Hi,
I need some advise on how to taper table legs. I am in the process of building 2 end tables and instead of making square legs I’d prefer to taper the legs. But I have never done this before. Should I build a tapering jig or buy a commercial jig?
I only need to do a 2 sided taper
Wendy
Replies
Hi Wendy,
There's an article in the current issue of Fine Woodworking that deals with this very subject. As always, there is more than one way to perform this function, but the method outlined in the article is straightforward and safe.
Good luck,
-Jazzdogg-
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." Bertrand Russell
You can do them on those $20 aluminum tapering jigs that everybody sells, but be careful. I've gotten decent results but have never felt entirely safe using them. I think you'd get as good or better results making your own - something with some holddowns on it for better safety. The one in this months FWW looks like a pretty good design.
Waddaya mean it wont fit through the door?
Bandsaw, jointer or tapering jig on table saw are standard. I prefer to use a copy cat jig on the table saw. I would post some pics, but everytime I try they load as a hugeeee file. Will give it another shot in a few minutes. Maybe someone will be able to resize if they are too big. I use a copy cat jig for everthing from tapering legs to making large corner cabinet (triangles) parts, to making identical copy of parts (hence copy cat) one after the other. An old table saw jig, but a goodie. I'll go take some pics of mine right now. Very safe too...Jimmy.
Wendy1,
As others have mentioned, the tapering jig in this months issue is pretty good and there is a video clip on the home page here. I built it last week and picked up some wood on Friday for two end tables also. I'm just waiting for the wood to acclimatize. Good luck with your project
Wendy,
How many legs are we talking about? Even if it is 8, I advise you simply mark out your tapers and free hand bandsaw to the lines and smooth off by hand plane. Should happen in short time, and be quite enjoyable....
Unless you are hell-bent on using a taper jig that you either have to go and buy or figure out how to make-just for a few simple tapers.
No band saw? Use rip saw.
By now you will have deduced that I advocate mastering basic hand tool use before getting mechanised....and why.
Sorry, probably not the most helpful of answers, but I don't see the need to go sort of high-tech in a non mass production situation.
Wendy,
I would have to agree with Philip (aka Mooka) - just bandsaw outside the pencil line and clean them up by hand. If you're not going into production there is no real need for jigs.
DR
Wendy1
I just built two of the classic Shaker side tables on the cover of "Woodworking Magazine", Autumn 2004. I used a band saw and then cleaned up the bandsaw cuts on a jointer. I am now doing the same thing for a matching side table and used a hand plane to clean up the bandsaw cuts. That is actually progress. I have one of the commercial metal tapering jigs, but I will probably never use it again. For something as narrow as these table legs, it would be too dangerous. Save the off cuts for clamping the tappered legs while you plane them, or tape them to the legs if you need to work on them later; which I did when I decided to cut them all to on a chop saw because, for some reason, I hadn't gotten the ends exactly square to the untapered side.
my current project called for tapered legs too and i was considering which way to do it or which jig to buy when i got the latest fine woodworking. i built the jig and used it saturday. it works great.
buy one.they are cheap and easy to store. Cutting 2 sided tapers is a snap with one
Wicked Decent Woodworks
(oldest woodworking shop in NH)
Rochester NH
" If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"
Hi,
I built the same Shaker table that FitandCut did. Just finished it tonight. Housewarming gift for a friend.
I used a bandsaw and cleaned 'em up with a hand plane. It was remarkably fast and easy.
Think I'll post a pic of the table in the Gallery...
Charlie
a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts,
build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders,
cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure,
program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects.
- Robert A. Heinlein
Don't have much to add - I just bandsaw and clean up, like most others here - but I just love your sig-line quote!"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." A. Einstein
http://www.albionworks.net
I was a little surprised that there has been no mention of just using the jointer for tapering legs.
If you clamp a stop on the infeed bed so-that the top of the leg touches the knives where the leg taper starts. If you wanted to waste say 1/2", and if you set the depth of cut at 1/8", then 4 passes would end up starting from nothing and end up taking 4/8" on the other end, and you would end up with a smooth flat tapered side very quick and easy. If your knives are good and sharp, you may be able to use 1/4" depth of cut.
Hi Keith,
I had thought of suggesting the jointer route, but I suspected that for the "uninitiated" this is a bit risky-again unable to glean anything useful from the profile of the poster....Is it a Lady???
Mook, I don't know what you mean. Is what a lady?, and I don't know what is dangerous about setting down on the jointer with a stop on the infeed to prevent kick-back. Where is the danger? What am I missing?By the way, What is a Mookroid anyway? Is that someone from the planet of Mook? And please please please, don't think I am trying to put you down.Just so you kinow, I liked the tag. I am from the planet of Newt. Over here, we just sit around eating these fig like rolled cookies watching TV shows of this Vegas dude with big hair and teeth like piano keys. What is it like where you are?
Oh! Are you talking about the Egg and Torso as the Lady?
Keith,
The poster's name is Wendy-hopefully, with a name like that , we are talking to a lady... (am old fashioned-I am not going to talk to a lady like I am talking with my buddies in the army....that is until she starts talking that way, and then I have the prerogative of continuing or combining sex with travel, if you get my drift)
On a more serious note:I assume that Wendy is a new woodworm and s o am wary about describing how to use jointer for tapering. As you say-it's not dangerous-When You Know How.
Mookaroid? A long and often humorous story stemming back to junior school, Jesuit French teachers,my surname,cattle etc. Over the years the name evolved from Mook to Koom to The Comity to Mookaroid. Throw some indigenous African meanings into it and you begin, only begin, to get the picture. Nothing to do with planets as far as I know.
What is it like from where I am now? Short answer-"you don't wanna go there."
Hi guys,
I'm a "woman" by the way. Yup, you guessed it, I'm a weekend woodworker. Meaning I don't have a great deal of experience with woodworking. I've build adirondak chairs, and a few foot stools and 1 large bookcase along with a sofa table. That's about it. Oh, forgot to add.. I also built a shaker shelf and a huge workbench.
As for tapering legs on furniture .... I've never tried it. My shop tools consist of a plunge/fixed Porter Cable router, 6 amp Freud jigsaw, basic 14 volt cordless drill, 2hp King Table saw(my favorite machine in the shop) and a 10" miter saw(chop saw) and a few c-clamps and quick clamps. I don't own a jack plane/rabbit plane, jointer or Band saw.
I would definitely take your advice and use the bandsaw to cut to the line and then smooth the edges using a plane. Since I don't have those tools in my shop I will have to purchase a tapering jig or build my own. Providing I have enough scraps of wood hanging around. Thanks for the advice.
I'll definitely have to pick up a copy of the latest issue of Finewoodworking. I've watched the video.
Wendy
Hi Wendy,
Nice to hear from you and know a bit more about your woodworking activities.
You certainly have a fair amount of machinery and have made some significant items, especially The Bench. So it sounds like you also have a fair amount of room.
Now for the hot potatoe: I feel you are 'missing out' by not having some basic hand tools such as A Plane, and I suggest that you will have more enjoyment as well as broaden your scope by coming to grips with this aspect.I believe that basic hand work should be mastered before machinery-but this is a contentious one, so nuff said-there are people out there who are prepared to take up arms against those who use machinery...
Hello again Wendy,
I have been a bit slow- forgot the most important suggestion: if you buy that taper jig it will be very expensive, that is after you have considered that all it can do is help you cut tapers. Whereas a decent say #5 or 51/2 size will seem to cost a lot initially, but look what it can do for you , and best of all it will last forever- (finish nails or no finsh nails)
If you have an uncontrollable urge for the taper jig you can use your new plane and a couple of other hand tools to make it as per the magazine....
Edited 7/7/2005 4:37 am ET by Philip Marcou
Hi, Wendy. Welcome to Knots. With the tools you have, the easiest thing to do would be to make a taper jig. I like the FWW plan people are raving about because it seems safer than most.
Later, though, you will want to get a hand plane to see what others are talking about. Tapering legs is a great introduction to hand planing, since it is a very forgiving downhill cut. Any bench plane would do, but a common #4 would be my choice. Even a flea market Stanley will do fine for this. You can use your jigsaw instead of a bandsaw to hog off the waste first.
Planing goes a lot quicker than you might think and leaves a better surface than any saw. It is also theraputic.
Hi Wendy,
Before I had access to power tools (except an electric hand drill), I marked out the tapers (2 inside faces), cross cut with a Dozuki saw on the waste portions down to just shy of the line several times. Then clamped the legs in my bench vise, chiseled off the blocks of waste, and hand planed with a no. 5 (the only plane I owned at the time) to the lines. Did this for 2 end tables. Fast? No, but I learned a lot about grain direction! I have even cut tapers with a hand held jig saw. Still have to clean it up with a plane, though.
Enjoy your weekends,
Roy
Hi guys,
Thanks again for the tips. I went into Chapters today to see if I could find a picture of a tapering jig. I was searching for the latest issue of Finewoodworking but they were all gone. So I ventured over to the woodworking section of the store and found a book on Jigs and tips. Found exactly what I was looking for. Very simplistic but just what I need. Not expensive to build either. Just requires one piece of plywood, mdf or hardwood. (long enough to hold the leg you're tapering) approx. 4-4 inches wide)They used a 5 foot board in the book. All you have to do is draw the taper directly onto the leg you're tapering using a straighedge. Screw an end stop onto the Jig place the narrow end of the taper against it . Then line up those 2 marks with the edge of the jig. Placing another clamp against the long edge of the leg you'll be tapering. Then all you have to do is slide the jig through the table saw. You can even use a Toggle clamp to securely hold the leg in place if you like.
So now I must go in search of a piece of wood to build this jig. I'll use some scraps for the end clamp and the long narrow clamp that goes against the leg.
Wendy
When I built the two end tables, I use a band saw and cleaned up the legs with my 6" jointer. I just got a Lie-Nielson #7 plane today. Couldn't wait to try it out. Didn't even sharpen it. WOW! Now I know what you are all talking about. Sharpened the factory grind a bit with a black Arkansas stone. It worked ever better. First good plane I have ever used. Next time, I will taper the legs on the band saw and clean up with a plane. This could be expensive. I think I am going to want some more of those planes.
Y'know, you'll see a lot of light-hearted talk about the "slippery slope" and "no turning back", etc; but truthfully, the purchases of my handplanes and saws have been some of the most satisfying of my life. Sure, they cost a lot, looked at one way; but I saved for a long time, and so they have great meaning to me, in addition to the beautifully combined form and function.When I compare the money spent on these tools--arguably among the finest of their kind in the world--to the money I spent on middle-of-the-road power tools that I constantly find myself trying to avoid, I find that I've spent less on the hand tools, get more satisfaction from them, and better results (although it's slower at times) To me, that's a bargain.You've already bought the most expensive one you'll need. Save up and buy one at a time. Your set will give you a life time of pleasure, service and pride.Can you tell I love my hand tools? Sorry to be so drippy. I'll go scrub a rough-sawn board down to a ready to finish surface; takes about 5 minutes if the board's not too long, and it always relieves that melancholy feeling I get when I'm away from my shop for too long.CharlieA human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher
a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts,
build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders,
cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure,
program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects.
- Robert A. Heinlein
<<A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher
a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts,
build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders,
cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure,
program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects.>>Semper Fi!
[Avoid schadenfreude]
Regarding your quote, I try.
I decided to use the new plane to flatten the top of a small Costco wooden workbench my brother gave me a few years ago. I is a good piece to learn on. He tended to give me Christmas presents like that when I was in an apartment and didn't have enough room. . . The top wasn't all that bad to start with, if you leveled the thing as best you can. It is a a bit flexible. Had bulges in the center and some dips if you looked closely. I don't know what the wood is. It is a kind of light wood that could be maple, except it is some imported wood. Retired rubber trees? It is made of a lot short pieces of random length wood. 8"-10" in length. Naturally the grain doesn't run the same way on each piece. Man, you can get a workout doing this! Have I mentioned in some previous post that it gets hot in Louisiana? Even if I set the plane for the thinnest shaving I can manage, it tends to move the whole bench. Most of the time I went transversely across the top, or at an angle. Produces shavings that look like they came from an old fashion pencil sharpener. I had heretical thoughts of the belt sander on the shelf. Maybe that would have been best there is tear out on some of the wood. Finally got it flat. Much better than it was. At what point does one use a smoothing plane? There were some spots where a smaller plane might have been better - or at least faster. I am trying out Deft brushing lacquer to finish it. Not to sure I like that yet.
I've forgotten which plane you're using (jointer?), but...If you really get into this, you'll get a scrub plane. That'll take wood off easily a hundred times faster (no kidding) than your belt sander, and flatten that top in a New York minute. It'll leave grooves across the top, though, and give you significant tearout on that reversing grain.So, you'll get out a jack plane, and use that to flatten the grooves and shave off the tearout. (A low-angle jack could be used; it's light and cheap [compared to a standard bench model] and you could use a toothed blade in it to do your scrubbing--that would be slower, but you'd avoid the tearout and grooves. In fact, that would probably be my chosen path to flatten my also cheap imported bench top.) If you really want the top to be dead flat, you'll run a jointer plane across the top until it takes a full length shaving in every direction. Won't take long; the jack plane has gotten the top very close to flat. Then you'd hit it with a smoother set so fine that the shavings are feel like tissue paper and you can see through them. This will not be nearly so much work as what you had to do, because you had to compromise between efficient stock removal and difficulty shoving the plane through the work. Also, it's likely that you're wasting a lot of energy in your technique. Practice'll help that. I remember when I was first learning to drive, I was clamped onto the wheel so tightly that my shoulders would ache after an hour of driving; it might be kinda like that. Also, if you're using a #7 (I think?), that's a heavy plane.Here's a tip: get a candle and rub parrafin on the bottom of your plane. You'll be pleasantly surprised. (Just shave the paraffin off with an untreated plane before you finish, or your finish might not stick.) Also, take a still lighter shaving. On reversing grain, close the mouth up very fine; move frog forward until the shavings start to clog the mouth and then back it off just until they clear. That'll reduce your work load. Of course, at that rate, the work would be ponderously slow; hence the need for a scrub plane and a jack plane. Also, you might eventually decide to try waterstones. You can't believe what can be done with an 8000 grit waterstone. Deneb Puchalski, the L-N rep, can cut a hair from his arm without even TOUCHING THE SKIN. Gad! That makes for much easier work, too.I've found that there really is a good reason why all these different planes exist. Nonetheless, it sounds like you got the job done with no harm done to your ears or lungs, and exercise to boot. Congrats! But it doesn't always have to be that hard or take that long. CharlieA human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher
a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts,
build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders,
cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure,
program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects.
- Robert A. Heinlein
Thanks, Charlie. I did use a #7.
Madison
Wendy,
Since you already have a router and no one else suggested it, here's another approach:
Use a pattern bit guided by a straight board clamped to the work. Even if you don't have a pattern bit, you'll find it much less costly than a good hand plane.
Ooog! Now I've agitated the hornet's nest, haven't I?
vty
dhbI'm not the man I used to be, but then I never was!
Hi Guys
That's a great suggestion Don B. I just so happen to have a "trimming bit" and I also have one of those handy edge guides that just clamp on to the work piece. So best to make do with what I have for now instead of paying out a small fortune for the lumber to make a tapering jig. Believe me I know through experience that building jigs doesn't come cheap.
I have more options than I thought. However I wouldn't mind familiarizing myself with handtools. shocking to have a workshop with no bench plane. I don't even own a sharpening stone. How can I dare to call myself a woodworker.
How much money can I expect to dish out for a decent/quality plane? What's the best all purpose plane? (bench plane) Now I have to research planes. How do Stanley planes stack up? I'll have to check the finewoodworking archives. I'm sure I'll find an article in there on planes. I'd like to know more about the Lie-Nielson #7 plane that was mentioned.
I have till the end of July. I'm building the end tables for my sister's birtday. Hopefully have them finished by then.
Wendy
Hello again,
Just finished checking out the online Lee Valley website. They have several planes to choose from. What's the difference between a Low Angle smooth plane and a standard smooth plane? Obviously the angle but I think you know what I mean. Can you remove more waste with a sharper angled plane vs the lower angle. What does the low angle plane excel at vs the standard smooth plane? (pros/cons) When you taper a leg do you move the plane across the wood at a slight angle across the grain?
Lee Valley sells a Veritas #4-1/2 Smooth plane for $249.00 (Canadian) A Veritas #4 Smooth plane for $245.00 and a Veritas Low angle smooth plane for $219.00
I found out that Edge longevity and rigidity along with a quality blade that doesn't chatter or cause tearout are 2 things to look for when purchasing a plane.
I checked out the Lie Nielsen Planes... Wow! I'm afraid they're out of my price range. However I did see a #4 Lie Nielsen smooth plane listed on E-Bay for only $260.00 (Canadian) even comes with an extra blade. Maybe purchasing one on e-bay would be a good idea.
Wendy
Wendy-
I too am a beginner, but I bought the #7 because the table top I am making is too large for my planer and need a bit of work - it cupped after I glued it up. I shouldn't have spent so much money, but it will be a one time purchase. The Lie-Nielsen plane should last for ever and I wanted to start with the best. I have had very good luck with Veritas products and they were basically rated equal to the Lie-Nielsen planes in a recent issue of FWW. After reading the article, I think there is a good selection of planes and all of the others are less expensive than Lie-Nielsen. I wanted the 22" one and the longest Veritas is 18". My next plane will probably be the Veritas low angle plane. I think, but don't really know since I haven't ever had the chance to try one, that it would be ideal for the 5" taper on the bottom at the ends of the table top I am now doing. I am super happy with the new Lie-Nielsen. It will give you a work out - especially in the heat and humidity of my shop here in Louisiana! It surprised me with how heavy it is. But that is not a problem once you get going with it.
Wendy
I didn't bother to read all the posts, but unless you're doing 50 legs, by the time you build the jig, you could be done tapering the four legs. Bandsaw just outside your line on the legs, and clean it up with a smoother or jack plane. I do all mine this way, including sets of dining chairs. If you use the table saw and jig, you're gonna have to plane them smooth anyway, so just get to it.
Jeff
DIFFERENT SUGGESTION If you only have the 2 tables to do, and you are not bothered by not having a adjustable jig for future use [you can always make or buy one in the future] then do it the easy way. Rip a piece of plywood on the angle that you want, screw a endstop onto it and run it against your rip fence. That's it. Peter
Wendy, you can make a simple taper jig in 15 minutes or less. Take a piece of 3/4" plywood and rip it with paralell sides about 8" wide or more. Make it as long or longer than the legs. Lay out the taper on the left side of the plywood. Fasten a scrap to the lay out line. Fasten a stop block at the end towards you. Use toggle clamps or devise a hold down on each end of the leg. I usually do not use a hold down but it is much safer.Make first cut by riding the plywood against the fence. Reverse the leg and make second cut.Plane or sand off any saw marks.
mike
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