How can I make these splines?

[Robert Lavigne]

Hi there. I'm new to the forums and hope this is in the correct location.

I am making a box for my wife's calligraphy stuff for her birthday and am attempting to do something like the included picture. I know how to make a simple mitered spline joint but I am unsure of how to go about making ones like those in this picture. Specifically how can I make the vertical maple pieces that join the two splines in each of the spline pairs. I would greatly appreciate any ideas on how to do it, or direction to any tutorials/videos of someone making something similar. Thanks for your time and assistance!



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[Jay Jolliffe]

My take on it is it's actually two splines....You do the larger one first with one wood & then do a second one a little smaller with another wood. You can do it on a table saw or use a router.....Rockler sells a jig to do it with. That showes a dovetail bit. You could use a straight bit instead.


http://assets.rockler.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/65x65/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/5/5/55153-02-1000.jpg (http://assets.rockler.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/720x720/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/5/5/55153-02-1000.jpg)

[Robert Lavigne]

Ahhh That's brilliant!!! I don't know how I didn't see that before. I'll do it up on the table saw as I already have a spline jig built. Thank you so much!!!

[glenn bradley]

Ding, ding, ding! Jay's a winner!

[Kent A Bathurst]

or, make a spline jig out of ply scraps and do it on your ts...for about $50 less......

[Peter Quinn]

I'm seeing a piece of the main species being wrapped on three sides with the contrasting species, the total thickness of this sandwich being equal to the splines thickness. You glue a contrasting band on the back of the spline material, then glue a piece on each face. Flush all that up....cut little triangles, glue then into the spline slots....Bob's your uncle. Seems easier than running in three separate splines for each spline key, and you need the veneer on the back or the center part to create the pencil line around the whole spline. Here's a quick sketch of what I'm seeing. When you flush trim the key and level it leaves a pencil outline of the contrasting species.

[Edward Oleen]

HUH?????? You make a wide spline to fit into a wide spline slot, and glue it in. When it has set up, you cut narrower spline slots centered on the wide spline slots, and insert the contrasting material. You could do this more times, getting smaller each time. It gets ridiculous, of course, but it could be done...

[Peter Quinn]

HUH?????? You make a wide spline to fit into a wide spline slot, and glue it in. When it has set up, you cut narrower spline slots centered on the wide spline slots, and insert the contrasting material. You could do this more times, getting smaller each time. It gets ridiculous, of course, but it could be done...

So how do you cut the slots for the vertical banding around then main spline slot? In the photo the contrast pencil line wraps COMPLETELY around the center spline key. That has to go in first,, and it has to go in behind the main spline. This is not nearly as complicated as aligning 27 individual kerfs 2/3's of which are less than 1/16" perfectly. You make the spline keys a build up like a decorative inlay or guitar perfling, you make a single matching slot with a dado on table saw or router.

[Robert Lavigne]

Thanks for all the replies!!

One more question for you guys, Does anyone know what that profile on the lid is? It looks to me to be done like a raised panel cabinet door but after searching through Google images I can't find a router bit that seems to match this profile. The dimensions of the box are 32cm x 12cm x 7.5cm to help give some scale to the image. Thanks.

[Robert Lavigne]

So how do you cut the slots for the vertical banding around then main spline slot? In the photo the contrast pencil line wraps COMPLETELY around the center spline key. That has to go in first,, and it has to go in behind the main spline. This is not nearly as complicated as aligning 27 individual kerfs 2/3's of which are less than 1/16" perfectly. You make the spline keys a build up like a decorative inlay or guitar perfling, you make a single matching slot with a dado on table saw or router.

I think your missing the technique that is being described. I did the joint in CAD and took some screenshots that may explain it better.

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Start with a mitre joint

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Cut/route a slot through the corner

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Insert a contrasting spline

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Cut a slot through the center of the previous spline that is shallower than that spline.

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Insert a second spline of the original wood (or a different colored wood if you want.)

[Brian Tymchak]

Thanks for all the replies!!

One more question for you guys, Does anyone know what that profile on the lid is? It looks to me to be done like a raised panel cabinet door but after searching through Google images I can't find a router bit that seems to match this profile. The dimensions of the box are 32cm x 12cm x 7.5cm to help give some scale to the image. Thanks.

That's a pretty nice box. Good project.

That raised panel could be done on a table saw. Set the blade to the desired angle, make a cut part way through leaving the desired thickness to match the groove in the frame. Reset blade to 90 at a height that just removes the waste and make that cut using a tall fence to steady the panel.

Please post pictures when you've completed it!

[Garrett Ellis]

I think your missing the technique that is being described. I did the joint in CAD and took some screenshots that may explain it better.

I think Peter's point is that it is very unlikely to cut a spline within a spline as described, perfectly centered and at the perfect depth, to have a consistent contrasting band around each spline. You will have to set up your spline jig 12 times for the wide splines, and then another 12 times for the narrower/shallower splines.

If you create your keys as a build up of 2 contrasting materials as shown in Peter's .pdf, you only have to cut each slot once and location isn't as important. Only width and depth are important, and even then, you can purposely make your spline big and plane it flush on both faces.

[Peter Quinn]

I think your missing the technique that is being described. I did the joint in CAD and took some screenshots that may explain it better.

316590
Start with a mitre joint

316591

Cut/route a slot through the corner

316594
Insert a contrasting spline

316592
Cut a slot through the center of the previous spline that is shallower than that spline.

316593
Insert a second spline of the original wood (or a different colored wood if you want.)

that makes more sense, but I'm still not taking my chances that all those double splines get perfectly aligned. Way easier to handle this with composite splines than multiple cuts.

[Brett Luna]

that makes more sense, but I'm still not taking my chances that all those double splines get perfectly aligned. Way easier to handle this with composite splines than multiple cuts.

Agreed. I also think that cutting a spline within a spline would be really fussy. Just remember that since it will be cut at a 45° angle, the vertical border's thickness needs to be 70.7% of the top and bottom borders in order for all to appear equal. Example:

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I'd probably make all of the borders the same thickness, build up an extra long piece of spline stock, cut one end at 45°, and plane the vertical border until they all looked equal on the cut face.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I think Peter's point is that it is very unlikely to cut a spline within a spline as described, perfectly centered and at the perfect depth, to have a consistent contrasting band around each spline. You will have to set up your spline jig 12 times for the wide splines, and then another 12 times for the narrower/shallower splines.

I think you might be overdriving your headlights a bit, Garrett....really much simpler than your scenario lays out.

The scheme is correct - put in big splines, then cut them for contrasting inner splines.

You only need to set it up twice in total - assuming the two splines are equidistant from the edges of the boards [or, "mirrored" about the centerline of the box sides]

First - make a spline jig along these lines - - there are hundreds of variations - I grabbed a quick photo as an example. Mine is similar, but I have an inside plate or endwall that runs along the rip fence [gives me a place to use clamps for vertical hold] plus mine is made out of ply not mdf. I only used dowels for construction, because I was convinced that no matter where I used screws, I would eventually find them with my saw blade.

Set it up for the larger spline, cut them all, reverse the box frame in the jig, cut the mating slots.

Glue the outer spline material in place, and trim it flush.

Set up and run the inner splines the same way.

I don't see what the big deal is here - maybe I'm missing something? I would have no problem setting up the inner spline location to within less than 1/64th of exact.........




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[glenn bradley]

I agree that the alignment is not a big deal as long as you have a consistent reference surface.

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These little carriers for the tablesaw used with a flat top grind blade work very well. Spacers can be used to create the extra width of the initial slot and the narrow secondary slot.

We all tend to approach things based on our experience and out successes. Creating the stock in advance can certainly be done. I just think it is overly involved for the desired outcome. Now, if you are going to make a dozen of these, I might change my approach.

[Dave Zellers]

No one has mentioned that the lid handle matches the splines on this box. (minus the back band)

I think the splines were fabricated in advance and only one cut was made.

As Peter said.