Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I ruined two slab doors before getting this mortise template, first trying to trace a hinge and chisel out the wood then trying a butt plate and chiseling out the wood. When I made the mortisses using this product on new doors (i.e., starting over), I was thrilled with how easy it was to use. Then, however, I hung the doors (two of them) and all was not great, since the doors both interfered with the jamb when closing, and it sounded/felt as if one or more of the hinges was/were getting torqued somehow. On the first door, I re-routered the top mortisse a little deeper, and that seemed to do the trick, but that did not work on the other door. Ultimately, I got the comparable Ryobi product from Home Depot, and it worked much better (i.e., it fixed the problem on the door where reroutering to a deeper depth did the trick).
I think the problem with the Milescraft product is twofold (at least). First, it uses two cam devices -- one at either end of the metal frame -- to adjust for different thickness doors, and I think there is a little bit of play in the cam devices. Second, you place the metal frame against the edge of the door to be mortissed and slide it laterally such that the cams butt up against the face of the door (either front or back), and to hold it in place, you either nail it using the pair of "pins" that are provided or, better yet, using some small wood screws (e.g., #4 or #6 by 1/2 or 3/4 inch) passing through a pair of holes in the metal frame. The problem is that with the play in the cams and the play between the edges of the holes and the pins/nails or screws you use to hold it in place, the mortisses do not necessarily come out perfectly aligned with the door, and that is part of what caused the interference between the door and the jamb. Additionally, if the insert that gets put into the frame to guide the router -- there are several available in the kit to make mortisses for a number of diffferent hinge length/corner radius combinations -- does not remain squarely inserted into the frame, the depth of the mortisse can vary from one mortisse to another, further throwing things "out of whack."
In contrast, the Ryobi product uses a screw-down clamp pad that extends along the length of the device and that bears against the face (front or back) of the door uniformly to secure the device in place. That makes it far, far easier and quicker to move the template from one mortisse to the next, and it keeps the device properly alinged (which the Milescraft cams/pins don't seem to do). Rather than inserts, it has a slide member at one end of the cutout to adjust for different length hinges, and to accommodate different corner radii, there are two little inserts that can be flipped around to yield either 1/4 or 5/8 inch radius cuts. Thus, there is no risk of depth variation from cut to cut due to template not staying flush with frame. Further still, it has a pair of "wells" formed in the side of the frame that you can use to set the router bit depth to make cuts for relatively thin hinges or relatively thick hinges, although the instructions leave a little to be desired in regard to how thick thin hinges are and how thick thick hinges are.
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Increase security and privacy in your home by replacing interior and exterior doors without damaging the jamb or door frame with the Entry and Interior Door Mortise Kits from Milescraft.Each kit features an easy to use drop-in template design. Sturdy steel frame adjusts from 1-3/8" to 1-3/4" doors and jambs. Centered tabs on each template ensure complete accuracy.Includes a durable carbide tipped 1/2" router bit with ball bearing eliminating the need for guide bushings.Includes easy measure guide to simplify standard industry placement of your door hardware.Hinge Mortise Kit includes templates for 2-1/2", 3", 3-1/2", 4" and 4-1/2" hinges
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