Introduction: DECORATIVE SPLINE JIG

About: In my shop I have a name for hammer, saw, and plier. The saw is Tess, the hammer's Joe, and Glumdalclitch is the plier. Yes, I'm brillig, and my slithy toves still gyre and gimble in the wabe. With that, le…

I want to add decorative splines to box corners as pictured above and needed a jig for that purpose.

Step 1: I FOUND a PLAN

I used this plan as a guide.

Step 2: PALLET WOOD TO THE RESCUE

I recently acquired some pallet wood and used some for this spline jig.

Step 3: CUTTING AND ASSEMBLING PARTS

I made a cradle, marked the center (O/C = On Center) of the upright, determined where it would go and glued it in place. I didn't use screws, just glue. You'll see why in a bit.

Step 4: THE FENCE AND BRIDGE

I grabbed some more scrap and made the short fence and the bridge. The bridge was at one point part of a French Cleat system. Mom always told me: Waste not, want not.

Step 5: BAMBOO KITCHEN SKEWERS

Instead of screws I used bamboo skewers. I just drilled the correct size hole, added glue and inserted. When they dried, I nipped them closer to the wood and sanded everything.

Step 6: ERSATZ BOX

For testing I made a box corner without the rest of the box.

Step 7: SETTING THE DEPTH OF CUT

I set the blade to cut up to but not through the corner of the Faux Box.

Step 8: SETTING THE FENCE

I cut the slot about an inch from the edge, turned the Faux Box 180 degrees and cut again. You can see how easy it is to cut spline slots and you can cut as many as you wish. Also, by shifting the jig a smidgen you can get wider spline slots.

The fence slide was a bit catchy so...... yep, you guessed it....

Step 9: I WAXED MY JIG

Yes, I waxed my jig and now it glides.

Step 10: ADD SPLINES

Add some glue, slip in the decorative spline and when dry, trim and sand smooth. For this test, I just used a marker to color some scrap to give you the idea. When I finish my project, I'll post pictures of the actual splines I use.

Step 11: PROLOGUE

And another Little Shop of Jarfold Instructable is complete. I hope you found it informative. And, yes, I did name this tool, as I do all those I build. This tool's name is Spliney the Elder. The Ersatz Box is Spliney the Younger, not long for this shop as it will probably become part of the scrap pile.

Comments always welcome and questions always answered.

Everybody sing:

Welcome to my shop

Won't you come on in

Instructables, I guess

Still happen now and then

KJ

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