Saturday, July 19, 2025

Offset Knife Hinges for Inset Doorways

In my article in #318, on pp. 46–53, I present learn how to set up straight knife hinges, that are used with overlay doorways. Right here, I’ll clarify every part else it is advisable to know to put in the offset sort of knife hinges, that are used for inset doorways. There are a number of further steps concerned, however the course of isn’t any harder. I’ll be skipping over a few of the steps described in the primary article, so you’ll want to learn that one fastidiously earlier than working your method via this one.

This inset door pivots on offset knife hinges (Brusso L-37, $54), which present solely a small knuckle to the viewer.

Due to the energy and stability of knife hinges, you possibly can match a door with very wonderful, uniform gaps and belief it’s going to carry out for many years with out binding.

To put in these hinges, you’ll want your case constructed and dry-fit, however not glued up, since you’ll assemble and disassemble it in the course of the hinge-mortising course of. Have your door constructed as properly. Make it outsized by 1/8 in. or so in width and top. If the case finally ends up in any respect out of sq., you’ll want further door materials for profitable becoming.

Template has an L-shaped opening

The template strategy I reveal in the primary article works simply as properly for these L-shaped offset hinges, although the template features a few extra elements. Additionally, due to the L-shaped hinge mortises, the template have to be flipped over to rout mortises in each ends of the door. Due to that, it has a fence groove on each faces.

It’s also possible to use the identical pattern-routing bit I utilized in the primary article—Amana’s No. 45475 3/8-in.-dia. flush-trim bit—which has a slight offset between the bearing and cutters. This must be factored in once you’re slicing the elements for the template. A set of dial calipers is indispensable for fine-tuning the match.

After slicing a check mortise with the template, minimize the shallow grooves for mounting the fence. Then type a tongue on the fence that matches the slot, and drill and countersink screw holes as earlier than.

Be aware that the lengthy a part of the hinge won’t find yourself centered on the door’s thickness this time. What issues is that the pivot level of the hinge is centered on the entrance fringe of the door. This can be certain that the door features correctly with out binding.

Template for Correct Mortises

This template is a bit more advanced than the one for straight hinges. You’ll be slicing two strips out of your template board, and crosscutting and aligning these to create the L-shaped opening wanted right here.template for mortises

Using table saw to cut thin wood planks
Rip the 2 strips and chop to size. Minimize your template board in half, after which rip a strip off every one. Crosscut quick items from the strips to create the L-shaped spacer (see blue space in drawing above) that can align the strips throughout glue-up.

Using clamps to hold to pieces of glued wood together
Glue two strips collectively first. To verify the spacer elements find yourself aligned, glue two of the lengthy adjoining strips collectively beforehand, and minimize one in all their ends sq.. That sq. finish will maintain the spacer elements aligned once you push every part collectively.

Make a setup block for case mortises

Mortising the setup block
Mortise the setup block. With the setup block in a vise, clamp the template to it so the top of the L-shaped opening aligns with the top of the setup block. Rout mortises at each ends of the setup block, altering the fence to the opposite face of the template for the second mortise.

Board and shim align the setup block
Board and shim align the setup block. Clamp a board to the entrance of the case to find the entrance of the door (left).

Leave a gap below the board for the knuckle of the hinge when it’s mounted in the setup block
Depart a niche under the board for the knuckle of the hinge when it’s mounted within the setup block. Tape a shim contained in the case (proper) to create a niche between the door and the case.

Locate the hinge leaf. Insert a hinge leaf into the setup block, and add a piece of double-stick tape to its face.
Find the hinge leaf. Insert a hinge leaf into the setup block, and add a chunk of double-stick tape to its face.

Register the setup block against the alignment board and the shim, and press down firmly
Register the setup block towards the alignment board and the shim, and press down firmly. Once you elevate the setup block, the hinge leaf will keep behind in excellent place. Mark round it with a pointy pencil.

place the gold leaf hinge carve in a place for the gold leaf hinge

As with the straight hinges, you’ll set up the case elements of those hinges first. And also you’ll use an analogous methodology to put out the hinge areas.

Once more, you’ll have to dry-fit the case and make a setup block the identical thickness because the door. Minimize hinge mortises at each ends of the block, with the template’s fence referenced off the identical face for every one. You’ll want to change the fence to the opposite face of the template to chop the second mortise.

Use the block to place one leaf of every hinge correctly on the highest and backside of the case, utilizing double-stick tape. Mark round every leaf to document its place, and you’re prepared to chop the case mortises. As earlier than, the fence comes off right here—to permit the template to succeed in the mortise areas—and also you’ll align it along with your pencil traces the identical method.

Start with the case. Remove the fence and use the pencil lines to align the template.
Begin with the case. Take away the fence and use the pencil traces to align the template. After routing, sq. the corners with a chisel, insert hinge leaves, and drill pilot holes for the hinge screws.

Glue up the case and match the door

When you’re pleased with how the hinges match into the case, you possibly can glue it up. When becoming the door to the case opening, go for a 1/32-in. hole on the highest, backside, and hinge edges (however not the latch edge simply but). Begin by trimming the door till it simply barely suits into the opening. A crosscut sled or observe noticed works properly right here. As you trim the underside edge, make sure that the hinge aspect of the door traces up parallel with the hinge aspect of the case. Subsequent, with the door sitting within the case on its backside edge, mark the highest edge, then trim it. The hinges have a built-in washer that creates a 1/32-in. hole between the door and the case, so if you happen to trim 1/16 in. from the highest edge at this level, you’ll get the specified 1/32-in. hole above and under the door, as soon as it’s resting on the hinges. Depart the latch aspect of the door untrimmed and tight at this level.

Minimize the door mortises and cling the door

Fit and mortise the door
Match and mortise the door. Trim the door 1/16-in. shorter than the peak of the case opening to permit for the 1/32-in. washer in every hinge. Reattach the fence to the template and clamp it to the entrance face of the door, aligning the hinge opening with the door’s edge.

Hang the door. Screw all of the hinge leaves in place, except the leaf in the top edge of the door.
Cling the door. Screw all the hinge leaves in place, besides the leaf within the prime fringe of the door. Drop the decrease finish of the door onto its pivot pin.

Next, while holding the top door leaf on the pivot pin of the upper case leaf, tilt the door inward to push the top door leaf into its mortise
Subsequent, whereas holding the highest door leaf on the pivot pin of the higher case leaf, tilt the door inward to push the highest door leaf into its mortise. Then screw it in place.

You’re prepared to chop the hinge mortises within the door. The fence goes again on for this step—first on one face of the template, then the opposite. As soon as the hinge mortises are routed, their corners are squared, and pilot holes are drilled, you possibly can cling the door. Then mark the latch aspect of the door for that very same 1/32-in. hole, and airplane it for an ideal match.

I hope this encourages you to make use of knife hinges, which provide unmatched appears and efficiency. The template strategy eliminates the problem and threat normally related to these elegant hinges, leaving you to get pleasure from all of their advantages.

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