# How would you make splines without a tablesaw?



## TJ65 (Jan 19, 2010)

Simple enough question for those in the know. How would you make splines without a tablesaw? As you can gather I dont have a tablesaw and I gather that is the prefered method of making splines. Thought about using the router but i have reservations about that. Any other ways?


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Do you have a hand saw?


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## GMman (Apr 11, 2008)

What do you have for tools?
A good hand saw would work.


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## bigike (May 25, 2009)

chisel and hammer?


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## Dez (Mar 28, 2007)

Router!


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I have made them or my router table.Build a jig just like the one for a table saw and slide it along the fence.A solid carbide spiral cut bit worked better for me than a straight bit.


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## GMman (Apr 11, 2008)

Jig saw if you have one.


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## cabmaker (Sep 16, 2010)

spline cutter with router. What are you splining? short end grain, panels ?


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## rwyoung (Nov 22, 2008)

Grooves for spline, a plow (plough) plane or combination plane set up for plowing. Works cross grain too but you must be very attentive to issues of sharpness and take shallow cuts. Backup the exit with a scrap block.

If you are going to cut the groove on a mitered piece with a plow plane, make an axillary fence to hold the plane at right angles to the surface being plowed.

To make the splines you can simply resaw a bit heavy and plane them down or plan to use plywood.

Plow planes such as the Record 044C originally came with both imperial and metric width blades. These same blades would fit a Stanley #45 or #55. And the straight blades can still be purchased new from Stanley (sharpening required of course).

Another alternative, especially if you expect to cut lots of long grain grooves would be either a Stanley #48 or #49 or modern reproductions from Lie-Nielsen. Or 1/2 of a wooden match plane set.

If you are talking about splining across a miter, these can be cut with a dovetail saw and chiseled free. Make yourself a gauge block to clamp across the joint to help you saw straight. Sharpen up the chisels too.


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## David175 (Jan 14, 2011)

I just watched a video where they made splines with a biscuit cutter


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

It looks like your main machines are a scroll saw and a disk sander… anything else?

You could cut strips on your scroll saw… or with a hand saw… then sand them smooth…

Use the splines as a pattern to mark the corner of a box (to be splined)... make one cut (one side of a spline), place spline up to the cut and mark for second cut… make the cut, then clean out with a chisel…

This is assuming you're going to put them (splines) into the corners of a box…

... am just shooting in the dark…

What do you want to do? What do you have to work with?


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

If you have a slot cutting bit for the router, you could use it… by changing the ht., cut two parallel cuts the thickness of the splines you want… cut'em out with a hand saw… sand'em… use'em…


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## TJ65 (Jan 19, 2010)

yea sorry about lack of info. it is for a box on mitred corners. I have lots of tools- bandsaw, router, chisels, several types of handsaws, power saws etc. dont have a biscuit cutter or table saw.

Any particular way to hold the box while trying to cut straight ?
Also I am assuming you glue the box up before adding the splines? ?


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I jig on the band saw, then knocking the waste out with a chisel should be easy for you.


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## DaleM (Feb 18, 2009)

To make a jig for doing it on the router, simply cut one end of a board at a 45 degree angle. This will be a guide that you can lean the box against as you run it over a straight router bit on your router table. Start with the bit just barely above the table surface for a shallow cut. Adjust the fence to where you want it, then run the box through, steadying the box with one hand, holding it square against the fence, while sort of using the triangle as a push stick with the other. Just rotate the box and make four passes, one on each corner, then adjust the bit higher and repeat until you get it the desired depth. Does this make any sense? It works, but I'm probably not describing it well enough. It's easy enough to do, then if you want two or three splines per corner, just readjust the fence and do it all again. Anyway, the thicker the triangle pushstick, the better, because it's easier to keep it straight that way.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

OK…

Yes, you glue the box up… apply glue to the miters in 2-3 coats letting the glue soak in after each coat.
Look at this: 




If your band saw is large enough, I'd make a small sled that would hold your box at 45* to cut the spline cuts into box corners… Cut several slits to make the spline cuts… touch-up with small files, chisels, etc.

EDIT: Yes, after reading DaleM's comment, I agree… a small sled for the router table would work better!

I think I'd cut the box first THEN, cut & sand the splines to fit the box…

I think I would use the band saw for the splines… cutting a little oversized… & sand down to desired size.

I know you can do it!


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## FreddyS (Oct 21, 2010)

Yup, glue the box, cut the slots then add the splines, and slot cutting bit on the router table should be the easiest way, but you can't have splines close to the middle of the box though.


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## mosaicwes (Sep 14, 2010)

Not trying to be contrary but…
if I somehow lost my table saw, 
I would forgo everything that wasn't essential to basic survival in order to replace it.
I'd live on oatmeal if necessary until I could scrape together the cash to buy another one.

Maybe it's just me but I'm betting that you wouldn't regret acquiring one, 
especially, if it was a good one.


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

The normal error using hand saw in cutting the spline's slot is the too thin kerf of the saw. What I do … I make several cut with a back saw near the center but not to exceed my intended spline… On the final cut, I use a thick kerf keyhole saw like below. The kerf is just right for the tongue depressor sticks. I used tongue depressors sometimes because they are more stronger in terms of elasticity but not so strong for shearing but it works well and looks nice as white. I hope you have this kind of saw… It really helps.

I use my wood vise or clamp the box in the rigid sawhorse so I can control during handsawing.










One box I made using keyhole saw and tongue depressor is on my


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## TJ65 (Jan 19, 2010)

Wow -thanks heaps on that.
I do love you guys, I dont know where I would be without ALL of you.
Now just have to decide on which way to go about it.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

A jig to hold it for the power or hand saw will probably give you best results, but I'm sure you knew that ) Options, options, options, it is good to have lots of options, eh??


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

you could glue together 2 - 3/4" pieces of birch plywood whatever width you need (ex. 4"w x 12"L), that extra on the length can give you clamping area on your box corner. Then, cut that at 45 degrees so you can have a "corner" I'll call it, to clamp to your box corner. Before you clamp it to your box, cut 2 slots in it with the hand saw you will use. Now clamp this to your box corner where you want to cut a spline, and use it as a guide to cut the spline slots in your box corner. Pay attention how deep you go of coarse, so you don't go all the way through. Hope this helps. I've seen this in a magazine somew here, but, can't remember which one, or how long ago, sorry…...I'm sure whatever method you use, you'll get it to work. Just do it on a test piece first. Then you have to cut the splines themselves the same thickness as your slot.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

I didn't read all the above Theresa, but just clamp two straight pieces of wood on either side of the spline groove and use a back saw ( the one with the reinforced spline and a handle that is raised and alllows you to cut straight.

You can mark your groove depth with some masking tape on the saw blade.

If you want a wide groove, saw to grooves leaving a narrow strip between the saw kerfs in the middle, then shave off the middle strip with your bench chisel bevel down.


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## Gregn (Mar 26, 2010)

I see you have a band saw. I would use it.


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

Theresa, 
I thank Mike (Stefang) too for giving that idea which I usually do in guiding the handsaw in cutting. A little different because I use only one side… I got same idea from LJ PHILLY Edwards . I keep on looking for the photo that shows the process but no luck at all. It was in around March, 2007 that Philly blog it on "how to make wooden plane?"

At any rate, I found this link that will also be very helpful in guiding the saw to cut straight… You can do what Mike explained using two splines and clamped it on the sides of the box.. If bottom lid already glued up. One side guide is enough.

Try it… God bless!


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

you have the option of handsaw + cheisel , handsaw thin and thick, and your bandsaw + a jiig 
or using a ploughplane type 
If you want to use your bandsaw then tjeck Bob Simons blogs as I remember he has made 
a vidio about the jiig and using it …....but I can be wrong and it is another L J

good luck with it Theresa nomatter what your approch will bee 

take care
Dennis


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

A square cut block of wood makes a very good saw guide without going to a lot of expensive specialty items. With a 90 degree groove, it would fit nicely on the corner of a box for sawing the spline cuts.


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

TJ, you inspired me to come up with my own solution to this using a hand saw. My Virtual Jig

I'd still say you'd be well off getting a TS, even a benchtop saw would be good. I routinely recommend the DeWalt because of its fence.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Hi Teresa. Did you build a fixture for cutting splines on the router table? You'll need a V block set up to contain the box and then have it slide over the router bit against the fence. If you don't have a router table, make a v block to contain the box and have a plate across the bottom that is at 45 degree angle to the V block and put a fence on the plate and flip it over so the router is on top running against the fence. Use a straight router bit and feed it slow so you don't break off the small bit. You can cut all of the parts on a band saw to make the v block and plate with gussets on it to hold the angle.

Good luck!!!!!!!!..............Jim


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## ScrubPlane (May 22, 2012)

use the band saw


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