bryan wrote:

I'm adding new trim to all the doors in my house. The material is
flat
1x4 MDF. Since the trim is flat, I thought it would look cleaner
with
no reveal. But that means I need to cut back the trim around the
hinges.

I'm wondering about a couple of things the collective experience may
know.


a.) How important is the reveal? Is my clean approach stupid for
some
reason other than the fact that you need to cut around the hinges.

b.) What is the best tool to get the cleanest cut out for the hinge.

I don't think your approach is "clean". Are you planning on using a
cove bit to follow the hinge barrel radius? Are your casings and other
trim totally featureless? Do you like the squeaking sound that a
closely conforming "clean" cut will make as the wood rubs on the metal?
The gaps that you'll have to build in to keep the hinge from rubbing
will be far more objectionable than a uniform reveal.

If you go ahead with the cut to fit plan, how are you going to remove
the hinge pins when you want to take off the door? Hint - not. You're
now in for removing the screws which is much more of a pain in the ass.

The reveal adds detail (in architectural woodworking, you pay for
shadow lines - they add visual depth) and makes it _much_ easier to fit
the casing.

R