Tapering Jig


adkinsjd

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I've found a couple of different plans for a tapering jig. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with either or opinions about which one is better/safer.

This one seems easier to make, but I think it may not be quite as safe?

http://woodworking.about.com/od/woodworkingplansdesigns/ss/TaperingJig.htm

I kind of like this one better because of the hold downs, but it will take up more room on the shelf than the first which is a slight concern in my little shop.

http://www.woodsmithtips.com/2009/10/01/adjustable-taper-jig/

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

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One problem I have found with taper jigs that involve a plywood base is that you lose the thickness of the plywood from the maximum size leg you can taper. My 10" saw has a maximum depth of cut of 3 1/8" so a 1/2 plywood base would limit me to about a 2 1/2" leg. I recently built a table for my wife's sewing machine where I used legs that were just short of 3" square at the top.

I make a jig out of a piece of 2 x 4 by squaring it up then tapering it on my jointer. I add a stop on one end resulting in a jig that is similar to the basic hinged aluminum jig except that it is about 3" high.

I can use this jig on my table saw or band saw with a fence to cut the taper. I can then move to my drum sander or planer and use the same jig to remove the saw marks. Just be careful of the feed direction. I had a fairly spectacular kickback when I fed the stopped end of the jig into my drum sander.

Mike

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  • 1 month later...

I'll second Russ's comment. Charles Neil's jig is well done. He evolves his jigs frequently. Not too soon after that video, Rockler came out with a new 'familiar' taper jig.

I should make one... I end up using ply, screws, and scrap to make one for the project then toss it back into the scrap pile. For anything larger than the capacity of my table saw, I'd use the bandsaw. Actually, even nearing the capacity of my table saw, I'd prefer the bandsaw. Planing the tapers clean of bandsaw marks is trivial on a taper... plane "down hill".

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  • 3 months later...

The second one for sure. The only addition I would make is a runner on the bottom rather than guiding it along the fence. This ensures a dead straight cut, no trapping the jig between the blade and fence, and you can trim the edge of the sled exactly to the blade, which helps to align the workpiece.

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I made the "Wood shop" tapering jig a few years ago and have used it quite a bit. I really like it and have also used it to true-up the edges of curved or rough cut lumber.

My brother made that one first and convinced me to try it too. It took some time and the cost of hardware (all-thread and knobs) but it has lasted quite well. I made the base exactly 7" wide so when I need to use it, I just set my fence at 7" and go for it! I also added a 1/4" hole and a piece of dowel for a stop at the back edge for repeat cutting.

Rog

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Here is a taper jig that I started throwing together last night. I just need to make a few t-slots in the sled. When I'm finished this jig will be a combination of this:

http://www.rockler.c...ter=taper%20jig

and this:

http://www.rockler.c...age=18063&rrt=1

WeM1N.jpg

I need to buy some hardware if I cant find something that will work in my "misc bolts" case, but all in all I'll have about $10 in this.

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  • 1 month later...

To much work for me. :) I just by the elcheapo $20 one from rockler its much like the plain jane one posted above but metal. There is a plan out there somewhere that wood magazine did years ago maybe 10 or 15 that was a jig that made it easy to do a 4 sided taper. Its a sled type but uses a center pin to support the stock so all sides can be tapered.

Don

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  • 2 months later...

I have both styles. An el cheapo like the $20 Rockler jigs and a shop made one, similiar to the second one in the first post.

They both work. For some quick tapers, I might grab the cheapo one.

I like the other one better. It's also good for cleaning up an uneven edge. It's nice to be able to just line the cut line up with the edge of the jig, clamp it down and make the cut.

A long one can be used to make bowed boards straight.

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  • 2 weeks later...

To much work for me. :) I just by the elcheapo $20 one from rockler its much like the plain jane one posted above but metal. There is a plan out there somewhere that wood magazine did years ago maybe 10 or 15 that was a jig that made it easy to do a 4 sided taper. Its a sled type but uses a center pin to support the stock so all sides can be tapered.

Don

how safe is the cheap $20 rockler one? i am looking to buy one for my next project.
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I'm a sled guy myself, preferably in the miter slot. The hinged versions are evil.

My sleds take 15 minutes to build. if you're slow... B)

They are simply one runner brad nailed to a floor, with cleats screwed to the floor. For different tapers, simply unscrew the cleats and move them. Two Destaco clamps hold the stock to the floor. I batch out runner stock from 1/4" Baltic Birch plywood scrap when I'm planing, I always have some on hand. I can share pics of the 15 minute taper sled upon request.

To the thickness issue... Sleds work on band saws, too.

One of the nice things about sleds is that you can use the offcuts and carpet tape as shims to easily do 3+ sided tapers.

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Sure!

Pictures here

The pictures do not show Destaco hold-down clamps that I screw to the unit, because I couldn't quickly draw them in Sketchup. Any hold down will work, but you MUST use some sort of holding clamp.

I also uploaded a Sketchup model.

Make the floor slightly oversize, one pass along the saw trims it to perfect, zero clearance, size. All other dimensions are not critical. A good all-rounder is ~ 36" long.

The beauty of this sled is that the edge of the floor becomes the exact cut line. This makes it silly simple to see where the cut will land all the way down the stock, and leaves chip-free edges sharp enough to surgically cut you. DAMHIKT :blink:

I've made these from 1 foot to 7 feet long for special projects. For more than 2 sides, reattach the offcut with carpet tape. Slide it down the cut before reattaching, as you have to account for the material removed by the kerf. Don't forget, for burn-free smoothest cuts, use a good, stout rip blade.

If you're near the top of the blade, use 1/4" floor material instead of 3/4", and screw the cleats on from underneath.

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Sure!

Pictures here

The pictures do not show Destaco hold-down clamps that I screw to the unit, because I couldn't quickly draw them in Sketchup. Any hold down will work, but you MUST use some sort of holding clamp.

I also uploaded a Sketchup model.

Make the floor slightly oversize, one pass along the saw trims it to perfect, zero clearance, size. All other dimensions are not critical. A good all-rounder is ~ 36" long.

The beauty of this sled is that the edge of the floor becomes the exact cut line. This makes it silly simple to see where the cut will land all the way down the stock, and leaves chip-free edges sharp enough to surgically cut you. DAMHIKT :blink:

I've made these from 1 foot to 7 feet long for special projects. For more than 2 sides, reattach the offcut with carpet tape. Slide it down the cut before reattaching, as you have to account for the material removed by the kerf. Don't forget, for burn-free smoothest cuts, use a good, stout rip blade.

If you're near the top of the blade, use 1/4" floor material instead of 3/4", and screw the cleats on from underneath.

Barry,

Sketchup didn't load. Can you try again?

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Barry,

Sketchup didn't load. Can you try again?

Works fine here, and I'm on a different computer and a different internet service from where I uploaded.

By "didn't load", do you mean the "file is read only" message box? If so, simply click OK. You can view, take measurements, rotate, and print the file. To modify it, simply "save as" whatever you want to call it and change away.

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  • 1 month later...

Brian,

That will work great with one caveat...

If you add a runner or make sure it's ALWAYS used with a splitter or riving knife, it gets much safer. The runner, splitter, or RK prevents the jig from turning away from the fence, catching rising blade teeth, and kicking back.

The article shows the tool being used without a splitter or riving knife. This raises the potential for it to kick back like any other rip under the same circumstances.

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