How to pin groove timber ?

Question

Anybody know what machinery/equipment is used to pin groove (or is it called reeding?) timber batons? I've googled et al and can't find any info on it, which leads me to think I may be using the wrong name for it. What I want to end up with is the sides of timber batons grooved with parallel ribs each about 4mm across and in relief (not grooved into the wood as in fluted grooves). You see this in some garden structures, pergola legs etc. - basically what I want to use it in myself.

I wondered if you could do it with a planer/jointer with special blades. Anybody seen this done?

Anybody got any experience of this?

Many thanks, Neil

Man at B&Q · Accepted Answer

Either way, you still have "grooves." You have to start with more wood and remove some of it with "grooves" to get the rest "in relief".

It would be less confusing if you described the profile, width and depth of the material to be removed by the tool (the "grooves"), unless you want to make the ribs and stick them on ;-)

You could certainly do it with a Router?

Unless I've totally misunderstood.

MBQ

George · Answer

Ain't got a clue what ya mean? perhaps an ascii pic would help?

Neil Ross · Answer

Okay understood - I'll take a photo and post it somewhere for reference.Cheers  - Neil

robgraham · Answer

Well I fully understand what he means but then I am a competent woodworker and can understand these descriptions which are quite adequate.

You will need to look for access to a spindle moulder to do such a moulding unless you either bodge it with a router or buy in mouldings and plant them on the surface.

For spindle moulding cutters look at the Axminster website, or their catalogue pages 80 to 90.

Rob

dom · Answer

I think you're describing beading or reeding:

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you will be limited to the height of the cutter for the width of your timber (or twice that if you can do a pass from the other side).

I'd think you'd really want a router table to get a consistent finish.

Alternatively you could make up a jig and cut each reed individually, if you're willing to put that much time into producing a moulding.

You did mention garden timber, so I guess this may be beyond the capacity of a router. This would normally be done (in a professional workshop) with a spindle moulder:

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George · Answer

>Hah,now I see what he wants :-)This will do it if he has a router table and 1/2" router.

Ex-tiscali · Answer

the link showing the spindle moulder profile knife is pretty much what I want, or would do.  I just wondered if there was such a thing as planer blades with profiled edges similar to that, which would have been ideal.This is pretty much exactly the profile I was trying to explain ideally I would like to profile 100mm wide posts uniformly across their width - see photo here: guess the router bits may have to do as a compromise.Many thanks to all who replied,Neil

dom · Answer

Thicknessers don't have the necessary tracking to keep a board in alignment as it passes through. I guess it could be done on a planer, but I've never heard of planer knives like that.

Tricky without some serious machinery. You might manage it with that axminster/perform bit with a bit extension (in a table with a beast that size!) and 2 passes from each side - but it would be hard to maintain everything in good alignment.

Autolycus · Answer

I have a moulding (aka shaping) head for my Radial Arm saw. Takes a bit of setting up, but works as a poor man's spindle moulder.

Mine's DeWalt kit, but see

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some cutter examples. You can also make your own cutters - mild steel is OK for short runs.

Stuart Noble · Answer

Used to be able to get those for sawbenches as well. Very tedious, however you do it

How to pin groove timber ?

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