# Long taper jig?



## Wood Dreams (Dec 21, 2011)

Hey folks I am a new member, but been lurking for awhile. I am helping a friend build a huge dining table with an agressive design, and I have come up with an issue to correct. The center design of the table has 2 fields of 4" planked boards meeting in the middle at 45 degree angles to form an arrow. Once we got the panels all cut to rough sizes the angles on one side are off a nit and I need to resquare the side to the 45 degree cuts in order to get the two sides to allign. The best way i have come up with is a long tapering jig. I have a cheap short one, but I need to run a degree or two for 51" in length. I have been considering using the hardware from my cheap short one, but I haven't come up with a good plan of how to hold it open at the angle? Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Buy one or build one?*

http://www.ptreeusa.com/taper_jigs.htm

I have one of these, but I made a straight line rip jig that will also cut tapers. The jig is simply a base of 1/4" hardboard, 12" x 84" with a 1 x 3 oak on the right hand side which the 4 toggle clamps are mounted. 
 

You can make a dedicated one purpose "jig" out of a piece of plywood longer and wider than you need, cut to the correct taper with a fence to hold your material at the correct angle and a push block at the operator end to move the material along. Toggle clamps or FH machine screws and wing nuts from the top will hold the material in place and allow a flush bottom.  bill


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## dljones (Dec 23, 2011)

For safety reason I recommend you build it to fit over your fence on the fence side, I've found it it hard to hold a long jig against the fence, if it fits over the fence all you have to do then is just hold it down and push, I like easy. 

dj


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Yup*

That works best with rectangle shaped fences, mine wasn't, and because of the Unifence head I can't use anything that slides on the top.....easily.
But you've made me think about fences in general and I like the idea of a sliding fence, much like a sliding table would work. I'm gonna give it some thought.
Welcome BTW to WWT. :yes: bill


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## dljones (Dec 23, 2011)

Agree I have a rectangle shaped fence but I have to clear the top since I have an older one on my Delta Saw so I have to have clear the bolts heads on top that is why I use a wrap around so it hits both sides of my fence, I also use slick strip tape on both sides to make it slide on the fence very easy. I will not lie is takes time to build this to get it right, :smile: but once done you will be happy you did, also I did a tall short fence with clamps to cut the end of board as well and my hands are never close to the blade. 

dj


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## Wood Dreams (Dec 21, 2011)

*Update*

Thanks for the advice. I took all your suggestions to heart and this is what i came up with. I used my super cheap metal taper jig as an example of super sized it. Plus I added the fence guide as per your suggestion. Not necessary beautiful, but it should certainly get the job done.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*very nice!*

That oughta do it. :thumbsup:

Now here's a question....2 tapered sides on a square is no problem.
What about tapering all 4 sides? The original angle, let's say 2 degrees, is now in the hook and against the fence. It's no longer a square since it's tapered. Now what do you do? 
I think you would have to reset the angle to 4 degrees or double the original angle...you think? :blink: bill


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