Looking for a well built tapering jig

[Scott Rader]

any suggestions / links would be appreciated.'

Thanks.

[Dan Barr]

run a search on taper sled. there are a few really nice ones the guys here have built.

dan

[Jim Becker]

The best built jig will be the one you construct to your individual requirements! I will add, that I prefer the sled-type jigs that use clamps to hold the material. Even when I reconstructed mine to work with my slider rather than the cabinet saw I used to own, I went that route.

[Chuck Tringo]

I agree with the above, the commercial-off-the-shelf tapering jigs I have seen all seem a little small and I dont think I would feel safe using them, especially with smaller/thinner pieces. The best looking ones I have sen have all been shop built and have some way to hold the workpiece to the jig without using your hands, usually toggle clamps.

[Don L Johnson]

Scott,

I was looking for a better tapering jig and asked a similar question. I was pointed to the August 2005, No. 178, Fine Wood Working magazine. I got on their (Taunton) site and back ordered that magazine. This jig has a full line of capabilities, to include cutting four-sided tapers. You might consider ordering the back issue. Good luck.

[Larry Fox]

Scott,

I was looking for a better tapering jig and asked a similar question. I was pointed to the August 2005, No. 178, Fine Wood Working magazine. I got on their (Taunton) site and back ordered that magazine. This jig has a full line of capabilities, to include cutting four-sided tapers. You might consider ordering the back issue. Good luck.

I built this one also and I really like it alot. Very easy to build and effective at keeping your fingers away from the spinny things.

[Michael McCoy]

This one was loosely based on one from a wood magazine but I don't recall which one unfortunately. It has a removable runner so I can use it on the band saw using the runner, or remove it to use the table saw fence. It has T-track at both ends that makes for easy adjustment and I made it after a less than thrilling moment with one of those aluminum jobs. Sorry for the indirect pic but it's all I have on this 'puter.

[RickT Harding]

I just put one together that doesn't measure angles, but instead you line up where you want the taper to start on the leg/stop on the foot.

http://uploads.mitechie.com/images/wood/hall_table/hall_table_tut-005.jpg
http://uploads.mitechie.com/images/wood/hall_table/hall_table_tut-007.jpg

Then for the second cuts I had to use some scrap mdf to get the clamps tight.
http://uploads.mitechie.com/images/wood/hall_table/hall_table_tut-008.jpg

[richard poitras]

Check out the one Charles Neil makes and sells I am sure your can make one just from looking at his , plus he has a video of it on his site www.antiquesbuiltdaily.com (http://www.antiquesbuiltdaily.com/)

[Roger Bolen]

Woodhavens Taper Master is very good but a little pricey. http://www.woodhaven.com/ProductDetail.asp?Id=2027

Roger

[JayStPeter]

I have a large crosscut sled. I usually just screw some notched scraps to it to hold the parts to be tapered. For my latest project, the parts were too thick for that extra 1/2" used by the sled, so I made one similar to the store bought/Norm models. I prefer the sled, but the other jig worked out just fine.

Jay

[Nissim Avrahami]

That's what I did....I think that I posted it somewhere...

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb151/matsukawa/Tapers/25.jpg

[Rob Diz]

FWW had an article on a very adjustable sled, I think in 181, but I could be wrong. I built the sled, and I'm glad I did for the following reasons.

1) It runs in a miter slot, so the chance of kickback is much much less than one of those that simply runs against the fence
2) I have a very clear cut line (like a cross cut sled, where the base ends, the cut begins
3) The piece is securly loaded on the sled - there is a fully adjustable fence behind it for repeatability as well as a swing arm hold down on top. You could certainly motify the design and buy a hold down that woudl work.
4) there is an added jig you can ad that will allow you to make four equal tapers without attaching your cut offs.

For me, it took some added time (a short afternoon) to make the jig, but it is something that I used frequently, and am about to use on a batch of four tables I am making.

[Scott Rader]

I've ordered the back issue of FWW and will look into making my own.

For what it's worth, I plan on using it while making two chairs similar to the one in following link. Two of my daughters discovered this site and came to me with the request. Fortunately, I also know a very good upholster.

http://www.vioski.com/collection.php?cid=4&page=5#

[Brian Hale]

I built this a while ago from scraps and it works quite well.

Brian :)

[John Karas]

Hello Scott


I"m using a bandsaw jig that i have for some time now for cutting taped & shaped curved rails & legs on my bandsaw using this jig without marking them. .

Check it out WWW.frontlineengineering.com.au (http://www.frontlineengineering.com.au)

I hope will be some help.


John

[Ray Scheller]

Norm as a very simple one on the NYW site.

[Gary McKown]

Here is one made after a pic on a Wood magazine ad I received recently. No plans, I just used the pic to figure out how they did it, then improvised. It has several T-slots across the width, made by overlaying ¼" masonite on 12 mm Baltic Birch, whole sled about 12" wide by 39" long. I'm guessing they made the slots with a T-slot router bit (they used 3/4" plywood), but I didn't want to dig that deep into the BB, so carefully dadoed the slots in the BB, then cut the pieces of masonite to provide clearance for the 5/16" bolts. The slots provide adjustment for the fence (with attached toggle clamps) as well as a means for mounting grips well away from the blade. Also, with the width I can use the Board Buddies to help keep the affair against the fence.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p158/woodchuck06/TaperingJigclose750x562.jpg

[Rob Diz]

Neat looking chairs.

I don't think you will be disappointed in the long run with something like the FWW jig. It has served (and continues to serve) me well. Frankly, I never thought it was worth my time to make a long lasting jig - but this one has paid off is spades.

[glenn bradley]

Scott,

I was looking for a better tapering jig and asked a similar question. I was pointed to the August 2005, No. 178, Fine Wood Working magazine. I got on their (Taunton) site and back ordered that magazine. This jig has a full line of capabilities, to include cutting four-sided tapers. You might consider ordering the back issue. Good luck.

Or get it here if you are an online subscriber: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/FWNPDF/011178046.pdf

[Dave Dye]

How about something like this??
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f282/davedye/TaperJigLarge.jpg?t=1199983587

[Lee Schierer]

My taper jig is pretty inexpensive, but it works well. It is a piece of 1/2" plywood left over from another project. I attached a 1/4 X 3/4 runner to the bottom with some brads and glue, making sure that I had slightly more material to the left of the runner than the distance between the right cross cut slot and the blade. Then I ran the assembly through the saw cutting off the excess to the left side of the board.

Now when I wan to cut a taper, I mark the taper on the piece. apply some double sided tape to the bottom of the piece being cut. Align the taper line with the edge of my taper sled, rasie the blade to the proper height and make the cut. Pull the cut piece off the sled, peel off the tape and repeat the process for the next cut.

[Jerome Hanby]

Turns out the fence on my table saw is a tapering jig:(

Saving money for an Incra!