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cutting tapers

11/27/13       
Dan

I use a birch ply/MDF sled to cut tapers. It was featured in Fine Woodworking a few years ago. The sled works well, i.e. holds the work piece firmly, is adjustable, and has only a very very small amount of "play" in the table top's miter groove. When I cut multiple tapers of the same dimension I'm finding that the entry point of the blade is identical on each work piece but that the exit point is inconsistent. In other words, I end up with "cut lines", i.e. the ridge that represents the path of the saw blade at the beginning of each taper, that are not always 90 degrees to the edge of the work piece. Sometimes that "cut line" or "ridge" angles off a bit from where the blade enters the work piece. My saw blade is perfectly square with the table and the sled. Sanding the work piece usually disguises the imperfection but it would be nice to get perfectly perpendicular (with the edge of the workpiece) cut lines to begin with. Maybe I need a new jig? Or is this a common problem with all tapering jigs?

11/28/13       #2: cutting tapers ...
Rick

I think this is one of those things that is pretty common when cutting tapers, and no one knows why, exactly- everything can be square and true, and the cut line at the exit still looks slightly out-of-square to the work.
Try leaving just enough stock to take a final skim pass on the jointer, and see if that cleans everything up. Make sure that the jointer fence is square, and that you are feeding the stock "downhill" to the grain.

11/30/13       #3: cutting tapers ...
B.H. Davis Member

What type of blade are you using? If it is a finish blade try the cut with a coarse ripping blade. This of course will not give you a good surface but if the cut is "square" you know where to look for a solution.

Also try hold down toggle clamps if you are not mechanically holding down the blank.

Just suggestions......this could be inherent to the process as mentioned above.

BH Davis

12/6/13       #4: cutting tapers ...
Dan

Thanks Rick and B.H. I do, by the way have a reliable way in which to hold down each work piece as the cut is made. I don't employ toggle clamps but screw-down hardwood arm on my jig puts solid pressure on the workpiece to hold it in place during the cut.

12/7/13       #5: cutting tapers ...
Bruce H

throw out your taper jig except to make the pattern. attach the pattern to your part with two sided tape (doesn't take all that much tape) make an over blade attachment for your saw fence so the your work part will pass under leaving enough space between the rip fence and blade so the off cut won't bind up. using a power feeder cut your part. the pattern rides against the over fence and the blade extends just to the underside of this fence. this is fast, easy, produces parts all the same and if your blade is square the edges will be also.


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