How To Mortise A Door Hinge With A Chisel

To cut hinge mortises on a door.

How to mortise a door hinge with a chisel.

Score around the outline of the hinge with a utility knife. Then gently tap the back end of the chisel with a hammer or mallet pushing it into the door. Chisel out the waste. Cut lines in the mortise.

3 on the door and 3 on the door jamb. Place each door hinge on the door edge that will fit against the door jamb when the door is closed. With a pencil draw a line on the door following the edge of the hinge. Place the hinge inside the mortise.

A series of shallow cuts is the key to a precise mortise. How to cut mortises for door hinges. The mortise depth is equal to the thickness of the hinge leaf so as a guide put a piece of tape on the chisel at the thickness of the hinge. Gently tap the chisel with a hammer until the edge of the blade reaches the scored depth line.

Keep tapping until the groove is the same depth as your door hinge then repeat the process until you ve carved around the entire perimeter of the mortise spot. Remove the hinge from the door or jamb. Chisel the scored outline. Step 1 draw the mortise outline for a door with 3 hinges you ll need to chisel 6 mortises.

Position the chisel on the scored line with the chisel perpendicular to the door or jamb and the bevel side of the chisel facing. Or wider chisel at about a 45º angle chop across the grain in increments of about 1 4 in. Then cut the perimeter of the mortise by tapping the chisel to depth along the line with the flat back of the chisel facing away from the mortise. If it won t fit use the chisel to surgically cut away the high spots edges or corners that are preventing the hinge from fitting flat into the mortise.

Score around the hinge.