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Thread: Tapered Reamers

  1. #16
    I use Elia’s reamer. I turn the tapered tenon using a template that I made using the reamer blade as a guide. There are, however, some chair makers that use a 6* ball joint reamer in a drill press. They are available for around $90.
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  2. #17
    Detailed specs of the reamer.
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  3. #18
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    Those come in different diameters too. I've never had one of those in my hands, but have some "car reamers" for enlarging holes in metal that aren't straight tapers. They have curved cutting edges that end straight when you get up to the finishing diameter. I don't know if these are the same, but those car reamers cut in the opposite direction than you think they would when first looking at them.

  4. #19
    I think I would start with "How is the reamer measured?"

    Some list the cutting edge angle per-side, others list the total included angle. Thus a 6-degree per side reamer cuts a 12-degree included angle... Maybe they're both the same thing. Or maybe they're not.

    I have not used metal cutting reamers on chairs, but I have used them on guitar pegs and I hate them. I've had trouble with egg shaped holes and a ton of chatter when running metal cutting reamers into wood, even by hand. By far, I have had the best luck with single flute wood cutting reamers.

    My experience has been that wood reamers are usually designed with the correct cutting angle geometry and body shape to cut smooth in wood... Likewise machinists metal cutting reamers are designed for cutting metal...

  5. #20
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    John, Did you try going the other way with the metal cutting reamer?

  6. #21
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    Will ship it out Tuesday, as the Post Office is closed today....hopefully they don't use Dog Sleds....
    A Planer? I'm the Planer, and this is what I use

  7. #22
    Tom, I have not personally used the reamer that I posted, but I do know it is used in Windsor chair classes at John C. Campbell and I personally know the instructor. I have seen the class chairs in progress and it seems to work well.

    Couple of comments about reamer angles - my Elia Bizzarri reamer is 6* included angle as is the ball joint reamer. The closer one gets to a zero degree (dowel) the greater the glue surface and the less “end grain” created by the taper. That would argue for a 6* over a 12* reamer/tenon.

    The depth a Windsor chair leg is “seated” in the mortise is critical. I like using the hand reamer as I can sneak up on the depth one turn at a time.

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  8. #23
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    Those metal reamers like the ball joint reamer you showed also come in "hand" models with a T-handle. I see no good reason to use anything other than what's proven to work for centuries though. For a while, I was looking for a metal reamer that also had a drill bit on the end, so that process could be done in one step.

  9. #24
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    Elia is selling blades to make your own: https://handtoolwoodworking.com/reamers/

  10. #25
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    Thanks for all the thoughts guys. SMC resource is truly great.

    Well, I am a sucker and ordered a Tim Manney reamer as well. I figure, I won't be sad to own it, and will be great to have in the kit.

    While researching I also came across this bit written by Elia. https://handtoolwoodworking.com/6-vs-11-degree-tapers/

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Keeton View Post
    The depth a Windsor chair leg is “seated” in the mortise is critical. I like using the hand reamer as I can sneak up on the depth one turn at a time.
    John has very politely with his usual gentle understatement made a very important point here folks.

    Round, square and octagonal legs, without or without taper, are reasonably forgiving for reaming a taper into the receiving mortise. When you start turning bed/cove/bead/bead/cove/bead/cove/cove/bead into each of your four legs having the tapers on the mortises come out so the blobs on the turned legs look good is indeed a thing to sneak up on at all four corners.

    I have worked my way up to tapered octagons. At my place I get my leg stock square with the electric donkeys, and then chuck up the largest possible piece of stock into the lathe. My first few tapered tenons weren't that great, but the second two dozen I did required minimal attention from my tapered tenon cutter. Once you have your tapered tenons you have a baseline to measure your legs from, but you have to get the mortises correct too. I generally put legs on the lathe at least four inches over length in case I screw up the tenon first time around, then crosscut the leg portion 1/4 inch over long after the tenon is on before I start tapering the leg part.

    If you don't know what to do with 4" scraps of 1.5 x 1.5 inch hickory, oak, maple or beech let me talk to you about barbecue...

    Tapered octagons look good, are relatively forgiving for reaming depth and aren't very hard. To my eye tapered squares and tapered rounds (plain taper, no bead/cove blah blah) just don't look good. John Keeton is not going to confront anyone about anything here I suspect, but his posted work in the projects section here speaks for itself. He is a man to listen to and learn from on this path.

  12. #27
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    Plain Brown Mailing envelope has been mailed, this morning. Delivery date is Friday 22 JAN 2022...enjoy.
    A Planer? I'm the Planer, and this is what I use

  13. #28
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    A kind gesture Steven and a great example to set.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  14. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by steven c newman View Post
    Plain Brown Mailing envelope has been mailed, this morning. Delivery date is Friday 22 JAN 2022...enjoy.
    Copy that Steven! Looking forward to it. I will soon be able to review Tim Manney's maple reamer vs LV powered reamer vs old brace powered reamer.

    If I ever see an opportunity to "pay it forward" I will follow your lead not hesitate to do so

  15. #30
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    A package is now "out for Delivery" so, keep an eye out on your mail box.....
    A Planer? I'm the Planer, and this is what I use

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