Oak drawerboxes with splines

[doctor Bob]

I'm the only one working for the business at present.
Making a modern kitchen.

Drawers have no fronts attached, they are exposed fronts with splines.
I wanted them to have the slines in walnut but the client went oak in oak.

Really quite enjoying it

2 different sizes, either 8 or 15 slines at the front and 2 or 3 splines at the back. Drawer heights are 180 and 320mm.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Do you cut the slots using a router and jig?

 

[johnfarris]

Looking good. How did you create the grooves for the splines?

 

[doctor Bob]

Do you cut the slots using a router and jig?

Yes, mitred the fronts, lap joint the backs, ratchet strapped them up and then a jig to route the splines.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Looks good although I think I would have gone with your suggestion of walnut but hey the customer is always right!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I can see the reasoning for not wanting a vivid contrast like walnut, but something lighter coloured like yew that would have given a bit of contrast. I would think that would look good.

 

[MikeG.]

Good to see you're still working, Bob.

This is going to end up looking like a box joint. Wouldn't it just have been easier to make box joints?

 

[johnfarris]

Do you cut the slots using a router and jig?

Yes, mitred the fronts, lap joint the backs, ratchet strapped them up and then a jig to route the splines.

Any chance of seeing the setup as i want to do something similar myself. No worries if you cant

 

[doctor Bob]

Good to see you're still working, Bob.

This is going to end up looking like a box joint. Wouldn't it just have been easier to make box joints?

the sides are 17mm so 17mm fingers only.
The splines are 30mm so quite a bit longer. Like I say I'd prefer them to ping with walnut, I did a sample for the client with oak and walnut.
He liked the walnut but stuck with the oak.

 

[custard]

For producing splined boxes in batches the quickest method I've found is to use a spindle moulder.

Here I'm using a single grooving blade, but I've seen this arrangements in bigger workshops with multiple grooving blades.

I use a simple jig like this,

And pass the boxes across the spindle moulder like this,

Incidentally, I echo what a previous poster said, it's good to see you working! Talking to other furniture makers this @&%^*!@ virus is cutting a swathe through the market. In the Solent area, where I'm based, there's still some yacht fit out work to be had which helps keep the wolf from the door, but I'm talking to makers based in other areas who are really struggling. Tough times.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

... I'm talking to makers based in other areas who are really struggling. Tough times.

I'm in that crowd. Nowadays, being over sixty, I'm happy to work part-time, maybe three or four days a week, or an intense block with a break at the end, and usually undertake short term contracts, or perhaps two concurrent part-time contracts at different workshops working on a self-employed basis. All that work has dried up and, of course, the intermittent teaching I sometimes do at colleges has gone by the wayside too.

So, yes, pretty quiet at the moment ... and open to offers I suppose, especially if the job's interesting, but unlikely to happen for a while I imagine, ha, ha. Slainte.

 

[doctor Bob]

For producing splined boxes in batches the quickest method I've found is to use a spindle moulder.

Quitre agree custard. The problem here was the number of splines, in the region of 350. over 12 drawers. The drawers are very heavy, 18mm sides and big, 925w x 600d x 320 and 180 high. The thought of lifting them on and off a jig hundreds of times put me off the spinle moulder plus none of my spindle moulders with a jig under the drawer go high enough. A 320mm drawer needs to be cut half way up 160mm plus the jig 18mm. I have some really massive old cast stuff and still the highest I can do safely is 150mm.
The other reason not to do them on the moulder was I'd have to spin them over and work from both sides hoping my calculations for spacing was spot on. Doing it with a router I could make the drawers over height and trim them down afterwards.
I'll post a picture of the jig, it worked brilliantly with no fear of failure.
The drawer fronts are pippy oak and all run though over the island length of 2.9m (1 plank), so one balls up and i'd have to remake 3 drawers and source more massive pippy oak boards.

 

[Max Power]

Shame they didn't go for the walnut as they're going to look like a standard box/comb joint