Replies

1. 
   Yersmay | Nov 30, 2007 07:37pm | #1

   I'd sure like to know more about what you're talking about. Can you post some pictures or diagrams of the joint and your jigs?

1. 
   saschafer | Nov 30, 2007 08:37pm | #3

   "I'd sure like to know more about what you're talking about."

   I believe he's referring to what you might know better as a splined miter, as an alternative to mortise-and-tenon, for frame-and-panel construction.

   -Steve

    

2. 
   DonC | Nov 30, 2007 09:48pm | #4

   Sorry I was not more specific.

   I first glue up the frames with just end grain to end grain miters. I first seal the end grain with diluted titebond. Mark Adams and Titebond say the end grain joint will be signifigantly stonger if you do this. After the frame is cured, I place it in a table saw jig that holds the frame vertically so I can cut a slot thru the corner. I use a rip blade for this because it leaves a flat bottom to the cut. I then insert triangular splines/feathers that are perpendicular to the mitered grain. Usually I use the same species but contrasting splines can also be used. I find I can do this operation a little quicker than using biscuits or internal splines. It's main advantage is the increased surface area for the glue. It's a very stong joint.

   The rip perfect fitting splines/feathers, I used a shop made vacuum fence on the table saw. My shop vac supplies the suction. The thin 1/8" spline material is sucked to the vac fence and prevents any kickback. I push the stock until nearing the end and then pull the strips to complete the cut.  It works so well that I can rip with all blade guards in place. My hands never come close to the blade.

    

2. 
   colebearanimals | Nov 30, 2007 08:33pm | #2

    

                  Apples and oranges.

                                        Paul

3. 
   Disputantum | Dec 01, 2007 05:11am | #5

   Like these: http://www.non-disputantum.net/InProgress011.html?

   ne sutor ultra crepidam

1. 
   JLMCDANIEL | Dec 01, 2007 07:11am | #6

   I wonder why he didn't just say "dovetail spline"?

   Jack

2. 
   DonC | Dec 01, 2007 07:21am | #7

   Yes. If you are having trouble cutting accurate and dead on miters, try the Dubby sled or one of it's competitors. I borrowed a dubby from a pal and made one for myself. I made the scale on a computer and laminated it at the copy shop. I added a very small Desatco clamp to the sled fence and sandpaper surface. My miter stop has chamfered edges to saw dust won't get trapped and cause incorrect duplicate lengths.

1. 
   Disputantum | Dec 02, 2007 08:58am | #8

   Thanks for the advice on the Dubby sled.I first started using these after I read an article in FWW in the '90s where they called them "keyed miters." The article only mentioned the straight ones; I came up with the dovetailed on my own although I've since learned that they're fairly common. I did my own test before using them with just muscle power. Unreinforced miters came apart pretty easily. I did one where I had to tap the keys into place, and that came apart almost as easily. One I did where the keys were loose enough to fall out was much stronger; so much so that I couldn't break it apart.ne sutor ultra crepidam

1. 
   DonC | Dec 02, 2007 07:07pm | #11

   I also use dovetail keys on some projects. I bought 2 jigs for this operation. One jig cuts dovetail splines at a 1 degree taper on the table saw and the other jig allows your router to mill the slot at 1 degree taper too. When you insert the tapered dovetail spline into the routed dovetail slot, it will bottom out for a perfect fit. It's kinda neat to tap the spline with a small mallet and hear the difference in sound when the spline bottoms out.

   I got it from LC. Kehoe P.O. Box 2802 Oak Bluffs Ma 02557 1800-DOV-TAIL or 1-508-693-7681

   He also sells the premade 1 degree taperd splines but I recommend you buy the table saw jig he sells so you can cut yor own from any species you desire.

1. 
   Spalted | Dec 03, 2007 02:04am | #12

   Just made five sap maple frames 25X30 this way for an artist in the family. I do all my picture frames this way as well. I use just a single spline in the middle of the thickness with the tablesaw sled. I've also seen jigs for biscuit joiners that essentially do the same thing only the whole setup is horizontal and better supported. It leaves a concave shaped mortise so you'll never get a gap like if the sled rises of the table saw while cutting. I don't know if a standard biscuit cutting blade is FTG but i use a triple chip, the hole fills with some leftover glue and sanding sawdust. nobody notices the frame I made anyway- they just look at the picture!

2. 
   Rich14 | Dec 02, 2007 05:25pm | #9

   Don,I make all my picture frame just as you have described. I just use white wood glue for initial glue-up. The frames hold together well for the mortising step.I think there is no stronger way to make such a joint. I haven't scientifically tested them, but I have stood in the middle of the 20" leg of a 16" x 20" frame with no damage.The construction is also good looking.I recently moved from Arizona where the average humidity lows were under 10% to Florida where the average highs are over 90%. Absolutely no gaps have appeared in these miters. Other frames have not been so lucky.Attached are some pics of maple frames with maple splines (my favorite combination). I've also used contrasting woods for the splines (but only one spline in that case).I would like to use splines thinner than the full-kerf FTG Freud ripping blade that I have. But I haven't been able to get a thin-kerf FTG blade. I suppose I could buy a thin kerf combo blade and have it ground to FTG. But eventually I'll cut the mortises on my shaper with a special cutter I'm having made which is a stack of thin "slitting" blades which are actually designed for metal cutting.Rich

   
1. 
   DonC | Dec 02, 2007 06:59pm | #10

   I like your shaper idea Rich.