Sb

"SonomaProducts.com"

12/10/2011 11:01 AM

Ideas of how to make "grooved" splines?

Glue dowels can have spiral grooves and I really like them better,
especially when using expoxy which has gap filling ability.

I am playing with some designs for exterior items and I plan to use
lots of splined epoxy glue joints to create panels. I'll make and use
solid wood 1/8 x 3/4 splines to sit in 1/8 x 3/8 edge dados. I am
trying to think how I could groove them, perferably at 45 degrees.

One item takes 18 lin ft of splines (it surprised me when I calc'd it)
so some productive method would be best.


This topic has 12 replies

JG

"John Grossbohlin"

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

13/10/2011 3:39 PM


"SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:65a3776a-aa87-4441-98d9-f6fbcff3fcfc@h22g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> >
>> I've used my vice to crush splines and biscuits to facilitate glue ups
>> and
>> the process outlined above shouldn't be a problem...
>>
>> John
>
> Yeah I was trying to think of some embossing method. That might work.

I got thinking about this some more and it might be even easier to wrap some
heavy gauge wire around a board, with spaces between the winds, and use that
as a die...

John

Sb

"SonomaProducts.com"

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

12/10/2011 11:23 PM

>
> I've used my vice to crush splines and biscuits to facilitate glue ups and
> the process outlined above shouldn't be a problem...
>
> John

Yeah I was trying to think of some embossing method. That might work.

Rr

RicodJour

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

14/10/2011 7:13 AM

On Oct 12, 2:01=A0pm, "SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Glue dowels can have spiral grooves and I really like them better,
> especially when using expoxy which has gap filling ability.
>
> I am playing with some designs for exterior items and I plan to use
> lots of splined epoxy glue joints to create panels. I'll make and use
> solid wood 1/8 x 3/4 splines to sit in 1/8 x 3/8 edge dados. I am
> trying to think how I could groove them, perferably at 45 degrees.
>
> One item takes 18 lin ft of splines (it surprised me when I calc'd it)
> so some productive method would be best.

You could use one of those big honking soldering irons with a big tip
that you find at garage sales for $3 (and never sell), and burn the
grooves in. You won't need much of an indentation at all to relieve
the hydraulic/pneumatic pressure from the glue. If the glue is too
thick for that, I'd rethink the glue.

R

JG

"John Grossbohlin"

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

12/10/2011 6:20 PM

I'd be inclined to allow some clearance in the depth/spline width... even a
1/64" to 1/32" would help.

RE the grooves, maybe crush them in with a vice.... a jig (really a die),
with something as simple as bent nails to make the dents, could be placed on
one jaw and the vice tightened to press the nails into the wood. I'd think
it would be a pretty quick process using maybe a half turn of the vice
handle to loosen and tighten the vice. Index the wood to the next position
using the dents as a guide. The longer the jig the less wood shifting...
I'd think it wouldn't be a problem to do 8 - 10 grooves at a time on 1"
centers.

I've used my vice to crush splines and biscuits to facilitate glue ups and
the process outlined above shouldn't be a problem...

John



"SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:ef86098d-6f87-4673-a402-374acfa7ae36@t27g2000prt.googlegroups.com...
> Glue dowels can have spiral grooves and I really like them better,
> especially when using expoxy which has gap filling ability.
>
> I am playing with some designs for exterior items and I plan to use
> lots of splined epoxy glue joints to create panels. I'll make and use
> solid wood 1/8 x 3/4 splines to sit in 1/8 x 3/8 edge dados. I am
> trying to think how I could groove them, perferably at 45 degrees.
>
> One item takes 18 lin ft of splines (it surprised me when I calc'd it)
> so some productive method would be best.

JG

"John Grossbohlin"

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

13/10/2011 7:16 PM


"dpb" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> On 10/13/2011 2:39 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:
> ...
>
>> I got thinking about this some more and it might be even easier to wrap
>> some heavy gauge wire around a board, with spaces between the winds, and
>> use that as a die...
> ...
>
> If I read correctly, he's talking 1/8" splines--it'll be pretty hard to
> compress them much at all in having any effective groove I'd think unless
> it's quite soft material. Cedar or white pine, maybe, but no hints on the
> particulars given...

It wouldn't take much of a groove to bleed off air and a bit of glue...

The 1/8" thickness is why I'd press them in... cutting them would leave next
to nothing for material if they would even survive cutting.

Outdoor projects tend to be made with things like cedar, red wood, or
pressure treated and they'd compress fine. If it's ipe that is a different
story!


John




Hn

Han

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

12/10/2011 7:23 PM

"SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in news:ef86098d-6f87-4673-
[email protected]:

> Glue dowels can have spiral grooves and I really like them better,
> especially when using expoxy which has gap filling ability.
>
> I am playing with some designs for exterior items and I plan to use
> lots of splined epoxy glue joints to create panels. I'll make and use
> solid wood 1/8 x 3/4 splines to sit in 1/8 x 3/8 edge dados. I am
> trying to think how I could groove them, perferably at 45 degrees.
>
> One item takes 18 lin ft of splines (it surprised me when I calc'd it)
> so some productive method would be best.

Look into dominos (Festool).

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Sb

"SonomaProducts.com"

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

12/10/2011 11:29 PM

> Have you considered a biscuit joiner? =A0
>
> --
> =A0 =A0There are no stupid questions, but there are lots of stupid answer=
s.
>
> =A0 =A0 =A0Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonesta=
r. org

I have a biscuit joiner and access to a Domino but for this project I
am doing a reproduction of an antique design and using the splines
specifically to retain the original joinery method. I am making some
minor adjustments to the design but I am sticking to the original
joinery.

I am always thinking of production methods that will work if I ever
want to make 100 of whatever I am designing, not that I often get the
chance to make those hundred but I am working towards it constantly.

LJ

Larry Jaques

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

13/10/2011 5:30 AM

On Wed, 12 Oct 2011 23:29:04 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>> Have you considered a biscuit joiner?  
>>
>> --
>>    There are no stupid questions, but there are lots of stupid answers.
>>
>>      Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar. org
>
>I have a biscuit joiner and access to a Domino but for this project I
>am doing a reproduction of an antique design and using the splines
>specifically to retain the original joinery method. I am making some
>minor adjustments to the design but I am sticking to the original
>joinery.
>
>I am always thinking of production methods that will work if I ever
>want to make 100 of whatever I am designing, not that I often get the
>chance to make those hundred but I am working towards it constantly.

http://www.harborfreight.com/three-wing-slotting-cutters-3-pack-42133.html

--
The ultimate result of shielding men from folly
is to fill the world with fools.
-- Herbert Spencer

dn

dpb

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

12/10/2011 2:23 PM

On 10/12/2011 1:01 PM, SonomaProducts.com wrote:
> Glue dowels can have spiral grooves and I really like them better,
> especially when using expoxy which has gap filling ability.
>
> I am playing with some designs for exterior items and I plan to use
> lots of splined epoxy glue joints to create panels. I'll make and use
> solid wood 1/8 x 3/4 splines to sit in 1/8 x 3/8 edge dados. I am
> trying to think how I could groove them, perferably at 45 degrees.
>
> One item takes 18 lin ft of splines (it surprised me when I calc'd it)
> so some productive method would be best.

Something like a gang ripsaw working on sheet stock fed on the bias
comes to mind... :)

If there were enough volume to justify it, guess one could set up an
arbor w/ several small blades like those for the 4" trim saws and do that.

Alternatively, if had a long spindle shaper could stack a few small
flute cutters although less convenient a form factor.

I've not seen a set for the moulding/planer setups a la Woodmaster, et
al. for multiple groove sets but would presume it would be possible.

Oh, I think they also have a gangsaw setup available for their
moulder/planer; I presume it would have the ability to set depth to only
cut a shallow groove; what flexibility in number/spacing of the blades
are I don't know, either.

On a somewhat less exotic thought, I could envision starting w/ a
sizable piece of stock cut on the bias and using dado blades on the RAS
and feeding it in rip cut moving the head between passes. If the
working material were large enough, one would end up w/ quite a sizable
chunk of stock in the end after a set of passes from fully in to fully
out along the arm travel. One could do something similar w/ the TS and
the fence of course, it's just quicker w/ my setup to think of the RAS
for something like this.

I've not done something of the sort; on it since it's a 16" behemoth it
has a longer shaft than the typical TS or 10-12" RAS that can only
barely handle a 13/16" dado set...I'm guessing could probably set up
maybe twice that on it.

Random of the cuff thought'ing about it... :)

--

lL

[email protected] (Larry W)

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

12/10/2011 9:47 PM

In article <ef86098d-6f87-4673-a402-374acfa7ae36@t27g2000prt.googlegroups.com>,
SonomaProducts.com <[email protected]> wrote:
>Glue dowels can have spiral grooves and I really like them better,
>especially when using expoxy which has gap filling ability.
>
>I am playing with some designs for exterior items and I plan to use
>lots of splined epoxy glue joints to create panels. I'll make and use
>solid wood 1/8 x 3/4 splines to sit in 1/8 x 3/8 edge dados. I am
>trying to think how I could groove them, perferably at 45 degrees.
>
>One item takes 18 lin ft of splines (it surprised me when I calc'd it)
>so some productive method would be best.

You didn't mention the spcing between grooves, but say every inch or so,
it wouldn't take long to make 18*12=144 grooves on a table saw with your
miter gauge set to 45d. (twice as long if you do both sides of course)
Have you considered a biscuit joiner?

--
There are no stupid questions, but there are lots of stupid answers.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar. org

dn

dpb

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

13/10/2011 4:45 PM

On 10/13/2011 2:39 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:
...

> I got thinking about this some more and it might be even easier to wrap
> some heavy gauge wire around a board, with spaces between the winds, and
> use that as a die...
...

If I read correctly, he's talking 1/8" splines--it'll be pretty hard to
compress them much at all in having any effective groove I'd think
unless it's quite soft material. Cedar or white pine, maybe, but no
hints on the particulars given...

--

Ab

"Artemus"

in reply to "SonomaProducts.com" on 12/10/2011 11:01 AM

14/10/2011 1:03 PM


"SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:ef86098d-6f87-4673-a402-374acfa7ae36@t27g2000prt.googlegroups.com...
> Glue dowels can have spiral grooves and I really like them better,
> especially when using expoxy which has gap filling ability.
>
> I am playing with some designs for exterior items and I plan to use
> lots of splined epoxy glue joints to create panels. I'll make and use
> solid wood 1/8 x 3/4 splines to sit in 1/8 x 3/8 edge dados. I am
> trying to think how I could groove them, perferably at 45 degrees.
>
> One item takes 18 lin ft of splines (it surprised me when I calc'd it)
> so some productive method would be best.

Start with a board 1/8" thick and 4", or so, wide by whatever long.
Make a scratch stock with multiple blades. Perhaps finish nails
protruding thru the stock and spaced at the desired intervals would
be sufficient.
Scratch grooves in the board, offsetting the grooves on each side to
minimize splitting.
Saw off the splines.
Art


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