fine tuning splne thickness

[tom coleman]

I made some cab doors with miterered corners today and reinforced corners w splines roughly 1/8 thick to match my 10" blade kerf.

Cut a sample, tapped the fence and cut another sample, got closer tapped the fence and cut another sample. I got pretty close but wish I could have cut off another 1/64th or whatever. Is there a better way to cut splines that really fit a narrow groove?

I do not have thickness planer or bandsaw. Maybe I should buy a sanding disk for table saw? Any suggestions appreciated.

Next week I'll try miterered keys for reinforcing corners. That should be interesting,

Getting there one step at a time and it's a long journey.

[Jamie Buxton]

You might consider an aftermarket fence with a micro-adjuster. It is essentially a screw which can drive the fence left or right in a very controlled way. They typically can drive only a short distance, but that's exactly what you need. I think HTC and Vega hve a micro-adjuster fences, and others do too.

You can also make your own for considerably less. I added a microadjuster to my bandsaw fence. The screw to drive it was from Kreg. (http://www.kregtool.com/products/ka/product.php?PRODUCT_ID=52), and the rest of the jig was from me.

[sean m. titmas]

rip your spline stock a bit over sized (thickness) and set up a shooting board with two runners on either side of the spline. the runners are there to support your jack plane as you sneak up on the desired thickness of the spline.

[Narayan Nayar]

I don't know how big your splines are (area), but a handplane would make quick work of this. You say you don't have a planer or bandsaw--maybe you have a handplane?

Barring that, I'd say lap your splines on a piece of sandpaper affixed to a flat surface. 1/64 would go pretty quickly, and you could sneak up on the fit much better by hand than on a disc sander.

[Bill Huber]

I have not made a lot of them but the ones I have I use the Rockler guide and it work well.

I did make them just a little over sized and just use a block with sand paper on it to fit them.

122079

[Larry Fox]

Cut them a smidge oversized and either lap them on sandpaper as another poster suggested. If they are only very slightly oversized, give them a whack or so with a hammer and they should go in fine. Works great for boxes.

[Joe Scharle]

I've used this jig for years, on different saws, to rip off molding and rip splines down to 1/16". The thin pusher foot is replaceable and sacrificial. I've ripped 8 foot long basket ribbons and 4" wide shop made molding. Blade guard removed for pic.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/1419/Spline_Jig_8_.JPG

[Peter Quinn]

I use a block plane and a small bench hook for that sort of thing. Unless I need a lot of it, then its through the drum sander.

[Larry Edgerton]

If you are ripping your splines as some of the pictures show they are close to useless.

For a spline to be of any value as far as joint strength the grain of the spline needs to cross the joint. There is little if any strength across the grain. To show what I mean make a two inch square 1/8" thick and try to break it both ways, with the grain and across the grain.

When I use splines I cut the wood first on an angle so that the grain will be running at least at a 22 degree angle across the joint. This will give your joint much more strength.

[Chris Friesen]

If you are ripping your splines as some of the pictures show they are close to useless.

For a spline to be of any value as far as joint strength the grain of the spline needs to cross the joint.

The OP indicated that the splines are for mitered corners, which automatically gives you a 45 degree angle of spline to workpiece.

In any case, I'm not sure I agree with the common theory that splines should be cross-grain. Imagine an edge-to-edge joint, like for a panel glue-up. If you use a tightly-fitted wooden spline, after glue-up you basically have a bunch of wood fibers all going in the same direction all throughout the piece. Since glue is as strong as wood, this won't be any weaker than a single board would have been--basically the spline helps with alignment but doesn't make the joint stronger or weaker.

[Larry Edgerton]

The OP indicated that the splines are for mitered corners, which automatically gives you a 45 degree angle of spline to workpiece.

In any case, I'm not sure I agree with the common theory that splines should be cross-grain. Imagine an edge-to-edge joint, like for a panel glue-up. If you use a tightly-fitted wooden spline, after glue-up you basically have a bunch of wood fibers all going in the same direction all throughout the piece. Since glue is as strong as wood, this won't be any weaker than a single board would have been--basically the spline helps with alignment but doesn't make the joint stronger or weaker.

You are wrong. The grain of the spline would be running exactly with the joint, and that is what makes it weak. Go back to my 2x2x1/8 inch experiment.

You are wrong on your second point as well as glue has almost no strength on end grain, which is what a miter joint is. A spline with the grain aligned with the joint adds no strength because the spline can be snapped along the grain very easily. Make the spline out of alignment with the joint and you now have to snap the wood fibers, not just split them. The resulting joint will be much stronger.

I suggest that you try some actual joints and test their breaking points. Its not a theory, its a fact.

[Chip Lindley]

The very reason *biscuits* are stamped out at a 45 deg. angle to the grain. Long-grain splines are fine for mitered corners, but never for joining boards to make a panel. In that case I use hardboard (Masonite) splines which have no grain.

My method of making tight-fitting spline material is to rip a bit oversize, then run through the TS with a tapered sanding disc. Works like a charm! I got mine from Sears in the '80s, but Woodworkers Supply still carries same:
http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/fullpres.exe?PARTNUM=95-430&search=Sanding%20Disc&smode=&showsingle=