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Making up a custom mantlepiece using stock oak moldings and I need about ten feet of dentil with 1″ squares and 1/4″ dadoes to add in.
Used a cross cut sled with indexing pin and a dado blade to cut the grooves and ran it through the planer three sides to clean up the tearout. This worked reasonably well, but leaves a bit of cleanup at the bottom of the dado to level out the cut, something i’d just as soon avoid if I can.
Anyone got a better technique for the next time?
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Yup, use a router with a template that resembles a long dovetail jig. If you can set up a saw to nake the grooves for dentil make a jig instead and cut the dentils with a 1/4" router bit and template guide. I generally work the piece a bit wide, then remove enough after the dentils are cut to clean up all the exit wounds from the router bit.
I generally make the slots an eighth.
Lee
*Dick, I use a radial arm saw. Clamp a tape measure to the workpiece and pencil mark at every inch, then saw 1/8" deep kerfs at every inch mark. A pass over the jointer takes care of any tearout. I think the dentil "squares" look better if they are slightly longer than they are wide, so I usually make the molding 1 1/4" wide. GP
*Thanks for the alternatives.Using these dimensions because it's a fairly coarse brick fireplace and fairly large. I think 'finer' detail would look out of place, working in broad strokes seems to fit better.
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