02-21-2024, 10:42 AM
The tapering jig I showed the other day was to prep some legs that I needed to "turn" with a round taper. I'm a lousy turner, and I knew I would never be able to make perfectly straight tapers, and any deviation would stick out like a sore thumb. So I decided to use my CNC to do it. The limited Z axis capacity of my CNC called for machining in a way that didn't give the smoothest finish, but after sanding they look perfect.
I drilled 3/8" holes in the center of both ends of the legs. I glued a 3/8" dowel in the foot and threaded a piece of 3/8" all thread in the top. Those "arbors" are held in a simple jig I made that's mounted parallel with the X-axis of the CNC. The CNC and me running a hand drill did the rest.
As you can see, it's pretty rough, but after 60 grit up to 220 grit it looks beautiful.
These legs are for a Lane dining table I'm building. The design is interesting; the tapered section meets a square section at the top, and the outside corner of it is round over to match the diameter of the taper. I rounded over that corner with a hand plane.
John
I drilled 3/8" holes in the center of both ends of the legs. I glued a 3/8" dowel in the foot and threaded a piece of 3/8" all thread in the top. Those "arbors" are held in a simple jig I made that's mounted parallel with the X-axis of the CNC. The CNC and me running a hand drill did the rest.
As you can see, it's pretty rough, but after 60 grit up to 220 grit it looks beautiful.
These legs are for a Lane dining table I'm building. The design is interesting; the tapered section meets a square section at the top, and the outside corner of it is round over to match the diameter of the taper. I rounded over that corner with a hand plane.
John