Legs for tables or desks that have been tapered from top to bottom possess an elegance and fragility that square legs lack. The style has been utilized by Shaker furniture manufacturers and various others. While the legs may taper completely around, they are more commonly tapered on two adjacent sides. This method is efficient and trustworthy.
For optimum results, machine tools such as a bandsaw or table saw are ideal for shaping tapered legs. It’s also possible to use a jig in combination with a thickness planer for achieving tapers, which entails minimal post-processing. Multiple techniques including jointing, utilizing a router and flush-trimming bit, or deploying a hand plane can be employed for refining the cuts.
The amount of taper for a leg and the direction of the taper is a matter of personal preference and requires multiple trials. We will discuss some of the prevalent techniques to assist you in your endeavor.
Tapered Legs on the Bandsaw
The easiest and most secure method for tapering is to mark lines on two adjoining surfaces of both legs and make straightforward cuts on a bandsaw, slightly outside the marked lines.
Making the cut is relatively easy if your bandsaw is well adjusted and the blade is sharp. You can mark the taper on a leg blank that has been milled, drawing a line from the broadest point (where the taper starts) to the smallest point at the foot. If there is a flat area near the top of the leg where an apron will meet, draw a line across the leg’s face that denotes the start of the taper or just a bit below it. The goal is to have enough substance on the leg to allow it to be smoothed out without it becoming excessively thin.
Creating a template using hardboard or MDF that is 1/4 inch thick is a good idea if the leg shape is something you frequently replicate. This will save you time in the future when you need to create the same taper because it will only take a few seconds to lay out.
When cutting, it helps to tilt your head down a little to align with the layout line. Use both hands to maneuver the material through the blade and move at a steady pace, correcting any deviation before straying from the line. With experience, cutting a straight line on a bandsaw becomes effortless, but it’s crucial to protect your fingers from getting caught in the blade. Running your thumb into it is a common mistake to avoid.
Tapered Legs with a Thickness Planer
When it comes to cutting tapers, a thickness planer may not be the most obvious tool to use. However, with the right jig in place – one that features a basic carriage to support legs at an angle and end stops – a planer can provide consistent results. The only downside is that the process may take some time.
A jig can be constructed using a larger scrap piece of plywood than the leg length. To achieve the desired taper, draw it on one of the legs and put it on top of the base of the jig. Lift one end until the taper line runs parallel to the plywood, and gauge the height near one end of the plywood. Then, cut a support piece to fit this space, stick it in place and attach a stop behind it. The thin tips of the legs will then rest against this stop.
Next, you should create angled pieces that will provide support for the legs, preventing them from bending when there is pressure from the planer’s feed rollers. After you glue these supports onto the plywood base, include an additional stop at the front part of the jig to ensure that the legs remain secure, thereby preventing the material from moving around under the cutter head.
One advantage of this technique for tapering legs is that it allows for all the legs to be completed simultaneously. It is important to use gentle cuts, particularly in the beginning, in order to avoid unnecessary bending of the wood. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure that the legs remain stable on the supporting elements to prevent any unwanted chipping or roughness.
Tapered Legs on the Tablesaw
The table saw is the preferred choice for cutting tapers and rightfully so, as it offers speed and minimalistic clean-up requirements, provided it is properly calibrated. To create various tapers, one can either design a specialized jig each time or employ a versatile hinge tapering jig. Though, some individuals favor creating dedicated jigs to ensure consistency while duplicating components.
To create the jig, begin with a piece of plywood that is slightly longer than the leg stock. Ensure that the sides are parallel and the ends are square before attaching a backstop to one end. This will capture the wide end of the taper. At the other end of the jig, attach a front stop that will hold the leg in place and tilt it to the correct angle for the desired taper.
To prepare for the cut, start by measuring from the inner edge of the jig to the widest portion of the taper – either at the corner of the leg if it’s a complete taper or a few inches away if you wish to keep a flat section for an apron. Utilize this measurement to establish the distance between the blade and the fence. While making the cut, ensure that the jig remains firmly in place against the fence and feed the leg steadily, with the narrow portion approaching the blades first. For the second taper, rotate the leg blank 90 degrees clockwise while still in the jig. This way, the un-tapered, square face will be resting on the table saw.
How to Cut Perfect Tapers on the Table Saw
Begin creating the jig by using a piece of 2-inch wide hardwood that measures around 7/8 inch in thickness and 38 inches in length. Afterward, detach a 3/8 inch-wide section from this piece and cut it to a length of 33 inches. You want this strip to ride against the rip fence; therefore, it must be slightly elevated from the sled’s edge. To achieve this, apply some masking tape along the sled’s edge, line up the strip and the sled base against the rip fence, and glue the strip to the sled while also using screws or staples. Finally, remove the tape, and the jig is good to go.
- Attach the guide strip. To keep the wood strip just proud of the MDF, temporarily attach a strip of masking tape to a long edge of the base. Push both pieces against the fence as you screw or nail them together.
- Trim the other edge. After attaching the stop block, trim the edge of the sled and the block at the same time. Those surfaces will tell you exactly where the tapers will be cut.
- Add the adjustable fence. Screw-threaded inserts into the base of the sled. These will receive the knobs that secure the sled’s adjustable fence. File the inserts flush with the underside of the sled to avoid scratching your saw.
- Smooth sledding. Attach the sled to the fence via the L-guide and see how easy it is to push (right). You may need to add a strip or two of masking tape to the L-guide to allow the sled to slide smoothly but without slop.
To ensure the sled is aligned, its two long sides need to be parallel. Therefore, position the sled against the rip fence and trim the opposite side. However, prior to doing so, attach the stop block to guarantee it also gets trimmed properly. Once completed, attach the adjustable fence, push handle, and toggle clamp to the sled. An L-guide will secure the jig in parallel to the fence while allowing for smooth gliding without any slack. Construct the guide by adhering a 2-inch-wide by 38-inch-long strip of 1/2-inch-thick plywood to the remaining part of the hardwood you had previously ripped. Affix the guide to the fence with the maple strip base adjacent to it. Ensure the sled moves effortlessly back and forth, and if it is too tight, add adhesive blue painter’s tape to the hardwood side of the guide before re-clamping and testing again.
Two-sided tapers are the most common
When it comes to traditional furniture of various styles, there is a fundamental guideline for tapering leg faces: Those that are situated under the aprons should be tapered. This technique bestows an air of delicacy and elegance upon the furniture, while also diminishing any suggestion of it appearing off-balance. For instance, a typical rectangular table with four legs, or even more elaborate versions with a bowed or curvaceous front, will have the inner two leg faces tapered. In order to demonstrate the usage of the tool, I will proceed to cut one of these legs.
- Align the foot. Line up the layout mark with the edge of the sled and stop the block, and push the leg gently against the screw in the block.
- Align the top. You need only a small tick mark at the start of the taper. Line it up with the edge of the sled, then slide the adjustable fence against the back of the leg blank.
- Adjust the rip fence. You want the edge of the sled to be about 1⁄32 in. away from the blade. In this way, the taper is cut slightly proud to leave room for hand planing and sanding.
To start, trim any connections on the leg. This is simpler if the blank has straight sides. The benefit of this jig is its lack of need for extensive layout work. A line indicating the beginning of the taper and another at the foot’s base is all that’s required. Typically, the taper commences where the leg intersects the bottom of the apron or rail. I utilize a combination square to draw the lines on top, ensuring that only the designated sides are marked. Too many lines can lead to errors! If the taper’s finished measurement is, for example, 5⁄8 inches on the bottom, I cut a piece of the same thickness, align the blanks, and mark the bottoms with one motion of the pencil. I spin each leg by 90° and make a second mark. Finally, I use a wax crayon to emphasize the faces that require tapering.
The sled should be used with the tapered leg’s thin end positioned near to the operator. Doing so will allow for a “downhill” cut along the grain, and the blade’s motion will aid in advancing the blank onto the sled. Additionally, after the first cut, it is advisable to rotate the leg in a clockwise direction so that it is resting on a non-tapered surface during the second cut.
To place the leg onto the sled, ensure that the mark at the bottom of the foot lines up with the sled’s edge and then insert the foot into the screw tip emerging from the stop block. Next, line up the beginning of the taper with the sled’s edge and position the adjustable fence against the leg. Afterward, engage the toggle clamp. Leave some additional material for hand planing and sanding by adjusting the saw fence so that the sled’s side is about 1/32 inch away from the blade. Continue cutting while using the sled handle to move the jig while keeping your fingers away from the blade. Once done, move the jig towards the saw’s front, and release the clamp. Rotate the leg clockwise by 90 degrees and then secure it again for the second taper cut. To prevent a gap between the leg and the apron, avoid removing any wood above the taper while eliminating the saw marks. To sneak up on the line, mark the area below it using a crayon before planing up to the marked spot and stopping just before hitting the line. Finally, give the leg a light sanding for a finished look.
