help with latch hinge mortises

[VT_Jeff]

The hinges I'm using are radius'd and I'm having a bit of a tough time getting them mortised correctly, so far just practicing on scrap.

The very good tip I saw was to use the router to remove the majority, leave some meat near the line, and then use a chisel to clean to the line. Seems perfectly reasonable, but the radius is fairly small and my smallest chisel can't clean to the line without creating steps. What tool should I be using to clean back to the line around the radius?

Thanks as always for any/all opinions!

[Jaysen]

Get some palm carving tools. Should have inexpensive ones are box store. Ridiculously overpriced ones at woodcraft. These tools are the ones used to make miniatures and other fine detail wood sculptures.

[OrangeQuest]

Razor knife the outline edge and then under cut it till it is flush with the depth you cut with the router. Do not try to cut all the depth with the first cut of the razor knife. If you do the razor knife before you use your router you may find you can sneak up to the cut with the router and have no tear out. I assume you are free handing the router.

Good luck.

[fallguy1000]

Make a jig for the router. Use a piece of 1/2" ply.

The last ones I made were a tad big on one end, but you can work the templates to perfect.

Bearing and a mortising bit.

Otherwise, Ken's advice is solid, but I get really nervous about slipping.

[VT_Jeff]

The wannabe woodworker in me wants to use Jaysens or Kens excellent advice but the realist in me has to admit that the chances of cutting 16(2 sides each for 8 hinges)) correctly by hand, with no do-overs, is pretty slim. I'm sure a couple would come out photo-worthy, and at least a few would come out bin-worthy.

Dan makes a good point about the jig. I realized that can easily make the jig using the correct sized hole-saw/paddle bit, which will get me a perfect radius, and then use the table saw or band saw to cut the sides up to the radius perfectly sqaure. I can clamp that jig onto the deck or the hatch lid and use a top-bearing bit to duplicate it, easy-peasy. I just need the right sized bit and a top-bearing bit, so off to the store.

Appreciate the quick feedback gents!

[pee wee]

Make a jig for the router. Use a piece of 1/2" ply.

The last ones I made were a tad big on one end, but you can work the templates to perfect.

Bearing and a mortising bit.

Otherwise, Ken's advice is solid, but I get really nervous about slipping.

If you have a lot of hinge recesses to cut, I agree that the time spent making a good template will be worth it. You could use a top bearing straight cut bit that rides on the template, or use a guide bushing that screws to your router baseplate and is a little bigger than your mortise bit. You'd have to make your template bigger by the offset of the bushing to the bit, though. I don't think a curved chisel will be very useful in this application, as they usually have the bevel on the bottom and aren't really made for cutting square down with the exact hinge radius you have, but the utility knife cut would work. Consider how many hinges you need to do and whether the time making a template will be justified, and remember that an error on a template will be repeated every time you use it! You can patch mistakes on a template with Bondo or some other rugged filler; the better the template, the less work you have to do- multiplied by the number of hinge mortises.

[Matt Gent]

100% on board with the template. I made one in 10min out of scrap particle board when I did the skiff deck, and that was only for 2 hinges.

You are likely fairing this panel when done anyways, right? So you can clean up the edges and sand them back.

Pretty sure I routed out the hinges first, then cut the panel right through the middle. Had to relieve a little for the barrel under the hinge too.

[Jaysen]

A little secret...

If you have the proper radius bit, you don’t need to radius the template. Just make the corner straight extension of the edges. The bit will make the rounded corner for you.

So figure out the diameter of the hinge corner radius and make it simple by buying a bit to match.

[VT_Jeff]

A little secret...

If you have the proper radius bit, you don’t need to radius the template. Just make the corner straight extension of the edges. The bit will make the rounded corner for you.

So figure out the diameter of the hinge corner radius and make it simple by buying a bit to match.

That would def simplify things. I fear that 1-5/16 may not be an easy-to-find mortise bit size.

[VT_Jeff]

Pretty sure I routed out the hinges first, then cut the panel right through the middle.

To have had that foresight!