What is this molding pattern called?

[Erik Holmes]

Hello all. I bought an old sideboard and am going to turn it into a kitchen island. I want to match (close anyway) some of the moldings on the piece so I can dress up the back and make it look presentable. There is some standard fluted casing I can find easily enough, but does anyone know what the molding pattern pictured is called, the one that looks kind of squiggly or serpentine? Not surprisingly, Googling "squiggly molding" was not successful. Thanks for the help!

[Roy Harding]

Dentil (that is the correct spelling).

[Rod Sheridan]

It's not a dentil molding.

Dentil has blocks spaced at intervals.

Regards, Rod.

[Alan Schwabacher]

It looks like a simple version of a Greek Key molding.

[Erik Holmes]

From what I can find it does look like a variation of a Greek key molding. No luck in finding a source so far though. Any idea what online supplier has the biggest selection of moldings?

[Jerome Stanek]

That would be real easy to do with a RAS

[Erik Holmes]

Jerome, I only need about 5 feet of it, so I am considering just making it. I've never made molding, and the precision required scares me a little. This stuff is only 1 inch wide. I have a table saw, router and table, drill press and sliding compound miter saw. How would I go about making this from that tool assortment? My first thought was just using a router with a straight bit, but again getting the spacing correct and length of cuts correct seems difficult.

[Erik Holmes]

Could I just use my table saw and miter gauge to cut the little grooves, and then chisel out the back of each notch? Seems easy enough.

[Bob Vavricka]

Erik, I seen this molding made using a table saw and a key similar to making box joints. Use a dado head set to the width and depth of the slots. Set the key (spacer) at the distance between the slots. Use a board the same thickness as the width of your molding that is say 4-6 inches wide with parallel sides. Make the cuts by alternating the cuts from the top and bottom of the board with the kerf of the cut in the key to maintain the spacing. After the slots are cut you can rip pieces to the thickness of your molding. I hope this makes sense.
Bob V.

[Scott Cenicola]

I think you could do it on a table saw with a dado blade. Just use a miter gauge with support to hold the piece. Set up your fence as a stop block (using a piece of scrap that ends before the piece touches the blade). Once you figure out the spacing, just flip the piece to alternate cuts on either side. Round the corners with sandpaper or file. Probably not the most efficient way to do it, but you can use the tools you have.

[peter gagliardi]

Yes, this is a simple Greek key mold. Easiest way is to set up a dado stack, start with stock the same thickness as the whole molding, and crosscut to the depth to match. Flip flop the piece to cut the keys from each face, just as your picture, making sure to use an "indexing" finger on the crosscut fence to keep accurate spacing, then just rip off strips at the thickness necessary. Very simple.

[Erik Holmes]

I am renovating my whole kitchen, and I find I rarely do things the most efficient way. Which is why I am not a pro. :)

Thanks for the advice. It will take some tinkering but I think I can muddle my way through it. I could just buy some regular Greek key molding and no one would ever see the difference, but of course I would and it would drive me crazy.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Erik,

I actually saw some crown molding that had that exact pattern on it but the photo didn't identify what it's called. I will continue looking.

[Dave Richards]

You could use an indexing jig similar to a box joint jig and cut this on the table saw or router table with ease.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

You could use an indexing jig similar to a box joint jig and cut this on the table saw or router table with ease.

I agree with Dave. A simple box joint or finger joint jig would making it easy on a table saw. Then flip the piece over and offset by the width of the cut and continue.

[Roy Harding]

It's not a dentil molding.

Dentil has blocks spaced at intervals.

Regards, Rod.

You're right - and I agree with others that it's a greek key, or variation thereof.

Sorry for the mis-direction.