Replies

1. 
   QCInspector | Aug 21, 2008 11:44am | #1

   Welcome to the forum.

   It would help if you could be a little more specific with your questions. Somebody almost always has a solution when we know more about what you're trying to achieve. Would also help if you added your city to your profile for future "where is the best place to get?" questions.

   Flutes on a turning, spindle or bowl? Straight or tapered sides of table legs? Flat work like pilasters for a fireplace? What tools do you have to work with?

1. 
   prh | Aug 21, 2008 12:16pm | #2

   Thank you for your reply. 

   The tapered flutes I need to do are on tapered flat legs. I have the use of a router.

   I do also have a photo of some fluting on a curved surface that I would like to make. Can pictures being put on this site ?

    

   Philip

   UK

1. 
   QCInspector | Aug 21, 2008 09:28pm | #5

   I would take a board/plywood and cut a straight slot in it to fit one of the guide bushings for my router. Clamp the leg under with the wider end closer to the jig. When you slide the router with a cove bit over you cut deeper and wider at the top making the taper as you go. If you don't have guide bushings for your router attach some wood to the top of the jig for the sides of the base to ride against.There is a red attach files box below the box you write your post in. Click it and you can add your pictures. Resize them to about 100K or less so they load faster (640 x 800 or so) for dial-up users.

1. 
   prh | Aug 21, 2008 10:27pm | #6

   Thank you for your information

    

   Philip

2. 
   joinerswork | Aug 21, 2008 03:14pm | #3

   prh,

   Easiest is to simply cut the flutes untapered, and arrange their spacing by means of a fence so that the spaces between them are tapered.  If the degree of taper is slight, and the flutes are not too long, this looks just as well, and is easier than tapering the fluting itself.

   If the flutes must be tapered, I've had success by making a sled type jig to which the stock to be tapered is clamped below,  with a channel above the work to guide the router.  The channel sides are adjustable, or made fixed, tapering in width, so that by sliding the base of the router first along one side, then the other, a tapered flute may be cut.  Adjustment and set up can be time consuming, so that if you only have a pair of legs, it may be simpler to just lay them out and carve them by hand with a gouge.  If the taper is considerable, you may want to clean up and deepen the wide end of the flutes by hand after you've routed them anyway.

   Ray

   edit: for tapering flutes on a turned shaft, a similar sled may be used on the lathe, clamped to the lathe bed, straddling the turning.

   
   

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   Edited 8/21/2008 8:16 am ET by joinerswork

1. 
   prh | Aug 21, 2008 06:58pm | #4

   Ray

    

   Thank you for your help. 

    

   Phil