Replies

1. 
   rslatm | Feb 23, 2004 09:04pm | #1

   You should get more responses if you post at Fine Home Building as the question is more house oriented than furniture oriented.

   
   

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   Edited 2/23/2004 1:47:26 PM ET by Rick at Arch. Timber and Millwork

2. 
   JMartinsky | Feb 24, 2004 01:03am | #2

   I have the PC door template and it is very good. There is a bit of a learing curve, however, so be patient.

   John

3. 
   Steinmetz | Feb 24, 2004 01:52am | #3

   MIKE, check out these knots posts  12719.2    12719.4  12719.7  To make your own templates  Stein.

4. 
   robkelly1 | Feb 24, 2004 06:08am | #4

   I never hung doors for a living like Steinmetz, so I did it by hand w/o a template on the odd occasions I had to do it. When faced with doing exactly what you intend to do, except with frame and panel doors, I bought a cheap plastic  and aluminum device from Carey Template Co., 9484 Chesapeake Dr. #804, San Diego CA 92123  (619) 268-4448. It was the  Model #300-4  3 hinge template, for 3-1/2x3-1/2 or 4" x4" hinges for doors from 78" to 96". It cost 40 or 50 dollars and worked like a charm for 30+ doors. They also sell other models for different size hinges. You will need a hinge cutting router bit and if you are using square hinges will have to cut the corners of the mortises square with a chisel. If you follow their instructions you can't make a mistake unless you put the template on the wrong side of the door, a happening which I refuse to discuss for security reasons. My address info is 5-6 yrs old, they may have moved.

5. 
   TomMGTC | Feb 26, 2004 07:30pm | #5

   I built my own jambs and hung all the doors in my house and used the PC jig for the job. Worked perfectly. I would buy it again if I had a lot of doors to do.

   Tom

   Douglasville, GA

6. 
   Bluegillman | Feb 29, 2004 06:49am | #6

   I replaced all my door jams and trims in oaks. Wife didn't like the pines as they look too beat up, We stripped the old var and stained/var the doors but it didn't look good with the beat up pines. So I made a template and use the old door jam's hinges and the key hole as a marker so I wouldn't have to do any adjustments for each doors. Not every door hinges or keyhole was cut in the same dims. I only need it for one time and I didn't think about buying those kits to do the hinges cut outs. Making a template from any scrap wood that is hanging around for a one time job is cheaper. We replaced all the hinges in shinny brite bass and catch. It looks real pretty right now and she is very happy! It puts pride in you for doing that.

7. 
   TonyCz | Mar 08, 2004 06:47am | #7

   Mike I am a door hanger and there are several types of templates on the market the one I use is from a company here in California called Templaco. Templaco is located in San Marcos Ca,  http://WWW.templaco.com  800-578-9677

   Templaco can make just about any type of butt hinge template you can think of as well as a template to mortise in for the strike and latch. They also make a door holding door buck, to make it very easy to plain the edges of your doors.  

   If you are going to re-hange your new door in an existing jamb and are going to repaint. Fill the old hinge daps with bondo and order the 6'8" hinge template with the 3 1/2" hinge prep, if your door is 1 3/8" thick.  Otherwise,  a 4" hinge template would be in order.  

   If you are going to use the existing hinge gains order the single hinge template for the hinge size you have. Standard is 3 1/2" for an 1 3/8" thick door.  Remember to save the old door and use the old door for reference. Once used discard.  For example; Location of the hinge from the top, the set back of the hinge and depth.

     Install the top hinge first then hang the door using the top hinge only and scribe the bottom hinge which you will have mounted on the jamb for an exact fit. Remember to bevel the hinge side and the strike side. About 3 deg.

   Check the jamb to see if it is plumb with a 6'6" or 80" level and if an 80" is n/a. use a 6' minimum. Also check that the head is square, you may have to trim the doors top to fit before you trim any of the edges.  Bore the door last for the lock set.

   You may also need to see if the door jamb has a scissors in it. To check this you will need to cross string the opening, using small 2d's nail tacked in each corner and use the nylon string hooking it over the nail. The string should just touch in the middle, if not the jamb is out.   

   Now for a door which is 1 3/4" a 4"x" hinge template is needed. Remember to use a 1/2" router bit with a 5/8" collet in your router base for the 1/2" bit.  The templates come in two hinge radius 1/2" which is standard on the west coast, but for pre hung doors many use the 5/8" radius template even on the west coast.

   good luck

   Tony Czuleger

   P.S. the Price is right also  around $50.00 + -

   
   

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   Edited 3/7/2004 10:50:52 PM ET by Joeseph

   
   

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   Edited 3/7/2004 11:22:09 PM ET by Joeseph

1. 
   Manchild | Mar 08, 2004 07:17am | #8

   Just seconding what Tony said. Templaco is fine for what you are doing. Beveling both sides of the door also. Most novices don't do this on the hinge side.

   There a definite procedure to this. A cross cut sled/guide is a good tool to have for cutting doors. I make my own. Have fun. Hanging doors can be a blast!

1. 
   TonyCz | Mar 08, 2004 07:28am | #9

   David Yes I agree a saw sled its the cat meow when it comes to fining a good way to trim doors to length & keeps the tear out on veneer doors down.

   Play safe.

   Tony

   Edited 3/10/2004 1:40 pm ET by Joeseph

1. 
   PlaneWood | Mar 08, 2004 08:36am | #10

   I used to have an old Sears template set.  Three sliding guides on a rectangular bar.  Once you got it set up, you could knock out the doors in nothing flat.  Really a time saver.  Hinges fit perfect every time.  Gave it to my carpenter neighbor last year.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood