Replies

1. 
   jako17 | Jul 27, 2004 03:53am | #1

   If it doesn't feel good to You then it isn't .Lack of confidence leads to trouble.Make yourself a wooden one that you feel good about, using the metal one as a pattern.

1. 
   bleubassplyr | Jul 27, 2004 05:35am | #2

   View Image

   I hope the photo shows up. This is the type of jig I'm talking about.There are more old drunkards than old doctors.  Ben Franklin

1. 
   robkelly | Jul 27, 2004 06:51am | #3

   I've got the same one, used it safely for years. The only problem is that it's not long enough to do 32" table legs, which I rough cut on the BS and cut to line on the jointer.

2. 
   301 | Jul 27, 2004 07:08am | #4

   I have one too and it scares me as well so it has sat and gathered dust for at least 6 years and maybe longer.  I prefer making tapers on a jointer.

3. 
   CharlieP | Jul 27, 2004 07:09am | #5

   I got one of those a few months ago, and it feels much safer than the rickety home-made one I had been using for years. ________________________Charlie Plesums  Austin, Texashttp://www.plesums.com/wood

2. 
   notDusty | Jul 27, 2004 05:25pm | #6

              I also have one like your picture but have never used it. Seems as though it has  limitations mostly for longer pieces to be tapered. I was taught to make taper jigs out of any 3/4" scrap sheet goods. Depending on the thickness of the piece you are tapering you can fashion some holdowns to ease your fears of danger. Whatever the taper amount is you cut a portion out of the jig , leaving a place or heel in the back of the jig to help push the piece through the saw.Make the jig longer and 3 or 4" wider than need be to leave more space between the fence and the blade. If tapering a leg or whatever on all 4 sides you will have to add a small block on the jig when you get to the sides that have already been tapered.

                              good luck         dusty

3. 
   Wolfman | Jul 27, 2004 06:16pm | #7

   I've also got one of those jigs, but mines gathering dust. I prefer to cut my tapers on the bandsaw and finish up with a plane. Usually the stock I am cutting is very narrow, and I don't like my fingers that close to the table saw blade.

   B.O.B.

1. 
   bleubassplyr | Jul 27, 2004 06:24pm | #8

   There is something about that jig that feels inherintly unsafe. I guess it's because the handle location doesn't allow you to push the work piece against the fence and the work piece isn't held down. The latest legs I've made have been on the band saw and finished shaping with a plane. Thanks again.There are more old drunkards than old doctors.  Ben Franklin

1. 
   BG | Jul 27, 2004 06:35pm | #10

   Bleu,

   I agree, there is something inherently weak in the design and scary about using.  I have made two jigs for longer legs and use an ice pick to put a bit of pressure on the stock...but it's still a white knuckler....with all the things to concentrate on.

   I gotta believe using the cross cut sled could provide a safer route...but I never have gotten around to building a jig for the sled...

1. 
   bleubassplyr | Jul 27, 2004 06:39pm | #12

   I think I may stick with the band saw and plane routine for now. I cannot imagine a 2 1/2" square maple table leg flying back before I could move. Yikes!There are more old drunkards than old doctors.  Ben Franklin

4. 
   forestgirl | Jul 27, 2004 06:26pm | #9

   I would be especially nervous using one of those to cut legs (as opposed to a piece of ply as shown in the picture, where my fingers were at least a little further away from the blade).  There are several plans scattered throughout various publications, which provide for a tapering jig with hold-downs.  They are also much more substantial than that piece of aluminum.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   bleubassplyr | Jul 27, 2004 06:37pm | #11

   I've cut plenty of table legs with that jig but I've used my left hand to hold down the piece. Dumb. I bought a cabinet saw a couple years ago and now look at that jig and cringe.There are more old drunkards than old doctors.  Ben Franklin

5. 
   user-247493 | Jul 27, 2004 07:23pm | #13

   I also have one of those taper jigs gathering dust.  What I use instead is a jig I made with 5/8 plywood and 2 toggle clamps.  I cut a piece about 8" wide and attached a 2" cleat to it with 2 screws.  I mounted 2 toggle clamps on the cleat to hold the piece down.  Just line up the line of the taper with the edge of the jig, clamp it and run it through the saw.  I've tried to draw it.  Try not to laugh.

1. 
   user-247493 | Jul 27, 2004 07:27pm | #14

   I don't think the diagram got loaded

   
1. 
   bleubassplyr | Jul 27, 2004 07:33pm | #15

   I was unable to load the drawing.There are more old drunkards than old doctors.  Ben Franklin

1. 
   user-247493 | Jul 27, 2004 08:40pm | #17

   try this

   
1. 
   bleubassplyr | Jul 27, 2004 09:13pm | #18

   Still no luck.There are more old drunkards than old doctors.  Ben Franklin

2. 
   BArnold | Jul 27, 2004 09:59pm | #21

   I'm new to FWW, but have been taking Wood Magazine forever.  The October 2003 issue has what appears to be a good design for a tapering jig.  Check it here:

   http://www.woodmagazine.com/wood/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/wood/story/data/489.xml

   Bill Arnold

   Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

3. 
   AlanWS | Jul 27, 2004 11:25pm | #23

   Here's Jim Sprague's figure, converted from bmp to jpg so it takes about 3% as much space. (Lots of programs will do that. I used Photodeluxe.)

   Why not use the tapering jig on the bandsaw?

   Edited 7/27/2004 4:29 pm ET by AlanS

   
4. 
   user-247493 | Jul 28, 2004 08:19am | #25

   thanks Alan.  I'll pay better attention next time.

5. 
   Dan019 | Jul 28, 2004 04:31pm | #26

   JimSprague and BArnold are on the right path if'in you want to keep your fingers.

   I’ve made those other jigs, but never used them because my inner voice was saying “this aint a good idea!” I usually listen to him because he’s usually right.

    

   That being said I’ll try to explain my jig. It’s simply a plywood sled with glued up 2 x material as the fence. The fence is as thick ( + or - ) as the table legs being tapered. This fence is screwed to the sled from underneath at your desired taper.

    

   On top of the fence are 2 D-Sta-Co clamps that hold the leg rock solid. If you taper only 2 sides, just cut turn and cut and your done. If you taper all 4 sides, simply insert one of the taper cutoffs under the taper. This will hold the leg up and in position for cuts 3 & 4. This is easier done than said, I hope this makes some sense. I’ll post some pic.s if anyone wants to see it.

    

   I’ve cut dozens of legs this way and found this to be the safest as far as my fingers being the max distance away from the blade.

    

   Dan

    

   Edited 7/28/2004 9:32 am ET by Dan019

6. 
   bleubassplyr | Jul 27, 2004 08:32pm | #16

   Excellent idea. My only concern would be in taking a half inch cut on a jointer.

   There are more old drunkards than old doctors.  Ben Franklin

1. 
   JerryPacMan | Jul 27, 2004 09:50pm | #19

   I am sorry as the link I provided is not the way I taper legs on a jointer as a 1/2" cut is not needed and not safe as you stated.  I will try to describe my method.  Woodsmith #61 shows a slightly different method.  I set my infeed table for a 1/8" cut and do 2 passes on a side for a 1/4" taper.  Do 2 3/16" passes for a 3/8" taper.  I clamp a block of wood to the infeed table.  This is used as a stop and is set to the length of the taper desired.  I put the end of the leg against the stop and lower the leg into the cutter head.  Run the leg across the cutterhead with both hands over the infeed table and/or use a push block.   

   Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans .

2. 
   jako17 | Jul 27, 2004 09:57pm | #20

   Don't even think about 1/2" cuts on a jointer  IMHO you need to do some reading!Consider photos of your fingers to have something to remember how they looked

   Edited 7/27/2004 3:00 pm ET by jako

1. 
   bleubassplyr | Jul 27, 2004 10:43pm | #22

   I agree. 1/2" jointer cut seems verrrry dangerous. So far the best and safest method I've seen is cutting with the band saw and hand planing to final dimensions.There are more old drunkards than old doctors.  Ben Franklin

2. 
   JohnWW | Jul 28, 2004 06:47pm | #28

   Jako,

   Taper cuts on a jointer are not done in a single pass, you take multiple passes on each face of the leg, removing a small amount at a time.  It is one of the fastest ways to taper a leg, no jigs are involved and a finished surface is produced at the same time that the taper is being cut.

   John W.

7. 
   Andrew | Jul 28, 2004 03:04am | #24

   If your worried you could use some double sided tape to hold the peice to the jig.

   Andrew

8. 
   MatthewSchenker | Jul 28, 2004 05:01pm | #27

   I've seen these, but I have never owned one.

   But then again, I don't own a table saw!

   I cut all my tapered legs on a band saw. It's safe, easy to follow the cut line, and a lot more enjoyable. I clean up the edges by jointing on the router table.