Chisel Door Frame Hinge

Move the chisel as needed to cut along the full width of the mortise.

Chisel door frame hinge.

Using a sharp 1 inch wide chisel cut a series of parallel lines into the jamb about 1 4 inch apart staying within the scored lines and holding the chisel perpendicular to the wood. To cut hinge. Corner wood chisel squaring tool for cutting square mortised door hinge recesses square off mortises for frames box tops lids doors and flip up drawers 4 5 out of 5 stars 65 11 99 11. Tap the chisel with a hammer to make a 1 8 inch deep cut again match the hinge leaf thickness.

If not drill or chisel until it is. Hold the chisel vertically about 1 8 inch away from one end of the mortise outline inside the waste area. Go slowly and test fit your hinge a few times until you get it mounted flush. You want to make a nice flat surface for your hinge to lay into.

Open the door and stand with. Whichever type you use there are a variety of styles available to match your home decor. The hinge mortise allows the hinge to be mounted flush with the jamb and door so the door will close properly. Position the strike plate on the jamb so it is centered on both lines.

With your chisel s beveled edge flat against the door s edge gently tap to remove material within your score marks. Score around the plate with a sharp utility knife. Holding a chisel bevel side up with one hand on the blade and one on the handle slice away any wood that the bit couldn t reach. If you re installing a pre hung door make sure you get the correct swing determined by the placement of the hinges and doorknob.

To do a good job cutting mortises the chisel needs to be razor sharp. Place the hinge in its mortise to see if it s flush with door surface. Before cutting your door hinge mortise place your hinge on top of the door and outline it with a pencil. Hinge mortises on a door are often cut by machine with a router and straight bit but you can cut mortises by hand using a hammer and chisel as well.