Recently, I had to shorten some factory-made tapered legs. To make sure the cut was perpendicular to the centerline of the legs, I used the following simple method: I cut two identical squares larger than the diameter of the leg. Then I drilled a different-sized hole in each of the squares. When the squares are pushed onto the leg, one is wedged near the small end and the other near the big end. When pressed against a radial-arm saw fence, the blocks will hold the leg in exactly the right position for cutting. The system can be used with round or square tapered legs.

Bernie Badler, Castro Valley, Calif.

Fine Woodworking Magazine, February 1995 No. 110

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