# grain orientation for splines



## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

I have seen a few videos where they are using splines to either dress up or strengthen the joints.

When it's done tastefully, I rather like the look of it, so I'm planning to try it out myself soon.

One thing that I haven't quite figured out is the best orientation of the grain in the spline pieces.

If you make the splines such that the grain of it is in line with one side or the other of the "box", then one of the two sides will have end-grain visible. (the end grain of the small spline piece)

One could orient the spline at 45 degrees to both faces and then you would have end-grain on both faces, which would at least be symmetrical. In addition to symmetry, it seems this would also put the strongest dimension of the spline "across" the joint, which my gut tells me would be the strongest orientation.

Is there a commonly accepted "best way" to do this?


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## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

Yes, the second way you described.


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## Yonak (Mar 27, 2014)

If you want to get fancy you could glue up a block with an outside skin (as thick as you need to be able to trim it flush) creating a grain orientation which is the same as the two sides of your case and cut it into splines.


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## tomd (Jan 29, 2008)

45 degree, gives strength and keeps color of spline the same on both sides.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

deleted


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