In Search Of A Tapering Jig

[scott vroom]

I'm searching for a tapering jig, initially to make table legs. I've looked at several videos here and on YouTube and most are based on a sled, straight edge, and hold down mechanisms. Below is a vid that was posted recently on another SMC thread. Seems that the initial setup is good for repeating cuts on 2 adjacent sides of a leg, but that to taper the sides opposite the cut sides requires resetting the blocks. Easy enough. But I don't understand how to ensure the saw blade first enters the leg at precisely the same point as on the opposing side. In other words, say for example that the initial cuts started precisely at 4" from the leg end. When moving the blocks and re-doing the setup for the opposite side of the leg, how can I ensure the blade enters the wood at precisely 4" from the end? Am I making sense? Not sure how else to ask the question. Any tricks that I'm missing?

http://www.finewoodworking.com/works...ering-jig.aspx

[Nelson Howe]

Scott, I built basically just that jig. It works great. When you realign for the next cuts, you line up your layout line with the edge of the jig. The edge of the jig is precisely where the cut will be, so your cut will be as accurate as your ability to put your line on the edge of the jig.

Nelson

[scott vroom]

Thanks Nelson....that's what I thought. I'll build a jig and give it a go.

[John TenEyck]

Scott, you ought to look at this one by Steve Latta in FWW #229: http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/...g-tapering-jig

John

[glenn bradley]

I had rendered down a number of designs into the things that were important to me only to find the Woodsmith version had everything I was after. Mine varies a bit in capacity but, is generally the same.

Taper Jig (13).jpgTaper Jig (15).jpgTaper Jig (17).jpg

The leg rotates on a pin so any number of sides can be done without a change in setup or keeping track of cut-offs to tape back on.

[scott vroom]

Glenn, do you drill the holes in the leg on a drill press? If so, how do you hold the leg on the table in a vertical position?

[Paul Girouard]

I built this one years ago,



Then was given a gift card and got one from Rockler :
The photo won't load from PB , so look it up on Rackler's webpage , sorry.


PB decided to work:







They are odd to use , everything you've run thru a table saw is run straight along the fence, there's a optical challenge when you use one that you need to be aware of.

[Vince Shriver]

Glen Huey has a video doing a tapered leg on the jointer.

[steve joly]

If it is an option the jointer works great and does perfect tapers

[James Zhu]

Glen Huey has a video doing a tapered leg on the jointer.

It is the most dangerous way doing tapered leg I have ever seen, he really should remove that youtube video.

[Bill Huber]

My jig is a lot like Glenn's but the big difference is I do not use the miter slot, I use the fence to ride the jig along.

What this does is let me use much wider boards. I don't have a stop on the end what I do is just mark the tapper and then line it up with the edge of the jig. I do have a removeable fence on it so I can do repeated cuts but I don't use it that much.

A tapering jig can be used for more then just doing tapers, like when you have a board that has no straight edge, you can make a straight edge on one side and then use that edge against the fence for the other side.

I just make some Christmas tree things for the grand-kids and used the jig for that, marked the angle and then measured from the edge of the jig to the mark on each end and cut it, they came out great. The little trees were 18" high and 12" wide, if I had used the miter slot I would not have been able to cut them. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...g-for-the-kids

tj.jpg

[Jim Finn]

It is the most dangerous way doing tapered leg I have ever seen, he really should remove that youtube video.

I agree! 100%

[steve joly]

Sorry to get off topic a little but why is it unsafe? I've had good luck with it but I'm not interested in continuing to do something that is dangerous and certainly wouldn't want to recommend someone else do it.

[scott vroom]

Sorry to get off topic a little but why is it unsafe? I've had good luck with it but I'm not interested in continuing to do something that is dangerous and certainly wouldn't want to recommend someone else do it.

I don't see the danger as long as the guard is in place...maybe the other guys can explain?

Safety issues aside, Huey's jointer method seems to be a whole lot more effort and time vs using a TS tapering jig.

[James Zhu]

Sorry to get off topic a little but why is it unsafe? I've had good luck with it but I'm not interested in continuing to do something that is dangerous and certainly wouldn't want to recommend someone else do it.

Check the comments under the video.

I was very nervous when he used the small push sticks applying downward pressure to push the leg with two contacting points thru the cutter. The worst scenario I could see is your hands run into the cutter because of the kickback or your push stick somehow slips.

The only safe way doing tapered leg on joiner is to build a bridge type jig with leg firmly secured under it plus some stops for fast repeatable cut, so your hands are away from the cutter.