tapering jig

[Vito De Francisco]

Hi WW
I recently have purchased a tapering jig. I have used it so far to make legs for two tables. In useing this jig, I have found that after setting your angle, that it is rather easy to get out of the angle that you originaly had set it for. In other words, the wing nut that tightens it down still allows it to move slightly if you put just a little too much presure towards the fence. I have tried the lock nut two different ways, but the same thing had occured. Now this was not really a difficult problem to solve, but just wondering if anyone elise has experienced this problem. I put a small piece of wood in between the two arms at the very end of the jig and a piece of duct tape kept it there. This way the angle never changed. I did find that by adding some double stick tape to the tab at the bottom, and a piece at the very end and also just above the tab really holds the piece of stock very secure. I now feel more confident in useing this jig.

[Allen Bookout]

What brand of tapering jig is it?

[Don Morris]

I think I know the tapering jig you're using. I have the same one. And yes, double faced tape is the answer. There are other tapering jigs I've seen but for $19.99 delivered, this works well (with the carpet tape). GRRipper or somebody was supposed to come out with a "state-of-the-art" tapering jig recently, but haven't seen it.

[Ken Garlock]

Yes Vito, I know your jig and it is a real pile of excrement.:rolleyes: I can't recommend it to anyone I consider a friend.;)

There is an opportunity for some enterprising company to turn our a real tapering jig. Hello Lee Valley, hello Woodpecker, hello Rockler.
How about it boys?:)

[glenn bradley]

This general idea is pretty solid:

http://www.plansnow.com/taperjig.html

One of the WW mags had a beautifully thought out one shown in one of their online videos. . . I'll try to dig up the site.

[Don Morris]

I checked on Micro Jig the people who make the GRR-Ripper. Yes indeed it was them folks who promised a "state-of-the-art" tapering jig by second quarter 2005. "Details to follow". When I use my tapering jig I do plenty of pre-testing and use plenty of carpet tape, and hold my breath. My GRR-Rippers are high quality items so I would put Micro Jig in there with Lee Valley and hope they do have a tapering jig on the drawing board worthy of their reputation. Probably cost a pretty penny but I've come to expect to pay for quality.

[Doug Shepard]

This general idea is pretty solid:

http://www.plansnow.com/taperjig.html

One of the WW mags had a beautifully thought out one shown in one of their online videos. . . I'll try to dig up the site.

What Glenn said (and Ken too). I have the same taper jig you do and count my fingers after each and every use. I fully intend to make one along the lines of Glenn's link someday. If you don't want to make one yourself, Woodhaven makes about the nicest one I've run across, but they're pricey.
http://www.woodhaven.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=61

[Ken Garlock]

Doug, the Taper Master at Woodhaven looks like a winner. For me, and the little use I would make of it, it is not worth the 150-200 price tag. But, it does look nice.:cool:

[Clarence Lau]

Fine Woodworking Magazine Tapering Jig (http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/wvt115.asp).
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/media/wvt115_01.jpg

With Aloha,

Clarence

[Doug Shepard]

Doug, the Taper Master at Woodhaven looks like a winner. For me, and the little use I would make of it, it is not worth the 150-200 price tag. But, it does look nice.:cool:

I'll second that - they do seem a bit overpriced. The main reason I've been keeping a bookmark to those is to see if I can borrow an idea or two when I make one. I've got a box full of DeStaco clamps I got from a fixture that got scrapped at work. I kind of like the way Woodhavens DeStaco's are moveable. Not sure I'd go so far as to do a quad T-track like theirs but the adjustability is something I want to play with. Course if I win the lotto tomorrow and money becomes no issue....

[Thomas Canfield]

Norm always pulled out his homemade tapering jig made from a couple pieces of plywood, a hinge, and a bracket or slotted piece of wood to hold the angle. A foot fastened to end to hold and push the piece being tapered is the remaining thing. I saw him use that in many shows and made one when I needed to taper some small table legs , I made one from scrap plywood and a door hinge (surplus material) and it worked great even for tapering all 4 sides of legs. One caution is to make the jig tall enough to clear your fence for the adjustment bar. Some even use a lid support bar for a chest to hold the angle. As additonal caution, one could put a wedge block low inside the jig to help hold the angle if there seems to be some deflection during the sawing process.

[Dave Richards]

I don't need a taper jig very often but when I do I pull out a piece of 1/4" MDF that I use for work holding on the tablesaw. It is 12" wide and rides against the fence. I layout the taper line on the work or one of the pieces anyway. I clamp the work in position on the so the taper line runs along the edge that will be next to the blade. I stick down some pieces of scrap up tight against the work using carpet tape to hold them. I also stick down a couple of blocks that are the same height as the work that have an additional piece of scrap screwed or taped down on top as work hold downs.

It stays set but is easily adjusted when needed. It's also pretty affordable since it mostly uses scraps which I have in plenty.

[Kelly Anderson]

I made the one that Clarence shows from plans in FWW. It works great and is very easy to use, and you don't have to count your fingers afterward.

[Vito De Francisco]

Hi WW
Just retuned home and thought that I'd check on the Creek. I was rather surprised to hear that were not too GOOD of tapering jigs around. And what I did see after some sights were posted, was pretty pricy. I had to run our to the work shop to see the brand name of the jig that I had bought. It is a Promax. And yes, it was under 20.00. I also see that some of you are also useing the old carpet tape trick. I did not think of any other way to cut a board with saftey in mind. It was a little scary at first since I didn't know how I was going to hold the wood against the jig without the piece moving around or coming off the jig completly. :confused: I was able to cut 4 legs with just one time of putting the tape to it so it's not like you have to put new tape on for every cut. But I still stand to the side and keep a watchful eye on the carbide. With a little thinking on the subject, I think one can improve on that jig and make it become a little safer and more secure to use. Until then, everybody watch your fingers. Hope someone comes up with a good jig that does not make one run to the bank for a loan.:D

[Don Morris]

David Eisan's post shows an ingenious way to simply taper a leg. And it worked well as long as you have a band saw, table saw and a planer. I'm going to keep this jig in mind.