Replies

1. 
   RalphBarker | Mar 02, 2012 11:15am | #1

   Hinge Mortise Jigs

   There are numerous commercially-made hinge-mortise jigs available for use with a router and either a bearing-guided bit or a template guide bushing. You can use the commercial models as a basis for making your own. The design challenges is to make a jig that is adjustable for different sizes of hinges, both in terms of the length and the depth of positioning.

   The Hinge-Mate II is one of the more elaborate designs, and a good source of design ideas:

   http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2001403/1542/HingeMate-II.aspx

   Or, there's always the chisel and mallet.  ;-)

2. 
   robertwhiteneck | Mar 10, 2012 12:40pm | #2

   Jig for mounting hinges on a box

   Doug Stowe showed a really simple jig and way to make the hinge mortise in his video on making a box which was recently available on Fine Woodworking's video workshop series. I have used it and it works great for small boxes. 

3. 
   Rob_Sp | Mar 29, 2012 07:52am | #3

   Hinge jig

   A fixed jig is easy to make along the lines of the hingemate. Simply attach two squares,( I like cast plexiglass or aluminum, both can be riped and crosscut on a tablesaw,cutoff saw)  on a wood spine to set the width then a third between to set the offset or depth. This makes for quick and accurate work. A flush cut bit with the bearing on top is better than a guide bushing as you avoid centering issues. Why spend $200 on something you can make from scrap.

   With that said, I rarely use one unless cutting many multiples. A chisel, mallet and router plane makes short work of this task with no electrical cords, noise, dust etc. Also arguably quicker if you are not cuttingvery  many.