# Putting pieces of thin veneer into a mitered corner as a spline?



## Jimothy (Oct 29, 2015)

Typically when making picture frames or anything mitered i'd run it over the table saw with a spline jig to cut a kerf into the corner and put a spline through to reinforce. pretty standard stuff there.

I saw in a video where a guy cut the kerf with a japanese pullsaw (very thin kerf) and said he could spline it with pieces of veneer…does this sound realistic?


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## lumbering_on (Jan 21, 2017)

Could you do it? Yes. Will it reinforce the corner? I would have to see a test on that. If It's 1/8" it definitely would, but if it's really thin, like 1/64", I'd be a bit skeptical.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Yes it is realistic. I've done it. Thicker will be stronger but even 1/64" will reinforce if it's a snug fit and the grain crosses the joint. Sometimes you have to reinforce very delicate pieces. This is a good tactic.


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## lumbering_on (Jan 21, 2017)

> Yes it is realistic. I've done it. Thicker will be stronger but even 1/64" will reinforce if it's a snug fit and the grain crosses the joint. Sometimes you have to reinforce very delicate pieces. This is a good tactic.
> 
> - shipwright


That's interesting that something that thin could reinforce the joint. I'm just curious if this is a function of the size of the spline in relation to the size of the wood it's reinforcing? I could see a thin veneer reinforcing something that is say 1/8", but would this work on a joint of say 3/4"?

Just to clarify, this is an honest question as I've never really seen it done, but I see a lot of places it can come in handy.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

yeah id like to see someone test that,i mean anytjing will give some added strength but is it of any real worth?


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

> That s interesting that something that thin could reinforce the joint. I m just curious if this is a function of the size of the spline in relation to the size of the wood it s reinforcing? I could see a thin veneer reinforcing something that is say 1/8", but would this work on a joint of say 3/4"?
> 
> Just to clarify, this is an honest question as I ve never really seen it done, but I see a lot of places it can come in handy.
> 
> - lumbering_on


As I said, sometimes you need to reinforce a delicate joint. I wouldn't necessarily recommend using veneer splines to reinforce a box corner for example (except perhaps for visual effect where you might use several) but for a thin frame it will do a great job. It is a function of side grain gluing area and grain orientation.
If the mitre fits well the spline will be subjected to only tensile strains.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

It's great for dressing up/reinforcing small box corners, but the added strength is minimal for anything under much stress (it's really just decorative).

You can get thin (1/16") circular saw blades (7-1/4") with a flat top grind that work well in a table saw if the standard 1/8" spline is too large.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

> It s great for dressing up/reinforcing small box corners, but the added strength is minimal for anything under much stress (it s really just decorative).
> - splintergroup


I disagree (respectfully). Have you ever grabbed the ends of a strip of veneer and tried to pull it apart?
The tensile strength of most straight grained veneer is quite high. If the mitre fits well the veneer will only be in tension and it will add a lot of strength.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

I agree Paul, the tensile strength is good, but being so thin it has minimal shear strength for something like a picture frame that may be twisted. For taller miter joints (like a deep box corner), multiple veneer splines would probably do well since they wouldn't be under much torsion/shear.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I've made picture frames that were butt jointed at the corners and are still doing well decades later. As such, adding a thin veneer should up the life even more. Of course, I'd want the grain running so the two pieces are pulling on the end grain rather than from the sides, which could be easily snapped in half.


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