# Tongue & groove?



## Tonto1 (Nov 10, 2016)

A customer wants to use some of my lumber to decorate one of the walls in her house. She likes the look of the rough finish that the band sawmill leaves when I'm cutting. She wants T&G 1X6's. That's going to be quite a few boards and a lot of routing. Is there a better/faster way to cut all these T&G's?

I was thinking I could dado tongues if I used enough shims in the middle between, the dado blades, then dado the grooves by shimming on each side of the cutter(s). Anybody tried this, or is there a better way?


----------



## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

On a router table, I'd guess. One set up per tongue or groove. The way you described means a lot of finicky fiddlin', it seems.


----------



## Tonto1 (Nov 10, 2016)

I was afraid of that, looks like I'm just in for a lot of routing! Good thing I enjoy woodworking. The boards are Slash Pine. How many passes do you estimate it will take for each edge? This will be my first time routing T&G's.


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Tonto1 said:


> I was afraid of that, looks like I'm just in for a lot of routing! Good thing I enjoy woodworking. The boards are Slash Pine. How many passes do you estimate it will take for each edge? This will be my first time routing T&G's.


That depends on the bits you use they sell T&G bit sets so you can do it in 2 set ups, one pass each. .

Or you could use a slotting cutter, just have 1 bit and 3 passes.
Which ever you do make a full 4 feather board set up. Two before the cut, top/side, and two after the cut. there is nothing more frustrating than finding the slot or tongue too shallow in the middle when trying to install. Also cut a good amount extra ,it will save having to try to match your original set up again if you run a board or two short. VOE.

https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Adjustable-Tongue-Diameter-99-036/dp/B00006XMTT


https://www.amazon.com/MLCS-Stackab...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000VJKW26

https://www.amazon.com/CMT-822-316-...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B001NIA3QO
Herb


----------



## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

I'm assuming that she likes the look of the bevels between the board edges? How are you planning on making the bevels?
Instead of a tongue and groove router bit set how about cutting grooves on both sides of the boards with a router slot cutter or table saw dado blade (I just saw that Infinity has a new saw blade that cuts a 1/4" groove) and then using splines/slip tongues to join the boards. You could also join them with biscuits....no tongue or groove cutting.....just have to do the bevels.


----------



## Tonto1 (Nov 10, 2016)

She didn't say anything about bevels. She has some pictures of some finished walls. It seems it's getting popular to redo walls with used pallet boards (no bevels). They just tear the pallets apart & nail the boards onto the wall. Some are artistic with complicated patters. It's too much work for her to break them down, so she asked if I could mill her the boards and she would stain them to look more rustic. I was worried about them warping over time, so I asked if she wanted me to T&G them. I know the v-groove looks nice as well as hiding imperfections...don't think she cares one way or another. A little variation should add to the rustic look! Just sounds like a lot of routing (which it is, but then, the price goes up as more labor is involved). I just wanted to make sure there was an easier way. And the routing might go faster than I am thinking.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

splines instead of T&G,,,
use plywood for the spline and work from the backside....
faster, less waste, less mess


----------



## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

I'm in the spline camp as well, or board & batten. One problem with T & G will be the inconsistent thickness of the rough sawn lumber--splines will be much more gracious with that, as would board & batten. Another positive is that it would save the step of straight-lining every piece before starting the T & G process. Stick's thought to use plywood would add strength in the joint since the layers are alternated. 

Just my $0.02 worth.

earl


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I'm with Stick on using splines. Much easier to do. Cut the grooves with the good face down, it will make it easier to flatten the top.


----------



## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

Tonto1 said:


> She didn't say anything about bevels. She has some pictures of some finished walls. It seems it's getting popular to redo walls with used pallet boards (no bevels). They just tear the pallets apart & nail the boards onto the wall. Some are artistic with complicated patters. It's too much work for her to break them down, so she asked if I could mill her the boards and she would stain them to look more rustic. I was worried about them warping over time, so I asked if she wanted me to T&G them. I know the v-groove looks nice as well as hiding imperfections...don't think she cares one way or another. A little variation should add to the rustic look! Just sounds like a lot of routing (which it is, but then, the price goes up as more labor is involved). I just wanted to make sure there was an easier way. And the routing might go faster than I am thinking.


Using a table saw would be faster than using router. Probably need more than 1 pass with a router. Another option to plywood splines is getting a piece of 1/4" hardwood and ripping splines on the table saw. To make the spline fit easier, set up the router table with a 1/8" roundover bit and round over all 4 edges of the spline....this will make them easier to insert into the grooves in the edges of the boards.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

JIMMIEM said:


> Using a table saw would be faster than using router. Probably need more than 1 pass with a router. Another option to plywood splines is getting a piece of 1/4" hardwood and ripping splines on the table saw. To make the spline fit easier, set up the router table with a 1/8" roundover bit and round over all 4 edges of the spline....this will make them easier to insert into the grooves in the edges of the boards.


plywood is a no fuss..
set the slot cutter to cut a clearance sized slot...
I like BB ply for this....
since it's paneling don't glue in the splines... let things move as they see fit..


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

When I do a job like that I usually go with ship lap instead and I cut the rabbets on a jointer. It's the fastest way I know to do it. It looks about the same when installed.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

head of the class slotting cutter...
Freud Tools | 2" (Dia.) Stacked Slotting Set
can be had in single fixed sizes too...
more wings the better...


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> When I do a job like that I usually go with ship lap instead and I cut the rabbets on a jointer. It's the fastest way I know to do it. It looks about the same when installed.


ship lap uses up a a lot of material as in wastes...
bearing guided rabbet bit would be simpler...
Freud Tools | flush, 1/8",1/4",5/16",3/8",7/16",1/2" Depth Rabbeting Bit with Bearings


----------



## MYB506 (Dec 5, 2012)

I have made a lot of tongue and groove on the table saw with a dado and it goes pretty quick. The last I made from 1x6 but wanted the boards to look narrower so I used a molding cutter with a V knife to cut both the edge bevels and a fake bevel in the middle of the board. You could also use the table saw blade to bevel the edges. I guess I just like using the TS instead of the router when dealing with long boards. 

I'll be making more for a gazebo I plan to build this summer but I think I'll skip the tongue this time and use a plywood spline as Stick suggested.


----------



## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

You will see the splines after the wood fully dries, shrinks and separates.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Everend said:


> You will see the splines after the wood fully dries, shrinks and separates.


the tongues will show too and may even separate from the grove...
stain the ply or make splines from the original stock...


----------



## gmercer_48083 (Jul 18, 2012)

Corob CuttersQuenten, Corob moulding knives work on a table saw or radial arm saw, and thery work great! also resharpenable.


----------



## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

Stick486 said:


> the tongues will show too and may even separate from the grove...
> stain the ply or make splines from the original stock...


 yes tongues or splines will show. 

Last year I made a t&g plank door, banded in steel. I stacked and weighted the wood inside for 6 weeks before milling. I cut off or culled a lot of what I dried, about 1/2.


----------



## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

greenacres2 said:


> I'm in the spline camp as well, or board & batten. One problem with T & G will be the inconsistent thickness of the rough sawn lumber--splines will be much more gracious with that, as would board & batten. Another positive is that it would save the step of straight-lining every piece before starting the T & G process. Stick's thought to use plywood would add strength in the joint since the layers are alternated.
> 
> Just my $0.02 worth.
> 
> earl


Even with splines, aren't you going to need to true/parallel both edges in order to cut the groove for the spline?

I would question how dry the wood actually is if there's enough concern that the board is going to shrink enough to either expose the spline or have the tongue and groove disengage.


----------



## Tonto1 (Nov 10, 2016)

I'm planning to let the boards air dry for 1-3 months. I'll keep a check on them and when they start getting pretty light, move them into a homemade kiln (that I will make). Don't know how long the kiln will take...more research to do. But that should speed thing up! Hopefully by the end of the summer if all goes well! I explained about drying time to her already.


----------



## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Custom work. 50% $$ down.


----------



## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

My kiln... and the finished doors.


----------



## Tonto1 (Nov 10, 2016)

Thanks for all the ideas guy, y'all are to best!


----------

