Fluting Jig

[Steve Southwood]

I am in need of a fluting jig. Looking to purchase, as I will be needed it by the end of the week. Prices have made me rethink.

Does any one have a good set of plans for one they have made? It can't be that hard to build one.

[Barry Vabeach]

Steve, if you are fluting a flat board ( as aopposed to a cylinder 0 I have done it using a handheld router and a straight edge guide and stop blocks clamped to either edge. I you reference off one side of the board then the other, then adjust the edge guide, then repeat, the flutes will be evenly spaced from the outside of the board. The trickiest part, assuming you want and odd number of flutes, is routing the middle flute, though when its done, I doubt you would notice if it is slightly off. The other method is to use a router table - I find that goes much quicker, though since the boards I have done are longer then the fence, I can't use stops but instead make a mark on the fence where the bit is and try to eyeball the start and stop.

[Steve Southwood]

Barry, I should have mentioned this was for flat work. Thanks for bringing up the edge guide. Don't know why I didn't think of using that. Amazing how sometimes we think we need to purchase something, when we already own the tool we need.

[Doug Shepard]

Everything Barry said plus I think it's real notivable if you dont make the spacing between the flutes identical. Having a thin or wide section (within reason) at the outside edges is much less noticable IMHO.

[Rob Cunningham]

I built one similar to this and it works well. Not that difficult or time consuming to build.
http://www.kerryfullington.com/fjig/

[Paul Greathouse]

Thats a great jig Rob, Thanks for posting the link. Sometimes, its amazing what can be done with simple power tools. I'll bet some of your customers ask what kind of fancy machine you have for creating such nice moulding.

[Larry Edgerton]

I use my edge guide with the micrometer dohickey, forget the name brand, and then I make a set of blocks that I add to the fence so that I do not have to change settings. That way I have repeatability by noting my base setting and I keep my block sequence until the job is completed.

[Jamie Buxton]

The pics in Rob's link show a result that is not to my taste. When you plunge a bit into the stock, you get an abrupt end to the fluting. I've built a jig in which the router travels down a ramp on to the stock, and up another ramp at the other end. The fluting feathers from full-depth to no-depth, which I like a lot better.

Besides looking better (IMHO), there are other benefits. First, you can sand the bottom of the fluting all the way to the end. Second, a plunge bit in cherry oftens burns, and this procedure avoids that.

One other opinion.. I do fluting with a round-nose bit, not a straight bit. It looks better to me.

[Steve Southwood]

Good replys.

I am going to make some sort of ramp for the ends, so I get that teardrop look. Not sure how or what yet, but the idea is there.

[Rob Cunningham]

The pics in Rob's link show a result that is not to my taste. When you plunge a bit into the stock, you get an abrupt end to the fluting. I've built a jig in which the router travels down a ramp on to the stock, and up another ramp at the other end. The fluting feathers from full-depth to no-depth, which I like a lot better.

Besides looking better (IMHO), there are other benefits. First, you can sand the bottom of the fluting all the way to the end. Second, a plunge bit in cherry oftens burns, and this procedure avoids that.

One other opinion.. I do fluting with a round-nose bit, not a straight bit. It looks better to me.

I like the feathered look also but never built a ramp for my jig. Would like to see some pics of your jig when you get a chance. I use a round nose bit so the flute is not quite as abrupt ending as with a straight bit.

[Brad Townsend]

The last time I did flutes, I did them on the router table. It was in flat boards with an odd number and the flutes evenly spaced and centered on the board. Get the first one centered, then move the fence and do the two on either side, then move the fence for the next two, etc. Reference marks on the fence are used to determine the ends of the flutes.

[Jamie Buxton]

I like the feathered look also but never built a ramp for my jig. Would like to see some pics of your jig when you get a chance. I use a round nose bit so the flute is not quite as abrupt ending as with a straight bit.

No pics -- it was just one of those things I figured out, made, and pitched at the end of the project. But here's a drawing. The workpiece is the light brown. The "jig" is the two dark brown pieces. They just clamp to the workpiece. The router has an edge guide, which runs against the jig. The router base rests on the workpiece in the middle of the workpiece, but the ramps slide it off the workpiece near the ends. If the workpiece is wide, you may need to fasten a wider plate underneath the router to span the two jig pieces.

BTW, there are large-radius router bits which are very useful for this sort of work: http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bit_molding2.html

[Don Brillhart]

Steve: Rockler has just come out with a fluting jig that looks good to me. Check www.rockler.com. I received an internet notice for it and ordered it last Friday. They are giving a $15 rebate on all orders over $50 through Wednesday, Aug 12, so the jig cost me around $50 and saved a lot of hassle.
Don Brillhart

[Rick Gooden]

Another lower cost option: http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/400-1299

[Paul Atkins]

I've used the tablesaw with a moulding head for columns and also flat stock. Here is the setup for some columns. These are beads vs. flutes, but I've done both.

[Jim Heffner]

I am in need of a fluting jig. Looking to purchase, as I will be needed it by the end of the week. Prices have made me rethink.

Does any one have a good set of plans for one they have made? It can't be that hard to build one.
Steve, I made one and didn't really like it as well as the edge guide that I bought for it. The factory made edge guide even has a micro adjust feature
that is far superior to a homemade version and makes it worth the money.
I have a Dewalt 616, the edge guide isn't very expensive and I would not even attempt to make another one...not worth the trouble. My .02 worth here....

[Steve Southwood]

Thanks for the info guys. I have it just about worked out in my head.