Please tell me why I should

[John Piwaron]

build a tapering jig for a set of table legs instead of tapering them on the jointer.

Any advantage to a jig vs. the jointer?

I tapered two sets of legs on the jointer (all four sides) for a pair of beds I built a number of years ago. This was easy enough, but nowadays I really only see folks talk about building this or that jig. Why?

Or is this really a matter of the average home woodworker not having a jointer to taper with?

[Todd Burch]

I'm not going to tell you how to do anything. If you are comfortable doing an operation a particular way, by all means do it that way.

As for me, I've tapered dozens of legs on the tablesaw and a few on the jointer. I prefer the tablesaw. It's faster (1 pass) and I feel more accurate (at least, accurate faster). A jig (sled) takes every bit of 5 minutes to construct.

I do not use a hinged tapering jig, because every time I have used one, I feel I will die a terrible death leaning over the blade - the combination of the pressure you have to keep on the top of the jig (near the hinge) so that it stays against the fence, and the necessity to hold the stock too, I feel, is a complete design flaw with that style of taper jigs. Even more so with my PM66, as I the operator am so much further away from the blade to start with because of the fence tubing in front of the saw.

Todd.

[John Christiansen]

I'm not going to tell you how to do anything. If you are comfortable doing an operation a particular way, by all means do it that way.

As for me, I've tapered dozens of legs on the tablesaw and a few on the jointer. I prefer the tablesaw. It's faster (1 pass) and I feel more accurate (at least, accurate faster). A jig (sled) takes every bit of 5 minutes to construct.

I do not use a hinged tapering jig, because every time I have used one, I feel I will die a terrible death leaning over the blade - the combination of the pressure you have to keep on the top of the jig (near the hinge) so that it stays against the fence, and the necessity to hold the stock too, I feel, is a complete design flaw with that style of taper jigs. Even more so with my PM66, as I the operator am so much further away from the blade to start with because of the fence tubing in front of the saw.

Todd.

Show us a pic of the kind of jig you like to use todd. I'm interested as I am a little apprehensive when I use my folding type. I had some close calls, and don't like tapering at all.

J.C.

[Ian Barley]

I tend to formulate little mottos that I can recite to remind myself not to be stupid.

One of them is "Make the jig". My business involves lots of repetition and making the jig always pays off in accuracy, speed and repeatability. If you have four legs to make the you have a need for repeatability. I don't doubt that it is possible to make the components identical by hand and skill but I'll bet it will be easier with the jig.

[Jim Becker]

I am more comfortable tapering table legs (or just about anything that needs tapered) on the table saw rather than the jointer...there is just something about it.

I use both an adjustable shop-made tapering jig, similar to Norm's on NYW and some dedicated jigs I made from scraps for projects I intend to revisit in the future. (Eliminates setup time) I've even done "quickies" using scraps and my micropinner to keep it together for brief tapering needs. Whatever works... :rolleyes:

[Alan Turner]

Todd,
I couldn't agree more in terms of safety with the hinged style. So, I made one that rides in the miter slot. No fence is used. The wood is held to a sled, the edge of which is cut on the blade, so setup to the line of the edge is dead on. If it gives way, I am out of the way as I stand to the side, as in ripping. It hasn't been a problem yet, however.
Alan

[Todd Burch]

John, here's a shot of the type of sleds that I make. This particular one is a dual-angle jig, in that I can flip it around and get a different taper on the other side. (I use this jig to make two-piece folding chairs.)

Improvements to this style would be to either add a runner to use the miter slot like Alan does, and/or to add a toggle clamp to hold the workpiece. (De-Sta-Co type clamp).

While this is a fixed-angle jig, a jig could certainly be constructed with a moveable "fence" that would have adjustments slots in it at the head and the foot for changing the taper angle and length of taper.

Todd.

[Lynn Sonier]

Except for longer legs, I use my panel cutting sled. I set the piece of wood in the right place, drive 2 screws on the opposite side of the piece from the blade, and then I can replicate the same cut 4 times.

[Todd Burch]

Lynn, I don't understand. After two cuts, you would have to shim between your screws and your stock to maintain the same taper on the last two sides. Please explain. Todd.

[John Christiansen]

John, here's a shot of the type of sleds that I make. This particular one is a dual-angle jig, in that I can flip it around and get a different taper on the other side. (I use this jig to make two-piece folding chairs.)

Improvements to this style would be to either add a runner to use the miter slot like Alan does, and/or to add a toggle clamp to hold the workpiece. (De-Sta-Co type clamp).

While this is a fixed-angle jig, a jig could certainly be constructed with a moveable "fence" that would have adjustments slots in it at the head and the foot for changing the taper angle and length of taper.

Todd.

Alrighty, now I understand what you mean by, putting one together in a couple minutes.

Yup, I think the toggle clamp would be a good addition. It's the reaching up and keeping the lead end of my piece against the fence that always gives me the heebee-jeebees

I'm gonna try this the next time. Thanks,
J.C.