Chisel Handle Socket Taper Jig

[harry strasil]

I just remembered an old Machinists trick/jig for tapers that will work for turning chisel handle tapers for socket chisels.


The Jig for finding the taper. A dowel with a hole drilled thru the center and then a slot cut in it, a smaller dowel to slide thru it, and a hose clamp to secure it in place.




The Jig for duplicating the taper.




Setting the taper.




After turning to approx size, use the Jig to TRY the taper carefully so as not to disturb the setting.

[Bill Houghton]

That's a keeper for sure.

[Todd Burch]

Great idea Harry! Thanks for sharing. I'll be using this.

[Jim Koepke]

Interesting and simple, just what is needed in the shop. I will have to give it a try.

jim

[Don C Peterson]

That's a terrific idea Jr., thanks for sharing it. I'll adapt it and use it to make a new wedge for an old woodie shoulder plane.

[George Sanders]

Thanks Harry. My experiments with turning tapers for my chisels have been hit or miss, mostly miss. I often have to add shims to get them to stay on. I'm going to make that thing today. It looks like it will take the guesswork of of the process.

[Jim Kountz]

Good idea Harry, I'll have to give it a try. Plaster of Paris with a release agent of some kind works good too but this looks less messy!!

[Ray Sheley]

Very slick solution Harry, thanks for sharing.

For this particular jig, please give me some idea of scale (Large diameter dowel vs. small) I can see that several jigs might be needed depending on the range of taper diameters that you would be working with. I suspect that something that is 1/2" Large diameter to 1/4" small diameter would be pretty versatile.

[harry strasil]

all you need is two different sized dowels, as long as the smaller one is larger than the end of the taper and the larger one is small enough to fit down inside the top opening, the taper will be correct as long as both are touching someplace inside the socket taper.