This tip is by Jodee from Inspire Woodcraft. It’s a clever and efficient way to cut joinery shims or spline stock using a sliding miter saw—especially useful if you don’t have access to a table saw.
The technique focuses on safely producing thin, consistent cuts that match the width of your saw blade. It’s perfect for reinforcing miter joints or creating splines with clean, accurate sizing.
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Why This Technique Matters
Creating thin shims that match the kerf of your saw blade is a great way to strengthen joinery without adding bulk. This method is especially useful for miter joints, where adding a spline can improve both strength and appearance.
Jodee’s approach eliminates the need for a table saw or specialty jigs. It’s a simple setup that works with standard shop tools and takes up less space—ideal for small workshops.
Choosing the Right Material
Success starts with good material. Stable, well-milled hardwood is ideal for this process. Avoid wood with excessive movement or warping, since it can throw off the accuracy of your cuts.
You’ll want to label and store the finished shims for future use. This saves time when you need more later, as you won’t have to repeat the setup process from scratch.
At least one long edge of your stock should be parallel and straight. This allows you to flip the piece with confidence that both cuts will align accurately.
Step-by-Step Setup
Begin by clamping or taping a squared-off block of wood to your miter saw table. This block acts as your fixed reference edge.
Next, slide a second piece up against it and square off the edge. Both blocks should now sit side by side, with their reference faces aligned for consistent cuts.
The next step is to make a shallow, non-through cut using the depth stop on your miter saw. Set the depth so that about 1/8″ of material remains uncut at the bottom. This allows you to establish the exact width of your saw blade safely.
A temporary spacer—like a small offcut or feeler gauge—goes between your wood and the fence to control the position of your cut. It’s critical for getting clean, controlled results.
Making the Precision Cut
Once your first cut is made, flip the second block over and place it on a scrap board to elevate it slightly. Position the cut shoulder flush with the reference block’s end.
Now remove the original reference block and replace it with a stop block that’s positioned exactly one saw blade’s width away from the blade. This creates the gap you’ll need for a shim that matches your kerf.
Make the cut, and the piece that drops off will be your perfectly sized shim or spline stock. Repeat as needed to produce multiple pieces from a single board.
Safety and Efficiency Tips
A sharp blade is key to avoiding tear-out and getting a clean edge. Dull blades can cause burning or chipping—especially dangerous when cutting thin stock.
Always use clamps or other holding tools to secure your material. Even small pieces can shift during cutting, so avoid using your hands close to the blade.
This technique also minimizes waste. Instead of cutting an entire board into narrow strips on a table saw, you can produce only as many splines as you need with very little scrap.
Why It’s Worth Learning
Having the ability to make custom shims and splines opens up a lot of possibilities in woodworking. It’s especially helpful when you need to reinforce miters, repair gaps, or add decorative elements to joints.
Using a miter saw instead of a table saw means this technique is available to more woodworkers, even those with limited space or tool access. It’s fast, repeatable, and easy to modify based on your material and project needs.
Jodee’s Teaching Style
One of the highlights of this tip is Jodee’s practical teaching style. He explains the logic behind each step and offers small details that make a big difference in safety and results.
Even experienced woodworkers can pick up something new here. His channel is full of these types of small-shop tips that help make the most of your tools and material.
Final Thoughts
Cutting spline stock or joinery shims on a sliding miter saw is a smart, space-saving skill. With just a few pieces of scrap wood and a little attention to setup, you can make accurate, repeatable cuts that improve your joinery work.
Jodee’s method takes a task that usually requires a table saw and turns it into something any woodworker can do with a standard miter saw setup.
Support Jodee by visiting his online store here: https://inspirewoodcraft.com/collections/all.