Make Corner Splines
Decorative corner splines sure make an ordinary box look great. But they can be a bit dicey to cut on a tablesaw. Let your plate joiner come to the rescue. A simple jig holds the box and the joiner so you can cut slots quickly with minimal setup hassles. The jig is nothing more than a piece of scrap plywood with two wood strips set at 90 degrees to each other. A cradle fits around the plate joiner base and keeps it from rocking on the box corner. The cradle is indexed to the jig with a couple dowels. Use spacer blocks to adjust the spline spacing. Plunge the joiner into the wood slowly to prevent tear-out where the blade exits the wood. With this box, you only need one spacer block; just flip the box over to cut the upper slot. |
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This story originally appeared in American Woodworker May 2006, issue #121. |
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