Octagon Leg Blank Jig

[ken hatch]

I like shaped legs on my stick furniture. It is easy to get an octagon leg with a hand plane by holding the leg blank in a jig or using a similar jig to run the blank through the planer. While easy to do, both are time consuming. I read somewhere that Brian Boggs used a jig and bandsaw to shape his chair legs. I've spent way too much time trying to find a photo of his jig in action with no joy. After some thought, I decided it might be quicker to just re-invent the wheel.


Come on Bubba cut to the chase. After a couple of weeks of butt scratching and "yes buts" this is what I came up with.


Wide view:

407014




Closeup of the result of all the butt scratching:

407015


I would guess there is a better way to do the job but this jig works a treat. A quick four passes through the saw and a couple of passes on each facet with a plane and you have an octagon leg blank ready for the lathe.

ken

[steven c newman]

Seems there was another video out....done by Norm Abram,,,when he made the Pencil Post bed project......?

[Malcolm McLeod]

Just had time to flip thru a few pages, but I think FWW latest issue has a planer sled to do much the same??

I like your re-invention too. If rough sawn or coarse textured makes for tough pushing, maybe line the 'ways' of the fixture w/ thin UHMW?

[ken hatch]

Just had time to flip thru a few pages, but I think FWW latest issue has a planer sled to do much the same??

I like your re-invention too. If rough sawn or coarse textured makes for tough pushing, maybe line the 'ways' of the fixture w/ thin UHMW?

Malcolm,

I have a planer sled, it looks much the same. The problem with using the planer is it is slow going with multiple passes. The course texture is no problem, I expect in a short time it will be worn smooth and at that time may need a little wax but I doubt it will need anything as wood on wood is usually pretty slick.

ken

[ken hatch]

Seems there was another video out....done by Norm Abram,,,when he made the Pencil Post bed project......?

Steven, now you tell me :D

ken

[Jim Koepke]

[edited]
I would guess there is a better way to do the job but this jig works a treat. A quick four passes through the saw and a couple of passes on each facet with a plane and you have an octagon leg blank ready for the lathe.

ken

A better way? To me the best way is the one that got the job done.

There are sure to be many other ways and some may be better, maybe not.

My first thought would be something that rides in the miter gauge slot. Maybe have a way to adjust it for tapering.

The medullary rays on the side of your set up looks nice. They would look great if planed and finished.

jtk

[ken hatch]

A better way? To me the best way is the one that got the job done.

There are sure to be many other ways and some may be better, maybe not.

My first thought would be something that rides in the miter gauge slot. Maybe have a way to adjust it for tapering.

The medullary rays on the side of your set up looks nice. They would look great if planed and finished.

jtk

Jim,

When I thought about making a jig that would cut octagons and taper the blank at the same time my head started to hurt :). Not too long ago C.S. posted about using a jointer to taper the blank. While I haven't tried it, I expect this jig would work with a tapered square blank. BTW, my first thoughts were a jig that would move, in other words, either ride against the fence or use the miter slot to take the blank through the saw blade. It didn't take too long to realize that a stationary jig that allowed only the blank to move was an easier solution.

BTW, my next jig may be one to cut hexagons, maybe , if my head does't hurt too much while thinking it through :), because many of the early stick chairs and tables had hexagon legs.

ken

[Keith Mathewson]

Ken,
years ago I used to teach an intro to Hand planing class in which we would make a tapered octagonal table leg. There is a good amount of technique that can be mastered fairly easily and cannot be done by machine without using multiple jigs.

[ken hatch]

Ken,
years ago I used to teach an intro to Hand planing class in which we would make a tapered octagonal table leg. There is a good amount of technique that can be mastered fairly easily and cannot be done by machine without using multiple jigs.

Keith,

I have no trouble doing the legs by hand but like four squaring rough timber sometimes it is nice to have your electronic apprentice do the scut work.

ken

[Alan Schwabacher]

...While I haven't tried it, I expect this jig would work with a tapered square blank.

Your jig will nicely make octagonal a square blank, and then you could taper it on a jointer using the Troy Sexton method, without any jigs. I don't think it would work in the reverse order.

[Jim Koepke]

Keith,

I have no trouble doing the legs by hand but like four squaring rough timber sometimes it is nice to have your electronic apprentice do the scut work.

ken

You don't have to tell me:

407106

This was rough cut with a chain saw mill and the sides were trimmed freehand with a chain saw. My daughter's boyfriend helped me wrestle it through the bandsaw to end up with this:

407107

It is still a lot of planing to do.

jtk

[ken hatch]

Your jig will nicely make octagonal a square blank, and then you could taper it on a jointer using the Troy Sexton method, without any jigs. I don't think it would work in the reverse order.

Alan,

That was my thought as well, but will not know for sure until wood hits cutter.

ken

[ken hatch]

You don't have to tell me:

407106

This was rough cut with a chain saw mill and the sides were trimmed freehand with a chain saw. My daughter's boyfriend helped me wrestle it through the bandsaw to end up with this:

407107

It is still a lot of planing to do.

jtk

Jim,

Two thoughts, first: LOL. Second:Oh boy do you ever.

ken

[Dennis Droege]

Ken, neat jig. I have what might be a dumb question: Is the resulting leg octagonal, or septagonal? Looks to me like there are six points to the leg.
For what it's worth, I made a small dining room table back in the winter, and wasn't crafty enough to do what you did--ended up laying out the final shape with a protractor and lining from each corner up to the shoulder of the leg. Made cuts to the longitudinal lines about every inch or so with a handsaw and chiseled the waste. Came out good, but it wasn't smart.

[ken hatch]

Ken, neat jig. I have what might be a dumb question: Is the resulting leg octagonal, or septagonal? Looks to me like there are six points to the leg.
For what it's worth, I made a small dining room table back in the winter, and wasn't crafty enough to do what you did--ended up laying out the final shape with a protractor and lining from each corner up to the shoulder of the leg. Made cuts to the longitudinal lines about every inch or so with a handsaw and chiseled the waste. Came out good, but it wasn't smart.

Dennis,

The resulting leg has eight faces. The jig holds each face 90 degrees to the saw blade.

Wow, what a lot of work :). To do my legs by hand I use a similar jig/cradle to hold the leg and do the facets with a hand plane.

Click it to big it:

407454

ken

[Dennis Droege]

Thanks, Ken. I'll follow your lead.

[Robert Hazelwood]

That's a nice jig for straight octagonal legs. I did some tapered hexagonal legs a couple months back, and knocked together a sled for the bandsaw that rides in the miter slot. It's just a taper jig like you see for tablesaws basically, can be used for all sorts of things. For tapered octagons you'd set the table at 90 and make a tapered square blank first, then tilt the table to 45 and do the facets. You have to use the cutoffs to shim for some of the cuts. A bit of setup and head scratching, and for a one-off or two-off it would be faster (and more fun) to plane. Much more than that and the jig is nice to use.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks for this, Ken. I am in need of such a jig right now. The notch idea is great; Without it, one would need a different jig for each diameter leg.

[lowell holmes]

I would rip a square leg on my contractors saw and the tilt the blade to 45 degrees and rip the corner off of the square piece I just made.

[ken hatch]

I would rip a square leg on my contractors saw and the tilt the blade to 45 degrees and rip the corner off of the square piece I just made.

Lowell,

While I have a table saw and even use it some, for most operations I try to find a better way. That way I avoid loss of fingers and being penetrated by wood projectiles. I'm not saying your way is unsafe, just most of the time a bandsaw will do the job safer.

ken

[ken hatch]

That's a nice jig for straight octagonal legs. I did some tapered hexagonal legs a couple months back, and knocked together a sled for the bandsaw that rides in the miter slot. It's just a taper jig like you see for tablesaws basically, can be used for all sorts of things. For tapered octagons you'd set the table at 90 and make a tapered square blank first, then tilt the table to 45 and do the facets. You have to use the cutoffs to shim for some of the cuts. A bit of setup and head scratching, and for a one-off or two-off it would be faster (and more fun) to plane. Much more than that and the jig is nice to use.

Robert,

Depending on the wood and number I agree, most of the time I will just grab a woodie and beaver away. Sometimes a jig is nice to use.

ken

[Prashun Patel]

I for one appreciate the bandsaw solution. My ts is a sawstop, and I am making a chair from green wood. While I can bypass the detector, I prefer to cut green wood at the bandsaw.

[Richard Verwoest]

Why not just tilt the BS table, no jig required?

[lowell holmes]

Ken, make one of these. I did and my fingers never get close to the blade.

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNSAhx9K2OJ9k_gH_sVnhZnvbYPK5g:15 69000745243&q=table+saw+push+stick&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjr4Mmg99_kAhVJMawKHb81DkUQ7Al6BAgCECQ&biw=1443&bih=696

[ken hatch]

Ken, make one of these. I did and my fingers never get close to the blade.

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNSAhx9K2OJ9k_gH_sVnhZnvbYPK5g:15 69000745243&q=table+saw+push+stick&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjr4Mmg99_kAhVJMawKHb81DkUQ7Al6BAgCECQ&biw=1443&bih=696

Lowell,

My push sticks are bigger and better than most of those. Still doesn't change the fact that a band saw is safer with no kickback. I'm not knocking how you do it, I just think my way is safer.

ken

[lowell holmes]

You could do it on a jointer .

[steven c newman]

Safer on the bandsaw.....tip the table to 45 degrees....run the blank along a fence, make a cut, rotate, and make each cut....maybe a little clean up with a small plane afterwards...

[lowell holmes]

I also have band saw but the table saw makes a smooth cut with my carbide tooth blade.

[James Waldron]

I also have band saw but the table saw makes a smooth cut with my carbide tooth blade.

If your band saw cuts aren't pretty smooth, get a better blade and feed more smoothly. I do a lot of resawing, using a 1/2" carbide toothed blade, 3ppi hook, with a full height fence on both sides; result needs a couple of passes with a fine set smoother. Not quite as good as a table saw, but not far behind. And I'd be taking a pass or two with a smoothing plane off the table saw too. The plane leaves a finer surface than either saw.

[Jim Koepke]

If your band saw cuts aren't pretty smooth, get a better blade and feed more smoothly.

Some blades also come with more set than others. The set can be reduced with a vise and a little work.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

We each have our own ways :)

[steven c newman]

Also easier to make them taper in length......

[Prashun Patel]

I’ve been using this jig this weekend to make chair spindle blanks. What I love is that you can take it to the bench, butt it up against the planing stop, and cradle the blanks while planing them further.

It’s a hybrid solution that really helps for skinny parts. It’s so fast and accurate.

[Edwin Santos]

Ken,
Thank you for posting the jig. I used the same concept today to make a hexagonal post for a project. It worked very well. Thanks to you I didn't have to scratch my butt once.

Count me in the camp that would way prefer to use a bandsaw for an operation like this. Cleanup of the bandsaw marks was a simple proposition with a hand plane (or one could use very light cuts at the jointer or planer, but of course this is the Neanderthal forum so perhaps the hand plane is the method of choice).

Kind regards

Edwin

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[ken hatch]

Ken,
Thank you for posting the jig. I used the same concept today to make a hexagonal post for a project. It worked very well. Thanks to you I didn't have to scratch my butt once.

Count me in the camp that would way prefer to use a bandsaw for an operation like this. Cleanup of the bandsaw marks was a simple proposition with a hand plane (or one could use very light cuts at the jointer or planer, but of course this is the Neanderthal forum so perhaps the hand plane is the method of choice).

Kind regards

Edwin



Edwin,

Glad it helped. BTW. nice work and a good looking bandsaw.

ken

[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks for the idea Ken. I too prefer the BS for this type stuff. I used a one-sided jig that I struggled with years ago that is miles behind your idea and then haven't gone back to hex/octangular legs since. Thanks for the additional photos of the jig Edwin. I was going to ask Ken for one without the stock in place.