Jig for Cutting Slots in Miter Joints

[John Buzzurro]

I like to use miter keys in my box & picture frame projects. I've been using a real simple jig for cutting the slots on the table saw. Its nothing more than a 2x4 with two 45* bevel cuts in the center.

I'm looking to build a nicer jig, and was hoping some of you could share examples of what you use.

thx
John

[Bob Aliano]

Mine is a 16" plywood square with 1X2 rails at that meet at 45 degrees at the bottom center. It has a channel on the back thats rides the saw fence.

[Vaughn McMillan]

John, this is likely more complicated that you're looking for, but here's something I did about a year ago, and have used for miter key slots, as well as several other tricky cuts.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=23905

I've since changed to an Incra TS-III fence system on my TS, so the Tolpin-style auxilary fence doesn't straddle the fence anymore. Still, I can easily attach it to the t-slots in the Incra fence, and it's still plumb, and attached to the Incra, it's micro-adjustable.

That said, I've also made a simple jig similar to yours for making dovetail key slots, and there's a lot to be said for the simple jig. (Takes less room to store, for one thing.) It has a pretty tall "fence" that allows clamping the workpiece, and simply slides along the fence (on the router table end of my TS, in my case). This is a really poor Sketchup drawing I did a few months back when I was first learning to use the program. This pic is not to scale by any means, but it'll give you the general idea. I used a couple pieces of 3/4" BB ply for the base, and ply for the "fence". The handle was a piece of scrap walnut I had, and it's nicer than the Sketchup drawing would indicate. :p This sort of jig could could easily be adapted for cutting straight slots instead of dovetails. Or both, for that matter.

43886

HTH -

- Vaughn

[Mike Cutler]

John.

If you aren't commited to doing them on the tablesaw, R.J. DeCristoforo has a nice jig featured on the cover of his "the Jigs & Fixtures Bible" book (ISBN# 1-55870-563-5). He calls it "Miters with Teeth". The Jig uses a router to make the slots. It might allow you to conceal the spline in the miter joint if you wanted to.

This is a nice book to have around.

[John Buzzurro]

I decided to keep it simple, so I came up with a modified version of Vaughn's dovetail key jig. Thanks to Vaughn for sharing.

I extended the 45's of the base upward for a little more support of the workpiece. The distance from the edge of the workpiece to the slot can be adjusted by placing spacers between the support that rides along the TS fence.

I used scrap pieces of MDF.

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

http://userweb.suscom.net/~takespix/temp/slotcuttingjig.jpg

[Vaughn McMillan]

Looks like it worked out pretty slick, John. I like the taller angled pieces, and the idea of using a spacer is great. Can't beat the price either. ;)

- Vaughn