Figure 10. The new threshold has support ribs on the bottom that had to be removed to fit over the mounting bracket. The author used a flap disc on an angle head grinder to remove the ribs. hinge is usually the only hinge that needs to be adjusted. I have adjusted the mid- dle hinge, but the bottom hinge should normally never be adjusted. The way it works for commercial or larger hinges is to place the tool over the hinge with the door closed, then open the door gently until it binds and move it about another inch or two more. It is always better to start with a little movement and then test. This bends the hinge knuckle back closed. If it needs more, you can place the tool back on and bend it a little more. Use care to not over bend, but if you do, sim- ply place a ⅛" hex key between the door and frame and close the door to bend it back open. On hollow metal doors and frames, this must be done gently to avoid damaging the hinge reinforcement (the steel plate that’s welded inside the door and/or frame). Hinge bending tools are not the an- swer in many cases. Oſten, the hinges are worn out and need to be replaced. Most commercial hinges are standard weight and 4½" x 4½" size. Hinges are available in plain bearing (meaning just the hinge metal), and for only a little bit more money you can supply ball-bearing hinges. If the door has a door closer, the hinges should WWW.ALOA.ORG Figure 11. The doorstop had to be cut away to allow room for the new threshold. always have ball bearings. If it is an out- swing door, the hinges should have fixed pins or NRP, meaning non-rising or non- removable pins. Oſten, this is a set screw that goes into a groove on the hinge pin. Because of limited space in my service ve- hicle, I only carry ball-bearing NRP 4½" x 4 ½" hinges since they work in most cases. A Not-So-Simple Job We had a job a while back that came in as the door not latching correctly, and it involved a little more than just hinge ad- justment or replacement. The doors had been dragging for so long that the bottom bolts wore grooves in the aluminum thresholds. Thresh- olds (in most cases) are not difficult to replace. They need to be cut accurately and perhaps need some modifications, depending on the model. I will admit that I guessed wrong on the threshold. The size was the same, but the original threshold didn’t have any support ribs. This meant there was a little extra work to modify the underside. Once the job was complete with new hinges, we noticed the frame had shiſted a little from plumb and square. We adjusted or tightened the glass door jack screw a little, but I’m always afraid to tighten it too much, as this can break the glass. To correct this, the entire storefront would need to be disassembled and reinstalled or replaced. Working on locks makes us money, but if you aren’t working on the entire open- ing, you are leaving money on the table. We already have a relationship with the customer who just needs it fixed. Most of you already work on door closers in addition to the locks, so adding hinges, pivots, thresholds, door sweeps and other builder’s hardware just makes sense to add to your bottom line. Greg Perry, CML, CPS, is a certified master locksmith and certified professional safe technician, working in all phases of locksmithing. He has taught various lock- smith topics for 10 years. He currently works in the public sector as a locksmith. He has worked in the hardware industry since 1975 in wholesale, retail and institutional settings. He has written extensively for locksmith maga- zines and is a five-time Keynotes Author of the Year. Any opinions expressed by Greg in his articles are his alone and do not reflect any official government position. MAY 2020 KEYNOTES 35
