# Taper Jig for Planer - large piece



## pashley (Mar 22, 2008)

Has anyone used a tapering jig for a thickness planer? I'm not talking about one for a table leg, but for a wide piece?

What I'm trying to do is take a 1" thick piece of stock, about 7"x7", and create a ramp, or a taper from one side almost to the other. The thin end of the taper would be about 1/4", and would ramp up to the full 1" thickness about 5 " later down the piece.

I'm thinking that you either take a regular planer sled, which keeps the workpiece locked in position, but wedging it up under the workpiece and sled, or keeping the workpiece flat on the sled, and putting a piece of scrap on the end of the sled to also create a incline, though I don't think that work work well because the main board of the sled would have to be very stiff.

I can't seem to find much of anything on this on the internet.

Yes, thought of a router jig to make this, but I believe this project might become a product line, so I need an option that is quick, accurate and easily replicated.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!


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## bbc557ci (Sep 20, 2012)

using a band saw might be quicker, easier, and safer. Or rough it in on a table saw, then smooth it out on a jointer.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Yeah, a band saw is my thought too as being easier and faster.


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## jap (Oct 10, 2012)

Band saw then use a planer jig, (if your bandsaw is big enough). Just planer jig might take to many passes.


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## cabmaker (Sep 16, 2010)

Sounds futile to me. If your piece is only 7 inches long you could easily bandsaw it or if you need it quickly just hand plane it.

The taper you describe is a job for the jointer assuming yours has the width capability but being your work piece is only seven inches long that may kill that deal.

(#5 jack)
JB


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

For that I don't think a planer will work well.

I'd band saw the wedges and use a router jig to surface the
cut face. Hold the part down with double stick tape or
a vacuum clamp. If dimensions aren't strictly critical
perhaps a belt sander would work. An overarm router
would work well too.

It may be feasible to remove most of the waste using 
a pair of jigs on the table saw. Then split or cut off 
the left over section between the saw kerfs.


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## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

I made a taper jig for a planer before. 
What you are describing should work.

I would block the ends and use double sided tape to hold it secure.

Planer fixture made with hardwood plywood should give consistent repeatable results.

Make a cheap prototype to test it out and something better if the production comes thru.


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

I used a taper sled for my drum sander that did about what you are saying. I used it for pizza peels that were about a foot square and tapered from really thin to about an inch thick.

I cut a bunch of long triangles out of ply and glued them to a sled, so the work piece was held at an angle. I also allowed for the handle. I had a stop block at the back of the work piece that held it from sliding back, and little stop blocks on the sides that held it in place. No double sticky tape was needed. I made eight peels with the same sled. Just went slow - it worked great.

Steve


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

That will work as long as your pieces are well attached to your sled/carrier board. It will take quite a few passes and you very well may have a snipe problem with these short pieces.

If I needed a lot of these wedged pieces, I would plane the wedge desired on a long board and then cut my 7" pieces. Much quicker and you would only have to deal with snipe once.


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

7" seems small for the smallest piece through a planer. mine requires no less than 11"


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## mantwi (Mar 17, 2013)

Shawn Masterson is right. If the workpiece doesn't engage at least one feed roller it will become a projectile. I may not make it out of the machine but it could wreak havoc on the works. I wouldn't feel safe running anything through a planer that wasn't an inch or two longer than the distance between the feed rollers sled or no sled. It just doesn't feel safe. gfadvm's suggestion would eliminate the risk.


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## rodneyh (Feb 8, 2011)

If you've got an 8" jointer, start with a 7×8 piece with a 3/4" scrap taped (or glued) to the bottom side of the extra inch of width. Run that thru the jointer 6 or 8 times and you're done.


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