How to make tapered octagon?

[Royce Meritt]

Hey everyone! I need to make 2 taped octagons from solid stock. I will start with a solid blank about 24" long. One needs to taper from approx. 7/8" at the small end to approx. 1 1/8" at the large end. The other will taper from about 1 1/4" at the small end to approx. 1 1/2" ant the large end. (Does that make sense?) What's the best way to make an 8 sided taper? Thanks.

[Bob Smalser]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=9984&highlight=oars

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=10036&highlight=oars

Simply make an 8-Siding Gage....adjust your measurements on one end and rescribe your tapers...and plane the corners to the lines.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4518261/56920059.jpg

[Donnie Raines]

I am kind of afraid to explain how I did this .....not sure I will do a good job of making it...well....make sense.

I milled my stock to a little thicker then I needed it to be. On the end grain I drew out the octogon shape I needed. I then tapered the four outside demensions like I would regualr ole' table legs. At this point I made a sled that fit the profile of my stock at this point. It held the stock at such an angle that I simply slid it through the bandsaw and it cut the four other tapers for the octogon. I had to postion a make shift fence on my bandsaw at a slight angle to get the correct taper.

This worked very well for me!!!....I hope that it makes sense....if not I hope that someone can give you clearer/better idea....

[Bob Smalser]

Duh.

That 8-siding gage works on tapered stock too, now that I think of it.

So you can taper your square stock on the TS or jointer, use the 8-siding gage to lay out your octagon....and plane to the lines using jointer or hand plane.