Replies

1. 
   johnhardy | Nov 26, 2005 10:35pm | #1

   As i read this, you're doubling some 2" thick oak to make the piece that will be cut for the front mantel and the two side shelves. This will be one logical piece which wraps around the chimney. Correct?

   If so, it sounds like you want to put a bowtie into the 4" thick piece (verticall part when installed) at the 45 degree miter. This is really a spline joint with angled sides. I would make this cut in two ways, depending on how deep I wanted to make the "bowtie". A dovetail bit does not cut very deep, but if the router bit is deep enough, I'd use that. To do this, I'd make a sled for the router table so that I could make the glueup first and then run each of the two mitered corners through the bit. The sled would hold the glueup so that the wide portion (horizontal part of the mantel when installed) is perpendicular to the router table and so that the mitered corner is raised up 45 degrees (the cut for the miter will be perpendicular to the table). Make the sled with a fairly high back side so the mantel can be clamped securely. Since the glueup is 4 inches thick, the bowtie, to me, should be fairly wide as well. This will mean multiple passed on the router table. (Note that it may be easier to do this by using the saw to take out lots of the waste prior to routing.)

   If you want the bowtie to be deeper than the router bit, use the saw. Make the same type of sled. Use the saw blade (or a dado) to cut most of the opening. Tilt the blade and cut one side, making sure that the blade does not cut deeper than the prior cuts. The corner of the bowtie won't be correct, but you can clear that out with a chisel. Turn the piece in the sled and use the same saw setting to cut the other side.

   If you use the saw method, the saw blade is now set at the correct angle to cut a piece which is a spline with angled sides. You'll have to experiment with how wide to make the "bowtie".

   John

1. 
   dplober | Nov 27, 2005 03:49am | #2

   John

   Thanks for the come back,I had a thought as like you, but needed some confirmation on the mechanics.  I had read some where that the spline should be half the thickness of one board or in my case one inch wide and one inch thick. I am locating a one inch dove tail and will try it on some scraps to see how this works out. Your  first question was correct on the mantel configuration, thanks again  Dan