I installed my first set of hinges this past weekend. It went smoother than expected, but with more experience the process will hopefully be faster and the hinges will be even better aligned.

After an unsuccessful search for a 1/16″ drill bit, I remembered that I had a small collection of Yankee drill/drivers, and one in particular had in its handle a full set of bits in very fine increments. I discovered that the bits were covered with some loose bits of rust that came off quite easily.

I drilled a few test holes by pumping the handle ten times to full depth. The drill works fast, fairly clean, and offers an excellent line of sight when positioning and starting the bit. The bits do wander to the right slightly as they start turning, so I had to compensate.

These test holes in some scrap confirmed that I had to be very careful with these soft, brass screws. The 1/16″ bit was too tight, even with some wax (note the broken heads), so I opted to use what must be a 3/32″ bit which worked out perfectly.

Here are the progress pics:

Paul probably has some techniques for installing hinges that may make me regret jumping ahead before his episode arrives, but this installation came out pretty well for a first attempt.