Cutting a tapered 'filler' piece ?

[Michael Wildt]

I'm installing some kitchen wall cabinets, used for general storage. Unfortunately the ceiling is not level, old house. I have kept the wall cabinets level, but now I have a tapered gap ranging from 1/2" to 0 over the course of 70" or so (from top of wall cabinet towards ceiling). Would it be very difficult to cut a filler strip and than insert that and paint it white so this gap is less visible ?

I'm thinking of using a rockler taper jig on the table saw, but have not gotten it yet. I'm open for other ideas.

Michael

[Frank Drew]

Depends how accurate you want to make it, Michael. From 1/2" to 0" over almost six feet makes for a very thin wedge over a lot of its length. But you could cut something more or less close and fill in any gaps with latex caulk, then paint.

[Dennis McGarry]

Since I am not very good at cutting tapers that well, I would use either a piece of engineered crownmolding or take a nice piece of matching wood, and run it through the router and make a piece of crownmolding for it. hide the gap and also add a small little detail to it.

[Rod Sheridan]

Draw it out on a piece of 4" wide wood and hand plane the taper, with a bit of a back bevel.

Then rip it on the table saw, no tapering required.

Regards, Rod.

[Michael Wildt]

Thanks for the comments. Yes, the problem is that it will be very thin. I'm basically expecting it will break on the thin end, so having more than one piece is probably the way to go.

[Michael Wildt]

The crown molding or a molding in general is a good idea, unfortunately there is not enough space to put it in. I would have to drop the cabinets on the far end since they are closets to the ceiling in order to make room. Doing so will compromise the countertop to cabinet height, so that wont really work.

[Michael Wildt]

Very good suggestion. Thanks Rod.

[Dave Falkenstein]

I cut a taper very similar to what you described recently - it was from 1/8" to 5/8" over a 60" length. I used my Festool plunge circular saw and guide rails. I supported the guide rail to the left of the work piece and cut the taper from the right side. I cut two identical tapers to support a fish tank stand on a sloping floor. It worked perfectly.

[jim carter]

use a 3/4" x 1/8- 1/4" strip to hide the gap. or another size depending on the space between the top of the doors and the ceiling. quick an easy. a picture would help.

[Curt Harms]

Draw it out on a piece of 4" wide wood and hand plane the taper, with a bit of a back bevel.

Then rip it on the table saw, no tapering required.

Regards, Rod.

Take 2 1X4's for sake of discussion. Fasten one 1X4 on top of the other but offset one end by the required taper. Run the piece not being tapered against the fence. This will result in the desired piece being tapered. Here's a list of similar jigs:
http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2009/02/09/6-table-saw-jointing-jig-plans-straight-edge-no-jointer/

I don't think this link violates any TOS criteria. Many ways to skin this cat.

HTH

Curt

[Prashun Patel]

The problem with a taper jig on a table saw is that it works best for short pieces, since you have to be able to move the jig the entire length of the piece.

When I have to taper filler pieces or crown moulding, it's usually easier to scribe the piece with a pencil and then use a belt sander to sand up to the line. A hand plane'll work too. Your ceiling probably isn't perfectly flat anyway, so this method might actually provide a truer fit.

[harry strasil]

+1 for Curts suggestion, its a lot easier and simpler that way. Using this method, cut the taper on a 35 inch piece, then rip the other half off of the remnant that has the same taper, easier to handle that way, and less waste.

[Michael Wildt]

Thank you all. I knew there was good solutions for this problem out on this forum. I will try some of them and then see how that works. Basically save the fund for the taper jig towards something more useful at this time.

Michael

[Jason Beam]

You sure the gap is straight?

In addition to unlevel ceilings, I've never found one with a straight span of more than a foot or two ... if it's wavy, I'd scribe it.

Hold up a piece of your filler material and run a compass along it, with the pin on the ceiling and the pencil drawing a line that matches the contours.

Then with a jigsaw or bandsaw, cut along that line - it may be best to use a jigsaw, tipped at 2-3 degrees UNDER to make sure that the filler strip makes contact AT the face of your filler strip rather than back inside, leaving yet another gap.

If your cabinets are straight, you can simply slice off your scribed edge at the widths desired.

Another way to guarantee the right sized bit is to set your compass so that the "zero" side puts the pencil right at the further corner of your filler piece and run it to the other end - basically leaving a "gap sized" piece that you just have to cut off with your jigsaw staying OUTSIDE the line.

[harry strasil]

Micheal, build yourself a taper cutting sled, heres mine.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/tapersled.jpg

[phil harold]

+1 for Curts suggestion




I like Harry's jig

Harry look for a pm for my address, so you cans send the jig :rolleyes: