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The key to installing knife hinges is to be hyperaccurate in scribing a knife line outlining the mortise for the hinge.
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I place double stick tape on the hinge to stick it to the wood to minimize movement as I scribe around it.
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I've
set my square to the precise distance I want the hinge to be from the
edge. Note the slight offset on the right to provide a tiny gap
in the door on the hinge side. The gap is about the thickness of
the hinge's washer which sets the gap on the bottom and top of the door.
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With the hinge firmly stuck to the wood, I use a surgical scapel to cut a knife line outlining the hinge.
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A
trim router with a 1/8 inch straight bit is used to remove the bulk of
the waste. The depth of the bit relative to the bottom of the
router base is set to the thickness of the hinge. I do this more
by feel than by eye, placing the hinge on the bottom of the router and
adjusting the router depth until I feel the depth matches the thickness
of the hinge.
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I
used a chisel to clean the edge of the mortise to the knife line.
The hinge is placed in the mortise and a sharp awl is used to mark for
drilling pilot holes for the bradd screws. The fit is so tight
that I'm able to actually hold the door in place without the screws.
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