[Jerry Bowen]

Way back in time, perhaps three years ago now, I was struggling with installing small hinges on small boxes. I made jigs for guides that I used for cutting morises for the hinges and showed them on the forum.

The jigs worked but they were a pain to make and to use by the way.

Nobody said a word, at least not to me, but now I'm wondering if some of you decided to play a joke on Jerry, maybe even start a lottery to bet on how long it would tke him to discover the "Jigit". Well today I stumbled on to it. Just joking of course about the lottery, but I wouldln't put it pass you guys if you had thought of iit.

I should have realized early on that such a tool did exist as the job of setting up to route out the mortises is undoubtedly one that is often in need of. I do not have a clue why I did not look for such a tool until now.

If I ever get back to the shop, the first new tool that I am going to buy is the Jigit.

Let me know what your experience has been with the tool if you have ever used it.

Here is the link to what I watched today.

Jerry

 

[RainMan 2.0]

Jerry ,that is one of the better videos I’ve seen in a while , and very informative for a noob like me .
I want one of those jigs, plus the Kreg multimark tool also . I want to build boxes in the future, so this video is invaluable to me

This is going to be saved in favourites for sure

 

[Gene Howe]

Jerry, I bought one but haven't used it yet. I did set it up to use on a box but decided to use piano hinges instead. Makes me nervous after spending the time to build the box. Really need to make a mock up and try it first, I guess.

 

[Jerry Bowen]

I['m starting to wonder if the jig might be to bog and bulky for small boxes, by small I thinging of 4x6 inch.

The other issue that I have not figured out is how to center the starting holes for the screws when the holes in the hinge are so small. So far I have not been able to find a self centering drill for the small hinges. Since centering is so important, every screw ha sto be PERFECTLY centered and so far I can't seem to do get all eight of them right by just eye balling thme and that may well be due to my poor central vision issue.

Jerry

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

I['m starting to wonder if the jig might be to bog and bulky for small boxes, by small I thinging of 4x6 inch.

The other issue that I have not figured out is how to center the starting holes for the screws when the holes in the hinge are so small. So far I have not been able to find a self centering drill for the small hinges. Since centering is so important, every screw ha sto be PERFECTLY centered and so far I can't seem to do get all eight of them right by just eye balling thme and that may well be due to my poor central vision issue.

Jerry

Vix bits: https://www.vixbitsonline.com/product-category/vix-bit-drill-bits/

 

[Ray Newman]

Watched the video and as Jerry Bowen mentioned-- and I agree with his impression -- the "Jig It" is probably too big for small work.

I looked on the Rockler site and the basic "Jig It" is US$49.99 plus $7.99 templates for various sized hinges and types. So it is about US$60.00 to get started, then the cost of any additional templates. Not exactly a bank breaker, but some my have a second thought.

As an aside, if you only install leaf hinges, the latest Fine WoodWorking, February 2018, No. 266, pp. 62-67, shows a shop-fabricate scrap MDF leaf hinge jig for installing hinges on cabinets. Three cuts on the table saw and you're good to go. With clamps, a smaller sized jig would work on boxes.

Also several years ago, ShopNotes, Issue #4, July 1992, published an article about fabricating an adjustable hinge jig to accommodate different sized hinges. A sharp pattern bit on a laminate trimmer and a well honed chisel make short work of cutting and fitting the mortise. Have not utilized the one I made a great deal, but it is a time saver and if set up correctly you cannot over cut the mortise.

 

[Jerry Bowen]

Vix bits: https://www.vixbitsonline.com/product-category/vix-bit-drill-bits/

Thanks Charles,
This looks promising, I was not aware, obviously, that the smaller bit were available. I will try to measure the diameter of the holes in my hinges and have another look.

Thanks, I thought that I had looked for the smaller bit years ago but apparently did not look far enough.

It makes sense that the small bit would be available as it is certainly one that many of us need.

Jerry

 

[harrysin]

There were some great tips in that video but not the jig, it's clumsy to say the least. Routing rebates for hinges is just one more job made easy using the ski mounted router. The shot of a Vix bit, available in many sizes shows how it fits into the countersink and when pressure is applied the drill is exposed leaving a perfectly centred hole.

 

[Jerry Bowen]

As Harry says, the jig it is probably to large and clumsy for small boxes. The set of jigs tha I made, as I said earlier id work fine, just a bit clumsy to make so that they fit the one sized hinge, no adjustments at all, but when finished they did work.

The question is is due to the fact, or as I see it, the leafs of the hinge wihen the box is closed, need to be parallel with each other. This means that the leafs should not be flush with surfaced where they are installed, or so I see it. Mounting them this way wuld not allow the leafs to be parallel, lthus the mortises need to be deep enough so that the leafs do indeed ending up parallel hen the lid is closed. Does this sound right or am I missing something, If this is right, the depth of the cut with the rounter becomes very critical, again am I right and if not where am I going wrong.

I told Harry that if and when I get back to the shop the first thig that I want to do is to learn to set these hinges properly. The information on the availability of smaller Vix bit is a step in the right direction.

Jerry

 

[harrysin]

Jerry, I seldom rebate both the lid and carcase, I set the depth of cut as shown in this shot.

 

[tomp913]

I have an older version of the Jig-It Hinge Mortising Jig (from around 2008?), this is the only article that I can find on it so far. Although it can only be used to cut the mortise for a butt hinge, it is adjustable for fairly wide range of sizes - a little hard to see in the photo, but the wood stop can be adjusted in and out to give the width of the mortise, and the aluminum base can be adjusted to suit the length of the hinge - it does that very well, with only two adjustments.

Ways to Cut a Hinge Mortise / Rockler How-to

Here are a couple of photos of the jig in use - I was cutting a 3/4" wide notch in the sides of a cabinet door for a retainer strip to keep stuff falling off the door when it was opened. I had to reconfigure the jig to get the narrow opening I needed but this gives the basics - a nice solid jig that works very well.

The jig shown in FWW can be brought to the next level by making it so it will cut the mortise in both parts at the same time. I made mine by gluing together strips of the correct width, but if you take two of the jigs shown and join them with a strip that projects below the face to be mortised, you can clamp the box and lid together with the jig "flange" sandwiched between them and both parts routed at the same operation - if you have two jigs sets, you can rout both at the same time and be assured that the mortises in both parts line up. I haven't seen that jig in a while, but will see if I can still find it.

 

[Jerry Bowen]

Jerry, I seldom rebate both the lid and carcase, I set the depth of cut as shown in this shot.

Harry,

You eluded to curring recesses in only one the boxes edge sometime backi in time, but I guess I was focused on conquering what I was focusued on the time. However, that was then this is now. The concept is making a great deal sense to me now. I simplifys making a very usable jig as well sa some other positive potential things go consider.

Perhaps the best part of your suggestion is that it is giving me some serious movitation to get out to shop some of what youd that have made be think abot and right now some motivation is really whati i'm needing.

jerry