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- Jan 1, 2018
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In the early 50's my father's brother in law (my uncle) hooked my father up with his first job, hanging doors for a local contractor. The contractor showed him the ropes of how to layout the hinges and the proper technique for using a chisel then put him to work. With my fathers first pay check he bought a Stanley router and a Stanley door hinge router jig. Since it was piece work my father made out pretty well, well enough to put himself through college (where he met my mother).
About 18 years ago my parents gave me a birthday present of new alder doors to replace the beat up cardboard doors in my house. My mother finished the doors and my father and I hung all the interior doors in my house... using that same same router and router jig from the 50's. My father passed away about 10 years ago.
Today I pulled out the same Stanley router and Stanley door hinge router jig:
After the top and middle hinge mortices are routed out you take to top part of the jig off the door and swing it over the middle part of the jig and fasten it to the bottom part of the door.
The same jig is used to route the hinge mortices on the frame:
The top part of the jig then swings over the middle part of the jig and is attached to the lower part of the frame just like with the door.
Despite considerable effort to the contrary I didn't screw anything up! The hinges are even on the correct side of the door and the door opens the proper direction! I had assisted my father in hanging other doors prior to all the interior door in my house. But this is the first door I have hung start to finish all by myself. Using my fathers door hanging jig from the 1950's makes it kind of special. I am confident he would be proud!
I have not installed the door and frame yet. I spent a good month painting the door while I was working up the courage to mortice the hinge recesses by myself. I am pretty comfortable installing the door and frame in the opening... this I have done by myself a few times before.
About 18 years ago my parents gave me a birthday present of new alder doors to replace the beat up cardboard doors in my house. My mother finished the doors and my father and I hung all the interior doors in my house... using that same same router and router jig from the 50's. My father passed away about 10 years ago.
Today I pulled out the same Stanley router and Stanley door hinge router jig:
After the top and middle hinge mortices are routed out you take to top part of the jig off the door and swing it over the middle part of the jig and fasten it to the bottom part of the door.
The same jig is used to route the hinge mortices on the frame:
The top part of the jig then swings over the middle part of the jig and is attached to the lower part of the frame just like with the door.
Despite considerable effort to the contrary I didn't screw anything up! The hinges are even on the correct side of the door and the door opens the proper direction! I had assisted my father in hanging other doors prior to all the interior door in my house. But this is the first door I have hung start to finish all by myself. Using my fathers door hanging jig from the 1950's makes it kind of special. I am confident he would be proud!
I have not installed the door and frame yet. I spent a good month painting the door while I was working up the courage to mortice the hinge recesses by myself. I am pretty comfortable installing the door and frame in the opening... this I have done by myself a few times before.
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