Hello all!
Anybody care to share some secrets to tweaking inset door hinges. I used just the $3 hinges from the hardware store, not the fancy $8 ones that are adjustable.
A thought I had was to get the dremel out and elongate the holes. Another thought I had was to use a different style screw with a different head, but was concerned about the screw not staying tight. They don’t have to be moved much, but I want them PERFECT. Thanks in advance, STEVE
General Motors Master Technician
ASE master technician
woodworker wannabe
Replies
To adjust simple leaf hinges, you can use a matchbook cover to shim the door(s) left or right.Fore or aft, move the hinge on the door or stile. It's all in the layout beforehand and it's best to get it right before attachment.
What kind of doors are talking about? Are these prehung house interior doors? You are going to have to be more specific. Which way are you moving the door? etc etc.
Ideally, you should use adjustable hinges and save yourself a lot of major heartburn. - lol
Since you didn't, I would suggest that you remove the hinges, fill the screw holes with small dowels and start over with the door installation - being very careful with your layout. If they only need to move a little bit, they should cover the dowels. If you don't have one, get a Vix bit to pre-drill your screw holes. They automatically center the screw hole in the hinge plate hole so that running in the screw doesn't shift the door.
I did some inset doors with non-adjustable hinges on a piece about a year ago and it took me half the day to get the doors marked and installed just right. As I remember it, I worked thru the back of the cabinet and used shims to get the spacing right and clamps to hold the doors in position while I drilled the screw holes.
Boy am I glad to have found a couple of Blum hinges in a castaway cabinet waiting outside a neighbour's house for the garbage pickup. Then a month ago one of my cheap kitchen cabinet hinges broke. Took about a month to find those hinges I put away 2 years ago and about 1/2 an hour to install them in the door.
I was able to use the existing 35 mm holes in the door, drill new mounting holes in the door and I had to move the cabinet carcase brackets back about 1/4" from the original parts. Final adjustments took a couple of minutes. I wouldn't use anything but these hinges for cabinet doors such as for kitchen cabinets.
Brian
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled