# Door Hinge & lock jig



## pablo 2009 (May 11, 2009)

Have been looking at buying a Dakota hinge & lock jig and wondered if anyone had used one.

Have asked my supplier how it works with regard to routing out the rebate for the lock face plate but no answer as of yet. Found a video online showing how you use the sliding drill auger guide to create the lock mortice, looks fairly straightforward.

I think it would suit my needs better than a 3-hinge jig set up as I mostly put new doors on existing frames and obviously have to match up all the hinge rebates. Long jigs such as the Trend are not so good from this perspective, although great for new build stuff.

I know I will get lots of replies telling me how easy it is to make a jig but I just want to get something that will last (plus I don't feel my joinery skills are up to making a jig accurately enough for really perfect results).

Only thing is with any of these jigs is here in the UK nearly all our hinges are square cornered! Must be nice and easy in the US with all those radius corner hinges.

Thanks in advance for any replies.


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

Hello Paul ! Iam going to guess that no one has used one. If you have seen a video, and it looks good to you, That might be the only thing to go on. Who markets it, if a well known name , that may then be enough. Can you Check with the supplier and see if they have names of a user? All of this is what you have already thought about, and its a guess for me as well. My first concern is that your post didn't get answered, and now you know that some of us read them


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

I don't know the answer yet. I've just bought a Forge Steel one off eBay. They are normally about 40 quid but I got it for ten. Mind you, the seller is obviously p****d off at the low price and has been trying to pretend it's over 3.5Kg to screw more postage out of me. If it had gone much higher I wouldn't have bothered but at that price it was worth it.
To square off the mortices, try Amazon UK for one of the squaring tools. They do Silverline ones just like the Trend ones but only 4 quid. I got two. They are actually made in India but they seem OK. They appeared to have had the chisel in them hardened after being sharpened but I tickled it with a stone to bring the edge up again.

Cheers

Peter


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## pablo 2009 (May 11, 2009)

Have ordered the Dakota jig set so am looking forward to trying it out. Also just got an email from Trend and they are doing some really good deals at the moment; for instance if you order a T11 half inch router you get a T4 quarter inch router 'free'.


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## Woodwreck (Jun 21, 2009)

*Regarding the Dakota jig*

Last things first - square corners are made by stamping the 3/8" rounded corner with the chisel springloaded stamp shown in the Dakota photos, available everywhere as generic name.

The extrusion is apparently the same as the one Trend uses in their Varijig frame product. I suggest you look a little further.

The Dakota is piecemeal - did you plan to do each hinge separately? A plastic template is available made by some company for P-C and others. PM me for more info - I have to find it here somewhere here from my purchases over the years. P-C makes a professional setup that positions all three (1 - 4) hinges simultaneously on any door up to 7 or 8 feet tall. Available under other brand names.

You REQUIRE an exact jig for aligning hinges and particularly the jamb; you do not need a mortising template for the lock in most residential cases. They are inexpensive and widely available on this side of the pond at all hardware stores.

The price of 80 pounds seems high but I am not up to date on the exchange rate. Bottom line, I suggest you walk on by, as the song goes. :stop:


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## tprofera (Jun 29, 2008)

Lots of good info here.


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## oldbilbo (Nov 10, 2008)

I've just acquired a new Trend hinge jig H/JIG/A for about 40% of retail, and a bag of mixed Trend router cutters for £3 each - which is better than 25% of normal retail -in one of the B&Q superstores near Bristol, UK. Good VFM, IMHO.

Does anyone have any experience to share re the Hinge Jig?

#9

:thank_you2:


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## blademansw (Sep 14, 2009)

oldbilbo said:


> I've just acquired a new Trend hinge jig H/JIG/A for about 40% of retail, and a bag of mixed Trend router cutters for £3 each - which is better than 25% of normal retail -in one of the B&Q superstores near Bristol, UK. Good VFM, IMHO.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience to share re the Hinge Jig?
> 
> ...


You did well there - every time I look in the bargain bucket at B&Q in Swindon, all I can ever see is nasty tat!

I have to make my own jig for hinge routing this week - just bought some oak veneered doors from B&Q. The only thing that annoyed me about the new doors is I wanted to finish them with danish oil, but the instructions say not to use oils or waxes!

I have some nice bits of 12mm marine ply that I think will make a good basis for a jig. It would be nice to buy one but for the amount I am going to use it it seems a bit excessive and you get the satisfaction of making your own tool.


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## Woodwreck (Jun 21, 2009)

As mentioned above, check Porter Cable if their product is available in your area. I find the Trend product to be mediocre IMHO, e.g. you get what you pat for. The set screws and brackets do not hold up and the light duty extrusion lowered their manuf. cost, thus the lower sales price.


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