Tapering a long board

[Burt Alcantara]

I've got an 85" x 3" x 1" cedar board that needs to fit into a space that is 2.5" wide at the top and 3" at the bottom. I have no idea how to do this on a table saw (or bandsaw for that matter).

At the moment, I'm just hand planing it. But being an old skinny guy, this is taking an awful long time. Plus which I have to do another with similar dimensions.

Fortunately, the plane is a LN low angle jack. A pleasure to use...to a point.

What other options would I have that would make this easier and faster?

Thanks,
Burt

[Joe Jensen]

I'd draw a line, and use the bandsaw. Then I'd clean it up with the jointer, or a hand plane if I had one...joe

[Frank Drew]

What Joe said.

[Paul Girouard]

If a couple of screw holes in it are not a issue just rip a strip of plywood / OSB / Particle board to about a 8" width, then tack the board to it on the taper you desire,,,, run the straight edge strip against the fence . The result is a perfectly straight tapered board.

Simple you guys make all this stuff harder than it is :rolleyes: Common sense , the new super power:D

BTW IF the screw holes are a issue ,,,,,,,,,attach the board in the waste area of the board being ripped.

[Lee Schierer]

Easy to do, but you need another board the same length. Draw the cut line on the first board with a chalk line. Make a mark 1/2" back from the line at each end. Then put pieces of double sided tape on the top surface of this board. Next take the second board and with the aid of a helper, align the two ends of the second board with the two marks on the ends of the first board. Once the ends are aligned, press down to make the tape stick the two boards together. You can use C-clamps to make sure you get good adhesion on each strip of tape, but they will have to be removed for the cut.. Then set your fence so that the width of the second board plus the 1/2" offset is between the fence and the inside of the blade. Push the entire assembly through the cut. You will have the taper you want on the first board.

This method will work on any length board and any taper.

[Peter Quinn]

If a couple of screw holes in it are not a issue just rip a strip of plywood / OSB / Particle board to about a 8" width, then tack the board to it on the taper you desire,,,, run the straight edge strip against the fence . The result is a perfectly straight tapered board.

Simple you guys make all this stuff harder than it is :rolleyes: Common sense , the new super power:D

BTW IF the screw holes are a issue ,,,,,,,,,attach the board in the waste area of the board being ripped.

I'm working on the same page as Paul. If screw holes won't work then I'll use double stick tape, toggle clamps or a few improvised wooden hold downs screwed into the guide strip with a block on the out feed end to secure things. It actually took more time to type this post than it would take to set up and make the cut, and I still have all ten fingers to type with.

[David DeCristoforo]

And if double stick tape does not tickle your giz, think about a couple of dabs of holt melt glue. Works great for this kind of stuff and, for the most part, comes off easier than some two sided tapes which can leave a "snail trail" of sticky goo...

[Bill Wyko]

I have an 8 ft straight edge that I double sided tape to the piece to be cut parallel to the cut line. Then I just cut it on a table saw using the straight edge against the fence.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

1.) taper jig on a slider.
or
2.) taper jig on a planer
or
3.) neander and a plane

I'd use #s 1 or 3

[Burt Alcantara]

I like screwing the board to a helper.

However, I finished it with planing. Came out very nice but was a bit of a chore.

You guys are marvelous!
Burt

[Paul Girouard]

#1: I like screwing the board to a helper.

#2: However, I finished it with planing. Came out very nice but was a bit of a chore.

#3: You guys are marvelous!





#1: Best idea that was submitted;)

#2: Thats why it's called " Blue collar work" Bert:rolleyes: If it was "really" easy it would be called white collar work :D

#3: Of course we are , some of us are carpenters/ cabinetmakers , the real deal , yanno:)

Glad "we" could help out.

How about a photo so we can see how it "really" turned out!

[Matt Day]

I'd rough it out on the bandsaw, then I'd clamp a straight edge to the board and use it as a guide for a router with a straight bit. Of course you need to move the straight edge back whatever the distance is between the outside of the bit and the edge of the router.

[John Schreiber]

. . .However, I finished it with planing. Came out very nice but was a bit of a chore. . . .
There's a certain joy in planing that makes up for the chore aspects. Plus, it goes slowly enough that you can be sure you aren't ruining it.