Immortan D Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Can I cut the slots for the splines before gluing the joints? Was thinking about something like this: I don't currently own a table saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Ehhh unless your bandsaw is tuned up absolutely dead nuts perfect that's gonna be pretty tough. And even if it is, you'll have to clean up all the cuts with a chisel most likely. Do you own a router? I would cut them with a router using a shop built jig: I built one of these once and it took all of a half hour. That picture is for dovetail keys but it's the same concept. I used a standard 1/2" bushing with a 1/8" router bit. The key is light passes - that bit will break very easily. I've also seen (online) people use a biscuit cutter with a jig to do the slots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Here's another version of the same jig: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted March 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Thanks, bgreenb. I do have a router, but I'd like to use my bandsaw, even if some extra steps are required. The reason? I live in an apartment and my bandsaw is so quiet. I only use my routers when I have no other choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Ha, fair enough. Then what I would probably do is mark out for the splines with a marking knife to ensure uniformity, waste out the middle with the bandsaw, then chop to the line with a chisel. You'll need a pretty small chisel though to get the ends (unless you're using large splines). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missioninwood Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Why not just use a hand saw? miw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted March 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Why not just use a hand saw? miw That's the way I've been doing it so far. I'm willing to try something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Try it on some scrap or, the cheapest boards at the HD probably pine then you'll know if it's a good idea or not. That's how I would approach it ask 10 guys what they think you'll get 10 different answers get your feet wet win or lose you'll learn something. P.S. let us know how you came out 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 You're right, higtron. I'm wasting other people's time with threads like this one. It won't happen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 I hope it does happen again. I like seeing jigs others have built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 I never said you were wasting anyone's time I was just saying give it a shot what the hell You learn as much in failure as you learn with success, ask all the questions you want, at some point you just have to make some saw dust. Your jig looked like it was well thought out and would give you as good a chance as any making spline joints on the band saw, I would build the box and glue the miters then do the spline-ing operation but that's just me. Good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 You're right, higtron. I'm wasting other people's time with threads like this one. It won't happen again. Dude, it's threads like this that give others new ideas. Keep posting and asking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 OK, guys. Thank you. I will try this eventually and come back with the results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Certainly it can be done, but it's not ideal. First and biggest problem...it's way, way better to cut the spline slots after the box (or whatever) is already assembled...getting the pre-cut slots to line up perfectly will be a nightmare...dare I say, impossible. Second, the kerf that a bandsaw blade will leave will be so thin that the spline won't add much strength. Some, yes. But not as much as the full 1/8" that a table saw blade kerf will leave, and especially not as much as Brian's dovetail keys with the router. Finally, the bandsaw blade will leave a rough(er) cut. Unless you're using softer wood and your splines are super-duper tight, I envision a bit of gappiness in the final product. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Yes, alignement will be a PITA. One solutioni I was thinking about is cutting two boards in a single pass, with the second board on top of the first, the mitter cut facing up.The boards will have to be perfectly aligned and clamped together before setting them on the sled. Since both matching boards are being cut at the same time, I can make two or even more cuts per slot, thus getting a wider slot. Sanding the inside of the slots to their final width will be done once the box is assembled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Yes, alignement will be a PITA. One solutioni I was thinking about is cutting two boards in a single pass, with the second board on top of the first, the mitter cut facing up.The boards will have to be perfectly aligned and clamped together before setting them on the sled. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you mean, that won't work. The second board will have it's mitered face going perfectly vertically (since both mitered faces will form a 90* when positioned "back to back") so you will end up cutting directly into the inside of your second board. Here's a (horrible) drawing to show what I mean: You would need a different (and more complicated) jig to cut them both at once. Like Eric said, splines are much more easily cut after you've already glued up the box/frame. I understand your concern about noise, but it's only a few quick cuts with the router, and you could always head outside to do the cuts (my shop is unheated and uninsulated, typically in the high 30's in the winter, so it might as well be outside). Edit: I suppose it's possible that you meant for "board 2" in my drawing above to be positioned the other way, with the end of its own miter lined up with the end of the miter on board 1. Then I suppose it's possible to get the cut right, but it really seems like a PITA setup. I think by the time you get this setup locked in and done for all four boards, then get the boards cleaned up to the point where the joints are acceptable, you could've already finished it with the router and had time for a sandwich and a few beers to spare. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 One more suggestion - do you have a biscuit joiner? If so, this is a pretty cool setup that could be cobbled together in 20 minutes or so: https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/plans-projects/biscuit-joiner-spline-jig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 bgreenb! Indeed! That won't work! Even a horrible picture is better than a thousand words Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 One more suggestion - do you have a biscuit joiner? If so, this is a pretty cool setup that could be cobbled together in 20 minutes or so: https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/plans-projects/biscuit-joiner-spline-jig Nope. But that link makes me want one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missioninwood Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Not wasting anyone's time. This is what the forums are all about. Not sure how I feel about the biscuit joiner jig. Depends on how clean the cut is. I guess we need to come up with something to do with that outmoded tool. miw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Not sure how I feel about the biscuit joiner jig. Depends on how clean the cut is. I guess we need to come up with something to do with that outmoded tool. miw Believe me, the biscuit joiner would be among my last choices for this job, just trying to think outside the box if the OP has limited tooling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Edit: I suppose it's possible that you meant for "board 2" in my drawing above to be positioned the other way, with the end of its own miter lined up with the end of the miter on board 1. Then I suppose it's possible to get the cut right, but it really seems like a PITA setup. I think by the time you get this setup locked in and done for all four boards, then get the boards cleaned up to the point where the joints are acceptable, you could've already finished it with the router and had time for a sandwich and a few beers to spare. I've just seen this. Board 2 placement is correct in your drawing, but it has to be shifted up, by means of a spacer, in order to vertically align the right starting point of the miters before clamping the boards together. A real PITA. I don't think I'm going to even attempt to do this. Fortunately I DO own a brad nailer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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