Andy Pratt
11-16-2013, 11:11 AM
I recently had to taper some table legs that were too large to work on my table saw jig so I explored other options and ended up using this method that I found a video for. I was pretty happy with how things turned out so I wanted to share it for others to see. Aftery trying this out I may use this method in the future even if the legs would fit on my table saw jig, since the end result is much cleaner.
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/video/jointer_to_taper_legs
A few of my observations:
- I did 3x3" legs, 30" long with a 1/2" over 25" taper and I felt like I had good control, but that it would be harder with smaller legs.
- You can't do a taper (leg length doesn't matter, just the actual taper length) that is longer than the infeed table of your jointer.
- If you try to do a taper that is longer than your infeed table you might not notice at first but would have a curved portion of your taper I think, so check this before starting this method
- I think you actually only need to mark two sides of each leg not all four, and you could ditch the 4 top markings once you're confident with the method and don't think you'll switch it end for end accidentally. This would be 2 markings vs 8 per leg so it would save a lot of time.
- Write on your fence in pencil or use tape since this mark will change a little based on the amount of taper you are removing
- You can do this multiple times (without re-marking) on the same side of the leg to achieve more dramatic tapers if your jointer can't take off much per pass
- This wasn't as absolutely precise a method as with a table saw jig, but that's probably my being new to the technique
- I have good dust collection on the table saw, but cutting tapers on it is always a dust mess, this was much more pleasant.
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/video/jointer_to_taper_legs
A few of my observations:
- I did 3x3" legs, 30" long with a 1/2" over 25" taper and I felt like I had good control, but that it would be harder with smaller legs.
- You can't do a taper (leg length doesn't matter, just the actual taper length) that is longer than the infeed table of your jointer.
- If you try to do a taper that is longer than your infeed table you might not notice at first but would have a curved portion of your taper I think, so check this before starting this method
- I think you actually only need to mark two sides of each leg not all four, and you could ditch the 4 top markings once you're confident with the method and don't think you'll switch it end for end accidentally. This would be 2 markings vs 8 per leg so it would save a lot of time.
- Write on your fence in pencil or use tape since this mark will change a little based on the amount of taper you are removing
- You can do this multiple times (without re-marking) on the same side of the leg to achieve more dramatic tapers if your jointer can't take off much per pass
- This wasn't as absolutely precise a method as with a table saw jig, but that's probably my being new to the technique
- I have good dust collection on the table saw, but cutting tapers on it is always a dust mess, this was much more pleasant.