Why Do?

[Bruce Wrenn]

I thinking about building a tapering jig for my TS. After looking at videos, and old magazines, why do they all run using miter slot, or fence to the right of the blade? Looks like it would be safer to ride in left slot, as being right handed, arm wouldn't have any chance of coming in contact with the blade.

[Richard Coers]

Any taper jig I've ever made has 1/2" plywood as a base so I can use toggle clamps to hold the leg in position. My arms and hands never get close to the blade.

[James Jayko]

I used to use the tapering jig from Woodcraft...the two hinged rails with the hook stop on the end. At this point, tho, I just take a scrap of plywood, use my workpiece to setup stops, and run it against the fence on the table saw.

[Jim Becker]

The "secret sauce" for a tapering fixture that's "more safe" is to make it wider. Between proper clamping of the stock and not having any hands anywhere near the blade during the cut, regardless whether the fixture is running along the fence or using a miter slot...or in my case, clamped down to the slider wagon...the risk of injury is much lower. Distance is your friend. This actually applies to both formal fixtures and "quick and dirty" setups.