Replies

1. 
   oldusty | Oct 28, 2008 04:46pm | #1

   ian ,

              The TS would be my choice of machines in most cases to do the rough out of pieces to be turned .

                               dusty

1. 
   ianburgin | Oct 28, 2008 06:18pm | #2

   I don't want to have to turn them. I want to take a spokeshave directly to an octagonal spindle that tapers from a 3/4" diameter to a 3/8" diameter.

1. 
   oldusty | Oct 28, 2008 06:33pm | #3

     You can taper them then cut the angles off  on the TS then  use your spokeshave .

                     regards    dusty

2. 
   bricofleur | Oct 28, 2008 06:46pm | #4

   Ian,

   I agree with Dusty about using the TS. Such a jig on the planer would be complexe to build and time consuming. Remember: Use simple jigs for complexe tasks not complexe jigs for simple tasks. You may try a tapering jig on your TS with the blade tilted at 45° to end up with perfect octogones. It should be done in no time. You can find simple tapering jigs on this FW website.

   Best,

   Serge

    

   - Learn from yesterday, work today, and enjoy success tomorrow -

   http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com

1. 
   ianburgin | Oct 29, 2008 05:45am | #5

   I built the jigs for the planer today and they work exceptionally well. There are two advantages to using a planer in lieu of a table saw: 1. the planer can more safely and accurately hold small diameter spindles. 2. A 24 inch planer can handle 10 spindles at a time, drastically making up for the amount of time required to make the jigs.
   Your creedence "keep it simple" is an admirable one, but sometimes long-term simplicity is to be achieved with a little extra work upfront.

1. 
   oldusty | Oct 29, 2008 05:55am | #7

        ian , I find it interesting you seem to speak of efficiency as in running 10 spindles at a time through the planer yet insist on using a spokeshave as opposed to a proper turning lathe , that does not make sense , perhaps we have missed something that makes this method so efficient ? please share the method to your madness with us . Some pictures of the planer and jig may help .

                   dusty

2. 
   stevo1952 | Oct 29, 2008 06:57am | #8

   I have a love hate thing with whittling spindles. I would be very interested in your jig.
   Stevo

2. 
   oldusty | Oct 29, 2008 05:47am | #6

    Serge ,

                I would first cut the tapers , then tilt the blade angle and run the flats of the tapered pieces through while rotating after each side or facet and you should have a tapered octagon that's darn near round .

                         cheers        dusty

3. 
   WillGeorge | Oct 29, 2008 10:16pm | #9

   Never tried it.. But my first thought was a sled. TWO of them..

   The first sled to support and hold the stick for the very first cut. As in do all first cuts.

   The second sled to index the remaining cuts on the profile made from the first cut.

1. 
   ianburgin | Oct 30, 2008 04:14am | #11

   You got it, Will. There are two sleds, each holding a number of spindles bedded at a slight angle. The first sled cuts a four sided taper from square. The second sled accepts a four-sided tapered spindle, and holds it with the corners up. Naturally, the second sled makes octagonal spindles by cutting the corners off. It takes four passes on each sled, bearing in mind that I'm using a particularly large planer that can take 3/16 off at the high point of a bedded spindle.
   Each sled holds 10 spindles, so it takes 8 passes to make a set of 10 small, 3/8--3/4 diameter spindles.

4. 
   KeithNewton | Oct 30, 2008 01:11am | #10

   The easiest method that I have found, is to use a half round cutter of the large end diameter, then run the tapered stock from both sides. This will leave a football shape on the small end, but that is easy to round up with a block plane, and a little sanding.

   The parts need to be longer than the finished length when milling, and keep the slot / fence to a minimum.

   Don't run the first pass all of the way to the thin end on the first pass, or the part will drop before getting to the end on the second side. If I had a lot to run, I would make a carriage for the second pass, with a flute to match the half round, and maybe a line of holes to use vacuum to hold the part to the fixture, would allow for a fast safe jig.