Help needed to make splines

[Raymond Fries]

What is the easiest way to make 1/8" thick splines? I thought about ripping stock say 3/32 and then run it through my drum sander. Good idea?

Do you have a better way? How do you make yours?

Thanks

[Kent A Bathurst]

I don't have a drum sander. If I did, I'd do it exactly as you propose.

I cut mine to, like, 1/64" over, then take off the blade marks with sandpaper and a sanding block.

[Andrew Kertesz]

If they are not visible some people use 1/8" hard board/masonite cut to the width you need.

[pat warner]

Mill a stick to a thickness = to the width of spline.
Joint both edges.
Band saw strips = thickness of spline + .050".
Plane (on a carrier) to desired thickness of spline.
Repeat as necessary.

[jeff zambron]

the jig that rockler and a couple of other places sell works well once you get dialed in

[Raymond Fries]

The splines will be visible. I want to use scrap stock. Hmmm - have not seen the jig to make splines if that is what you meant. Will have to look at it and see if it would be easier than rip and drum sanding.

[Chris Fournier]

Your math goes the wrong way! I usually notice this after I've made the part. If your saw is good enough you could rip and move on, I often do. Masonite is another good idea but it is rarely 0.125" on the nose. Rip a tad over and handplane to fit a test kerf would work just fine in my shop too.

[Art Mann]

What is the easiest way to make 1/8" thick splines? I thought about ripping stock say 3/32 and then run it through my drum sander. Good idea?

Do you have a better way? How do you make yours?

Thanks

If you rip strips to 3/32", I think you will find it very hard to sand them in a way that creates a thicker dimension.

[Peter Quinn]

I rip them 1/32" over desired final dimension and machine sand to match the groove….or I have an adjustable groover, so I can also rip up baltic birch or MDF and match the groove to the spline. Depends what the splines are for really, but if hardwood, a drum or wide belt sander is a great way to get very consistent results.

[Raymond Fries]

Oh yeah - Spline should be 5/32". I agree with the comment to bad math. This is why I got out of Accounting! LOL...
Splines will be red oak for a red oak frame.

[glenn bradley]

I just use the tablesaw and a rip blade to rip 1/8" strips from a larger blank. If your saw leaves marks, rip a tiny bit over and give the blank a stroke or two with a block plane.

[Edward Oleen]

uhhhhhhhhh....

I don't think you really mean "cut them to 3/32's"...

1/8th inch is 4/32's.....

You probably mean "cut them to 3/16's", now don't you???

[Lee Schierer]

Tune up your saw and rip the strips with a good ripping blade. Any slight saw marks with be hidden in the joint and will not affect performance nor appearance. Rip them to the size you need and then do your glue ups. no need for extra work and handling.

[Rick Potter]

I have used 1/8" dark colored tempered Masonite on small boxes. When the small amount that shows is varnished, I have been told that it looks just like ebony. A Freud flat tooth rip blade is the perfect size (full kerf). I have also used a carrier board, and made 1/8" splines with my lunchbox planer. It's nice to have some ready.

Rick Potter

[Charles Lent]

When you make your splines, they will produce stronger joints if the grain runs across the short dimension rather than along the long dimension of the splines. Diagonal grain is also acceptable. Biscuits have diagonal grain. I usually use Baltic birch plywood if the spline won't be seen. If it will be seen I plane some stock to the correct thickness and then cross cut the splines from that. It's OK to use several short splines end to end, so you don't need really wide stock to make long splines. A few shorter ones end to end in the joint will produce the same result.

Charley