Rocking Horse Leg Wedges

[Ellie Delgado]

I'm making the Rockler Pony Rocker (really U bild plan 738). I'm getting ready to make the leg wedges. That must be to splay the legs out at the correct angle.

Can you help me find an better way to do this than the instructions? It calls for cutting wedges, 7 inches long, 1 1/8 at the large end and 1/4 at the small end. I'm to cut 18 of these wedges, http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/raised.gif using some on each leg, gluing them up and fitting behind the large end of the leg, and then cut them to match the round part of the leg.

There must be an easier or more efficient way. I prefer the bandsaw to the tablesaw if it all possible. Thank you for your help, Ellie

[Stew Hagerty]

I used the bandsaw when I built my granddaughter's rocking horse:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?177543-Granddaughter-s-Rocking-Horse

It wasn't Rockler's plan, but I still used wedges to splay the legs. Cut a tapered board to the correct angle at the tablesaw. I started with a piece of 8/4 with dimensions that matched the diameter I needed, but you can glue up a blank if you need to. Then attach the tapered board to your bandsaw fence and run your 8/4 blank through. When you're done cutting the angle, lay the blank on your leg and trace the outline. AT this point you can cut to your line on the bandsaw or cut inside the line to set the wedge back for the edge.

Anyway, that's what I did and it worked very well.

[Ellie Delgado]

Thanks, Stew. I used 6/4 maple for the legs and body as well and have some available to use for this. I'm sure I am making this harder than it needs to be but it has stumped me for a couple of days. I did see a post on another forum where he tilted the bandsaw table and that sounds intriguing as well.

[Myk Rian]

I did see a post on another forum where he tilted the bandsaw table and that sounds intriguing as well.
That's how I did it.

[Ellie Delgado]

How did you keep all four the same? DId you draw it out first or use the fence or what?

[Myk Rian]

Tilt the table a few degrees, set the fence, and saw away.
It isn't hard.

[Ellie Delgado]

Thank you. I don't know why on earth I am making this harder than it is!

[Stew Hagerty]

Tilt the table a few degrees, set the fence, and saw away.
It isn't hard.

I was going to do that, but I decided on the angled board attached to the fence so that I had a reference surface to run the wedges along. You just position the fence to you can set the angled board against the fence, place the block you're cutting against it, and slide the whole thing through.