On Sep 6, 3:31 pm, Eli the Bearded wrote:
I've got a door with some bad cosmetic damage. This has a rather old
mortise lock in it. I'd like to fashion a backplate (you know, the
metal plate that goes behind door hardware) for this lock. As you may
know, mortise locks are all slightly different and finding something
to match yours is tricky.

I'm starting from a brass pushplate (you know, those plates on the
swinging kitchen doors in restuarants). It's maybe an eighth of an
inch thick. I'll need to put three holes in it for the lock
cylinder (one hole) and the door handle (two holes).

I've got a hole saw (you know, just liked you'd use to put holes
in a door for a lock or a doorknob) just the right size for the holes
I need to make. Is that going work well? Should I sandwich the brass
in some scrap wood?

Elijah
------
figures brass is soft enough to get away with using wood tools

A lot depends on what you have for tools. If the best you've got is a
hand drill and the hole saw, you won't have a very nice hole, it
probably will be off position in one or more dimensions and it
probably won't be a very close fit. As a means of removing material
for filing to a closer fit, it would work. Clamping between thin wood
and securing in a vise is higly recommended unless you like being
called "Stub"! A drill press would be a better idea than the hand
drill. The work could be clamped down to the table in that case.

I've got an adjustable trepanning tool made by General from the local
hardware store that I'd be more inclined to use in a drill press than
a hole saw, just because it can be adjusted to required size. I've
used it on thin aluminum with good results.

If you've got access to knockout punches of the right size, these
would make quick work of the job, you'd just have to make sure the
pilot holes are well located.

If you've got access to a lathe, screw it down to a backing plate, put
it into the lathe with your choice of fixturing, 4-jaw or faceplate,
and bore the hole(s) out. Finish will be a lot better, size will be
as good as you can make it as will hole placement.

A vertical mill and boring head should make easy work of the job.

Then there's the ever-popular, old-timey, chain-drilling procedure,
mark the hole's periphery, drill around the circle with a small bit
and knock out the slug when done. File to smooth up. It's not that
slow with a good drill press and thin stock. Good for irregular
holes, too.

Just other options.

Stan