# Cutting a tapered hole



## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Can anyone think of a way to cut a tapered hole? I want a hole in a 3/4 piece of wood that is 1" in diameter at one end and 1 1/8" in diameter at the other.

The best idea that I have come up with is to make an insert on the lathe that I stick into a bigger (1.5") hole. I small lip hanging over the top edge would be acceptable and it would hide any imperfect fit of the insert into the bigger hole.

I keep thinking there must be a better way. I just don't know what it is.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Hi Rich!
Hmmm, I'd taper a 1 1/8" flat spade bit down 1/16th each side, so that the 1" diameter was 3/4" down from the beginning of the taper. Though if the quality of the finished hole is very important, this suggestion may not work well for you.


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## RogerBean (Apr 25, 2010)

Rich,
Poopiekat's suggestion is a good one. An alternative: Is the piece something you can spin in your lathe? Might work. The more I think about it, the more I think Poopikat's approach is the one I would try first.
Just a thought.
Roger


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

That is a very good idea that I had not thought of. Thank you.

I would probably initially cut a 1" hole with a forstner bit and use the spade bit to ream it out a bit.

If the hole is a little rough, I would make a tapered wooden plug on the lathe, wrap some sandpaper around it and use it to clean up the hole.

Thanks again. I knew I came to the right place.


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## IrreverentJack (Aug 13, 2010)

Rich, What Poopiekat suggests - but use a 1" bit first then the tapered 1 1/8" one. I was just looking at a bow making site. He described how to make a tapered holes to mount horn tips on his bow ends. -Jack


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## tom427cid (Aug 21, 2011)

Hi Rich,
Looks like everybody has the same idea. I would add when you grind the bit that to grind a relief on the back side of the cutting edge and it will work quite well.I have a number of bits that I have modified for this purpose and with the edge on the side does a very nice job.
tom


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## daltxguy (Sep 7, 2007)

Yes, it's called a reamer. Jennie Alexander designed one for creating tapered holes for tapered chair legs. I copied her design and there is a picture here. I used a keyhole saw sharpened like a scraper on the backside.
http://lumberjocks.com/daltxguy/blog/19528


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## docholladay (Jan 9, 2010)

If it were me, I would use a tapered reamer. I would dill the whole the size of the smaller diameter, I would use a tapered reamer to taper and enlarge the larger side.

Doc


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## jerkylips (May 13, 2011)

How "perfect" does the hole need to be? My first thought was to find the angle needed for that taper & use a jig saw/scroll saw with the table set to that angle. It might be tough to get a perfect circle without some sort of jig, though..


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

I have a "Brace and Bit" that I use for that function. The bit was made by Stanley somewhere around 1900 or 1910 and is tapered from 1 1/4 to 3/4" for a 6/4 board. My brain isn't working well right now due to some mind numbing pain meds, but that would seem to fit your needs.

Alternatively, if the angle doesn't need constant contact for the wood for strength, why not a "Stepper" bit, sold at your favorite box shop or HF. You could also wrap a piece of sand paper around the bit afterward and shove it into the hole again to increase the glue surface.


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## Viktor (Jan 15, 2009)

Drill a 1" hole, then use a dovetail bit with round template and bushing to widen the opposite side. Dovetail bits usually have 1/8 slope which over 3/4" depth would give you diameter on the other side = ... 1.1875" (1 1/5") …damn!... Why do you need 1.125"? Just make it 1.1875".


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Rich,
I hope you found your solution to this problem. You didn't say, but what the heck are you trying to build, with that tapered hole? We gots to know….


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## mark88 (Jun 8, 2009)

cut the circle out on a scroll saw with the base angled to whatever angle it may need to be…just an idea :S


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## Rambo (May 18, 2009)

Have you thought about a stepped drill bit?
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or maybe a tapered reamer


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