How To Cut A Door For A Mortise Lock

Use a bevel edge chisel and hammer to square the corners of the mortise if the faceplate has square corners.

How to cut a door for a mortise lock.

You can also cut through a lock with an angle grinder. The result will be to remove these cuts. A mortise lock in a very strong special locking system fitted to the inside of a door. Tap the chisel at sharp angle to cut through the base of the chisel cuts.

Using a router attachment remove the wood between the pencil lines drawn on the door edge to create a mortise for the faceplate. To use a mortise lock your door must be thick enough to accommodate it. In the early days the pocket was cut out using a brace and bit. Fit the latch and faceplate into the door.

The minimum door width is 45mm or 1 75 inches. Tap the chisel with a hammer to make a 1 8 inch deep cut again match the hinge leaf thickness. The brace is a u shaped steel hand tool that has a wood cap on one end and a bit chuck on the other. Hold the chisel vertically about 1 8 inch away from one end of the mortise outline inside the waste area.

Move the chisel as needed to cut along the full width of the mortise. Use a bevel edge chisel and hammer to square the corners of the mortise if the faceplate has square corners. Starting at the top of the faceplate outline make a series of closely spaced chisel cuts about 1 8 inch deep inside the marks. Cut through the base of the cuts to empty the mortise of excess wood.

Then create angled cuts across the grain of the mortise spot by tapping the back of the chisel with your hammer or mallet. Remove the waste wood with the chisel bevel side down held nearly parallel to the jamb. Create a series of angled chisel cuts between the outlines. Hold the lock at an angle as you cut through it which will make the cutting process easier.

To cut a lock all you need is a pair of bolt cutters. Clean out the mortise until its bottom is smooth and flat and at a depth exactly equal to the thickness of the strike plate. Angle your chisel so it sits at about 45 degrees making sure the beveled side faces up. Here are six things you need to know about mortise locks for residential door security.

Fit the latch and faceplate into the door. Using a router attachment remove the wood between the pencil lines drawn on the door edge to create a mortise for the faceplate. Make sure to put on gloves and a face shield first since grinders can produce sparks.