Milescraft 1213 Hinge Mate 300 - Complete Door Hinge Installation Kit with Latch & Strike Plate Templates. For use on Doors and Jambs

Bought this for the huge amount of templates that come with it, the price and the template router bit thats included. After reading some reviews, didn't have terribly high hopes for the product, but figured it'd be good enough for government work for a custom basement door I had to build since it was a weird size.To my surprise, this product worked great! I didn't experience any of the problems other people had, and in fact it looks like they updated the product based on complaints. They have screws included instead of nails, and the template fit in the jig very snugly. They created a beautiful finish on the door and I couldn't be happier.The included bit worked great for me, no flexing from what I can tell. It was better than I expected considering I have some bits that were more than the cost of this entire jig! The finish was good, better than whats needed considering hinges and plates are going to be covering the mortise.The only complaint is the templates are such a tight fit, they dont always fit perfectly flush and even on the jig, but if you put some downward pressure on your router, it worked fine.

Easy to use, clean, and fast with my hand router. In the past I used another jig I borrowed for 9 doors a long time ago. This time I had just one door to do but the doing it by hand with round corners is not easy so I got this jig. The templates were a decent fit for the 3 1/2" inch rounded hinges I bought. Most of all, it left a clean cut. The only down side is the template jig has to be screwed into the piece to be secured. You will have a handful of screw holes to putty and stain/paint, I highly recommend for anyone who doesn't fit doors frequently and wants a clean cut. Having used this I think that the people who had issues with it did not know how to use a router or were careless and hit the plastic frame with the router bit.

For the price this is a functional kit for routing hinges, strike plates and latch/bolt plates in standard thickness doors. It's simple to use and accurate, provided you observe some caveats:The plastic templates fit into the frame and remain there by friction fit... there are small plastic "ramps" molded into the templates that tighten the fit as you press the template into the frame.1) The frame that holds the plastic templates is made of approx. 16 ga. punched and pressed sheet metal that has been chrome plated after forming. The BIG negative in their quality control process is that they didn't dress the sharp edges after the punching process and these sharp edges cut into the "ramps", shaving them down each time you switch templates. The first thing to do when you receive your kit is to soften the inside edges with some 320 grit +/- sandpaper. This will make it easier to seat the templates as well as make them last longer.2) The holes in the frame intended for the fastening screws are just straight holes (not couter-sunk), which doesn't work well with a self-centering Vix-bit style pilot drill. I counter-sunk the holes on my frame to make using a Vix-bit practical.3) Buy a bottle of router bearing lube and keep your guide bearing lubed so that the outer race that rides against the plastic templates does not spin once in contact with the template. If you neglect this and let the bearing seize up and spins the outer race, the friction will destroy the templates. Remember to spin your bearing by hand before you route and you'll be fine.4) The plastic package that the kit comes in is claimed to be reusable, but that's only if you have a great memory and the time/patience to re-assemble the parts exactly as they came when new. Go ahead and buy a cheap (or not so cheap) plastic, mini-suitcase style case with removable bins (from HF, Stanley, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Sortimo, or Tanos) and some Kiazen foam [...] Fastcap Kaizen Foam 57mm (2-1/4") Black]] and organize the kit sanely.With the above minor mods, this kit should last a good while. Even if you do end up wearing the templates out, the price is low enough to warrant replacing the kit every few years or when needed. Compared to the price of high end professional jigs, you could buy six or eight (or more) of these kits for the price of one of their kits... and this kit is more versatile than many pro-kits. It all comes down to how often you use these in your work and if it fits your needs.

Works Great if you have any idea what you're doing.As for the 1 and 2 star reviews, clueless users.1. If your templates are red, you didn't purchase the 1213, they're black.2. If the cut out in your templates are not the stated size, that's because they're not suppose to be, the extra space is for the bearing to ride along the inside edge. The mortise will be cut out at the correct size.3. The cutting edge of the router bit should never come into contact with the template, if it shatters your template by hitting it you have no business using a router.4. The screw holes in the side of the door are no big deal, use a little wood filler. The hinged side of the door is rarely ever seen and no one will ever notice it.Use clamps on the jamb instead of the screws, no holes.5. If none of the templates fit your hinge, why would you purchase it ? The hinge sizes that it will fit are clearly stated. Or why wood you purchase it and then purchase a hinge that the templates won't fit ? This is most likely another case of someone who thinks the cut out in the template is too big, refer to #2.6. If the instructions for your templates are only correct for outswing doors, you are definitely clueless. The instructions shouldn't need to tell anyone to screw the template facing the opposite direction to install the hinge in the opposite direction. The template itself shows you which direction to place it on the door.7. If your steel frame will only adjust for doors up to 1 3/8" in thickness, what can I say, you're beyond clueless. Actually the steel frame will only adjust down to 1 3/8" in thickness, try turning the knobs in the other direction so they point at the 1 3/4" and then you can mortiss a 1 3/4" thick door.Interior doors are made 1 3/8" thick, exterior doors are made 1 3/4" thick. The frame is made to mortiss 1 3/8" and 1 3/4" doors, it isn't that difficult to figure out how to operate this thing.