Replies

1. 
   GRW | Nov 30, 2006 05:05pm | #1

   Rooms,

   I have always used a butt joint. Just be carefull with the spacing. Though I think a mitered joint would be OK too.

1. 
   Rooms | Dec 01, 2006 07:32pm | #5

   Thanks, you confirmed what I thought was the case.

2. 
   joinerswork | Nov 30, 2006 05:20pm | #2

   Rooms,

   If you are making the dentil as a long strip with the blocks attached, you can arrange the spacing and the size of the blocks so that it will come out "even" for the length of the front of your cabinet.  This is perhaps best done by laying out the position of the miters on the molding first, then cutting the blocks accordingly.  You can set up a simple jig to automatically space the blocks for most of their length, then lay out and cut the last foot or so "freehand" so as to micro-adjust the spacing if need be.

   Alternatively, you can just cut the strip with its dentil blocks, and center the thing on the front of the cabinet, letting the blocks come where they will.  You can usually let the blocks come so that there is a space, or segment of a space, at each end, and space the next block around the corner so that the pattern continues all round.

   I like to end with a block right at the corner, mitered together.  This is a fussy arrangement, and delicate, but it looks good.  This corner block can be cut and applied separately, with a tiny tenon entering a mortise in the molding.

   One shop I worked in made a practice of attaching the individual blocks individually, with a dot of glue, and tiny brad in each one.  Spacing was no problem, but keeping the 1/4 x1/4 x1/2" blocks square was a pain, and the whole affair was time consuming.

   Regards,

   Ray Pine

1. 
   Rooms | Dec 01, 2006 03:30am | #3

   Ray

   Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.

1. 
   joinerswork | Dec 01, 2006 04:18pm | #4

   Rooms,

   You're welcome.  Good luck on your project.

   Ray

2. 
   Lataxe | Dec 02, 2006 02:11am | #6

   Ray,

   I like mitred dentil corners too.  I don't think it looks"bad" if the corner block shows a face that is smaller than the rest of the dentil blocks, as long as the corner blocks are the same width at both ends of the front piece and also make a square on the corners.

   If the dentil molding and the substrate it is stuck on are the same timber, with the grain running the same way, I just butt-joint the corners (no pin, dowel or other fastener although I do put glue in the mitre).  However, I cut the mitres a smidgin "sharp" so that the outer points meet tightly with a very small gap growing towards the inner corner of the joint. 

   As long as the the underside of the dentil molding does not stick out a lot, this tiny gap in the mitre remains unseen but allows the molding lengths to be cut so that the outer corners are very tightly butted and therefore neat and sharp.  In fact, some woods compress so the gap disappears altogether.  A light final sanding sees the corners as sharp as you like.

   Incidentally, the Woodrat makes fine dentil molding out of a single piece of wood.  The piece that will become the dentil is strapped to a carriage held in the woodrat's vices then advanced sideways a set distance using temporaty registration marks pencilled on the rat.  A spiral downcut straight bit of an appropriate width is pulled through the workpiece at the depth required to form the gaps between the dentil blocks.  Then the workpiece is advance one registration mark and the next cut made.

   By varying the bit diameter and the gaps of the registration marks, dentils of any size and spacing can be cut, with no complex gluing-on of each block.

   I imagine you Americans could achieve a similar effect by using a dado cutter in a TS as though you were cutting box joints, but advancing the work piece over the key 3 or 4 times between each cut, to get each dentil block.  (No dadoes allowed for we Ypeens).

   Lataxe

1. 
   joinerswork | Dec 02, 2006 06:05pm | #7

   Lataxe,

   Just so, with the tablesaw and dado cutter.  It is also easy to cut the Greek key, or Wall Of Troy mold as it is sometimes called, with  the dado set up, or with just  the sawblade, depending on scale. Cut out on wider stock, it can then be ripped off in strips, and applied.

   Ray