# Ideas for 20" wide fluting jig?



## whizkid (Jan 19, 2011)

Hi all, I need to pick your respective brains for a jig idea! 
I'm building a fireplace mantel and need to flute the face of the mantel. I have 2 spots that are about 8" tall X 20" wide. I'd like to stop the fluting rather than run them off the ends. 
I've seen a rockler fluting jig that looks great, but only does a max of 8" wide, and I need 20". Any ideas for making my own jig?
Thanks!
GH


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## RJM (Apr 11, 2010)

:nhl_checking:


whizkid said:


> Hi all, I need to pick your respective brains for a jig idea!
> I'm building a fireplace mantel and need to flute the face of the mantel. I have 2 spots that are about 8" tall X 20" wide. I'd like to stop the fluting rather than run them off the ends.
> I've seen a rockler fluting jig that looks great, but only does a max of 8" wide, and I need 20". Any ideas for making my own jig?
> Thanks!
> GH


 
Milescraft Circle Jig - comes with an edge guide - beam is calibrated.

If not long enough, maybe you can hit it from opposite edges.


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## whizkid (Jan 19, 2011)

Robert,
Thanks for the quick reply! I looked up the Milescraft and it gets bad reviews due to excessive play and cheap (plastic) parts. Do you have one and do you like it? 
I am a bit leery about a small edge fence rather than a large, sled type jig. Any ideas along those lines?
Thanks again for the quick answer...
GH


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi 

This may do the job 
The jig can be made on the router table (with the stick way and a trim bit/pattern bit) or with plunge router.

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## whizkid (Jan 19, 2011)

Bobj3,
This is so simple it's perfect! Just what I was looking for! (Now how do I make the jig?).
GH


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi GH

What router are you going to use ? (plunge/router table)

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whizkid said:


> Bobj3,
> This is so simple it's perfect! Just what I was looking for! (Now how do I make the jig?).
> GH


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## whizkid (Jan 19, 2011)

Plunge router. I don't have a table.
GH


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi GH

Just put some 2 x 4's down on some scrap plywood (screw down), stick the MDF to the 2 x 4"s , it's just the same way but the sticks are on the bottom side of the MDF, drop the trim bit in the hole and go around the inside of the sticks..check the slots with the brass guide b/4 you take the sticks off the MDF..  when you get done just pop in your 3/4" brass guide on the bottom of your router select the bit you want to use for the flutes,,,a core bit/round nose works well for that job..

http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-router-template-guide-set-95160.html
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_core.html
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_core.html#Round_Nose_Anchor


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whizkid said:


> Plunge router. I don't have a table.
> GH


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

whizkid said:


> Hi all, I need to pick your respective brains for a jig idea!
> I'm building a fireplace mantel and need to flute the face of the mantel. I have 2 spots that are about 8" tall X 20" wide. I'd like to stop the fluting rather than run them off the ends.
> I've seen a rockler fluting jig that looks great, but only does a max of 8" wide, and I need 20". Any ideas for making my own jig?
> Thanks!
> GH


You could build a jig similar to Rocklers with ½" MDF and a plastic base for the router.
In stead of putting the slots in the plastic for lateral movement, put the slots in the MDF.

I built mine for 12" wide moulding. 

Al


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

That would be great if you are going to do it more than one time if not a quick template should do the trick.. 

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## walowan (Jan 21, 2011)

For a one time deal I would just use a long guide fence to run the router agianst...


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Michael

A long fence would work but it's hard not to get the snake slots with a fence I would use the RAS for the job but most don't have that type of setup on the RAS..

Very easy job on a RAS, just drop the head and do a flute slot thing..just like a over head pin router setup..or just use the new MLCS router setup.

MLCS PowerLift Motorized Router Lift

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walowan said:


> For a one time deal I would just use a long guide fence to run the router agianst...


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## whizkid (Jan 19, 2011)

*Final Results!*

Sorry this took so long, but it really did take me a while to figure this out and complete the project. 
The first picture is the jig I came up with. I found that the MDF was too thin and flimsy to work with the very close spacing I wanted for my fluting. I broke my first attempt at a jig because of this. I ended up making a jig for every 4th flute, and moving the jig 3 times, very precisely, to get all the flutes I wanted.
The second picture is a close up of my work.
The third picture is a picture of the completed fireplace mantle with both sides fluted. 
Again, thanks for the expert help with my project. You guys are the best!


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## the202 (Feb 11, 2011)

Phenomenal. What a beautiful mantel, your work is outstanding!


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

Seconded !

How did you do the tiny balls on the mouldings?

Cheers

Peter


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## Tempest (Jan 7, 2011)

the202 said:


> Phenomenal. What a beautiful mantel, your work is outstanding!


+1

The fluting was a great way to add detail to that flat field.


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## garycurtis (Sep 17, 2007)

To better than the Milescraft you might consider the MicroFence jig. They get pricey, but boy, do the male useful and nice equipment. If you go to their website, they have a few demo videos. One shows how to make parallel flutes.

Go to: Micro Fence - Precision tools for the discerning craftsman

As you learn about woodworking, you'll begin to appreciate quality in your equipment. In particular, folks with routers complain about accuracy in their results. I have a Festool router, and even with that level of quality — made in Germany — errors creep in because a table wasn't flat, or a square wasn't a true 90 ° , or a guide wasn't plumb.

You just heard an attack on the MilesCraft. I would guess, like much hardware, it was made of pressed steel and plastic by guys who didn't care all that much. There are alternatives.


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

istracpsboss said:


> How did you do the tiny balls on the mouldings?
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Peter


I was wondering the same thing. Perhaps it's an off the shelf moulding, or maybe he nailed on a thousand upholstery tacks. :no:


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

istracpsboss said:


> Seconded !
> 
> How did you do the tiny balls on the mouldings?
> 
> ...


You can buy molding with that detail as part of the profile.


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## whizkid (Jan 19, 2011)

Thanks guys! My wife designs these things and I build them just for our house. I couldn't have figured out the fluting without your input though. 
To answer your questions: the molding with the balls is from White River: Look on the whiteriver web site for the "Mon Reale PM8522POP"
The appliques and the molding we bought through DecoratorsSupply in Chicago. They were the best for shipping. The molding was $3.74/foot and the appliques were $42 for the center one and $20.50 each for the side ones.


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