I recently had to make two 24-in. long splined 45¡ miter joints to join a coffee-table top to its sides. Since the tabletop was too large for me to use my table saw, I devised a way to cut miters and spline grooves with my router and a simple homemade jig.

To make the jig, select a 2×4 slightly longer than the required joint and, using a carbide-tipped blade for smoothness, rip the board at 45¡. Glue and screw the smaller piece to the main piece to extend the face of the jig, as shown in the sketch. Rip a 1/4-in. groove a little less than 3 in. from the pointed edge of the jig and install a spline in the groove. The spline serves as a straight-edged guide for the router’s base.

To use the jig, rough-cut the workpiece at 45¡, leaving it about 1/8 in. long. Position the jig exactly on the cut line and clamp in place. Chuck a double-fluted carbide straight bit in your router and feed the router along the jig slowly and carefully. The ends are especially delicate. After the mitering cut is complete, leave the jig in position, chuck a slot cutter in the router and rout the spline slot. For a blind spline just stop the cutter an inch or so from the end. Repeat the process on the

Paul Darnell, Phoenix, Ariz.

Fine Woodworking Magazine, April 1982 No. 33

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