if all their is left is the points after boring.
The door should be horizontal on edge when you do this .You can make a template for the strike plate or if you only have a dozen doors or less I would do it by hand with a chisel.Screw the strike plate to the door edge,mark out with a utility knife.When marking along the grain,go lightly as the grain has a tendency to make the cut go off.Deepen the layout with a chisel.Bore 3/32" deep and over lap the holes .This is a fast and sure way to get the correct depth.Then square the mortise with a chisel.I guess at the depth,tried using stops but they were worthless.I rarely had to go this route because I also had the PC strike templates. I made a living with these tools,probably cost over $1000.00 easily in the late 70's.
mike

I made and installed a lot of doors over the years. But it was not necessarily a "routine daily job".

So all I ever did in most cases was use a (electric) router to waste and hold depth. The router had a fence on it, even if just a piece of wood clamped to the base, or sometimes the factory fence. So depth was held, and the fence held the offset. Then all I had to do was finish the ends with a chisel. You have to square the corners with a chisel anyway.

On the jamb, I sometimes used a collar to hold the depth off the rabbet edge, or sometime just eyeballed and finished with a chisel. If you go all hand tool, one of the old Stanley scribe tools (mortise gauges) that had 2 or 3 spurs for the different settings is handy and does a good job of precutting/scoring for the back edge of the hinge.

smt

For the plastic hinge template - I have used a similar one with a standard top-bearing router bit for around 12 doors. It works fine. If you use round corner hinges no clean up is needed. For square corner hinges you of course need to clean up the corners.

For routing mortised locks - I had to cut a couple motised pocket door sets that I think were around 3 1/2 deep and almost 5" tall, about 7/8 thick. I made up three jigs. All were 1/4 ply for the sides that slipped over the door, and then 1" thick maple that was 1 3/8 wide to go across the door edge. they were about 16" long, so plenty of space to clamp onto door. First one was with 1/4" holes, to pilot drill. Second was 3/4 inch holes for a drill to remove most of the material. 6 holes if I remember right spaces out. Afther that, a quick chiselling to clear out the remaining webs from between the drilled holes. Last jig had the final profile (cut on the mill) to run a long 1/2" endmill (held in a router) around the edges to clean it up to dimension. Solid fir doors. It worked great, but was not something I would look forward to doing again. It is the type of job that I knew if I was ging to do many doors, sooner or later the bit would grab, twist the router off the template face, and come out the door face in an instant.

Personally I am not a big fan of the combo fixed base plunge router sets. The shop I used to work in bought a porter cable combo set and within a month it was a struggle to change from one to the other. I would buy a good plunge router or fixed base router and then get a small trim router like the Bosch Colt. I use round over bits a lot and bought one of the Colt routers to leave set up with a 1/4" router bit. Over the last few years I have bought 4 more of them so I have them set up with other round over bits and have one that I change bits in that I tend to use more than my big router. A small router is really handy as it can be easily used with one hand (or two) and it is easier to guide and safer if freehand cutting.

If I could only have one router I would want my bigger router as I need it to drive bigger bits but I now go weeks without using the big router.

of course the proper machines are the chain mortises. A box lock one like my stenner. Though the hand head with do on site. i alway thought them PC were reaching for the moon with there 1/2" tooling

jack
English machines

So what router bit/s should I buy for routing hinges and what for lock mortising with a router?

If the router doesn't work out for lock mortising then I'll use a spade or forstner drill bit with a hand drill, and finish off with chisels.



Also, what is a decent Router bit set or what bits are essential (emphasis on essential). I got the below Makita router but no bits.

Makita USA - Tool Details - RD1101

Got above with plunge router base and fixed base with D-Handle and fixed base without D-Handle, and a 4 baseplates. Specs say it accepts 1/4" and 1/2" shank.

Apologies, I just saw this thread.

Porter Cable 513 Lock Mortiser



Mark