Table apron flutes

[Phil Mueller]

Looking for tips on how to create vertical flutes or "ribs" on a table apron. The apron will be somewhere in the 3-4" wide range. Is there a jig or method anyone could suggest?
Thanks!

[Jamie Buxton]

A pic or drawing would be helpful.

[Rick Lizek]

Too vague. Size and spacing of flutes. Stopped or through? Wood? What tools do you have? Too much info is better. I know several ways but if you can't be bothered neither can I.

[Brian Tymchak]

Too vague. Size and spacing of flutes. Stopped or through? Wood? What tools do you have? Too much info is better. I know several ways but if you can't be bothered neither can I.

Ouch... that seems a little rude Rick... OP is new to the Creek. Cut a little slack..

Phil, welcome to the Creek!

As you have no doubt gleaned from the posts, we need more info to help answer your questions. As Jamie requested, if you can provide an illustration of what you are envisioning, there's a ton of experienced people here that will likely be able to offer some ideas.

[Phil Mueller]

310386My apologies for being vague. I'm still in the planning stage and considering if I have the tools and skill to do this. I am a home hobbyist. Table saw, router/router table, planer, drill press, various hand tools.
I'm planning to build the table with Cherry.
The picture is an example of what I'm considering (not the table design, just the fluted apron).

Ideally they would be stopped both top and bottom.

I've seen a number of examples with flutes that are either through at the top or bottom and with or without some sort of molding at the top or bottom to cover the through part of the flute...that is certainly an option.

I've seen fluting jigs for routing these lengthwise...not sure what methods might be used for routing these vertically. I'm happy to provide whatever info would be helpful...
Thank you.

[glenn bradley]

Too vague. Size and spacing of flutes. Stopped or through? Wood? What tools do you have? Too much info is better. I know several ways but if you can't be bothered neither can I.


Ouch... that seems a little rude Rick... OP is new to the Creek. Cut a little slack..

Phil, welcome to the Creek!

New or not, still rude. I detect a pre-coffee post ;-)

Welcome Phil. Any repetitious cut like that can be done with a jig and a key. It is hard to tell from the picture but those look like stopped grooves; that could be a little fussy. I would be tempted to do the apron in three pieces. A center piece with through grooves don on the router table with a miter gauge and a top and bottom piece laminated on after the grooves were cut. If you want the stopped groove look I would consider a template that double-stick taped to the blank but, you are still faced with how to make the template. Let's hear some more info and I'll pitch back in.

[John A langley]

I do that on a tablesaw or a router table set up like you would do a box joint if you wanted to look like the flute stop you can run them through and glue strips top and bottom.

[Jamie Buxton]

An obvious approach is to use a round-nose router bit, and plunge it to start the stopped flute. In cherry, it will almost certainly burn the wood as it plunges. Try it yourself before you invest a lot of time and energy in devising a jig. Glenn's three-piece approach would get you around this.

[Phil Mueller]

Thank you all for the great (and quick!) suggestions, and the nice welcome to the Creek. A through cut with either moulding or 3 piece glue up seems the best options for the tools I have. Admittedly. I do like to challenge myself with something new on each project (especially if it "requires" a new tool), but just can't justify a Router Boss at this time :)
Thanks again.

[Pat Barry]

Thank you all for the great (and quick!) suggestions, and the nice welcome to the Creek. A through cut with either moulding or 3 piece glue up seems the best options for the tools I have. Admittedly. I do like to challenge myself with something new on each project (especially if it "requires" a new tool), but just can't justify a Router Boss at this time :)
Thanks again.
I like this method as well, BUT, how will you keep the glue out of the ends of those flutes?

[Mel Fulks]

I see those short flutes on wide spaces as a modern thing that just doesn't look right. Pre dating "post modern" but in the
same spirit. I suggest letting the flutes go all the way through or changing the design to "reeding".

[Phil Mueller]

Hmmm...might have to use tape, or pre-finish...thanks for thinking of this.

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks Mel. Reeding could be a great look.