blueman wrote:
I need to mortise out a door to accept a Baldwin mortise lock.
I know that the tolerances are really tight (with errors being pretty
disasterous) and that locksmiths typically use a router with a fancy
mortising jig.

However, I have not been able to find the jig in the local tool rental
shops, so I was wondering whether there are any reliable alternative
approaches or sources for a good jig?

Thanks

What is really tight is the mortise for the plate that the
plunger passes thru (the one that you see when you have
installed the mortise lock). For the interior, it is not that
critical. You can do it with a drill and a good chisel.

First lay out the two areas to be mortised. There will be one
for the plate and one for the lock (a rectangle within a
rectangle). Select the proper size drill bit and drill a
series of holes within the layout marks for the lock. Use the
chisel to clean out the rest. Then, use the chisel to mortise
for the plate.

You should drill the handle holes after doing this, and from
both sides, rather than straight through the whole door.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX