Woodpeckers Taper Jig

[Birdhunter]

I've been struggling with the same cheapo taper jig for over 20 years. I've been looking at the Woodpeckers jig. Any people with experience with the jig?

 

[Norsk handverk]

I have it.  It's better than the $20 ones on Amazon but essentially the same thing. As one of Woodpeckers more "reasonably" priced tools I would say it's worth it.

Mark

 

[Birdhunter]

Great because I just ordered one. I got fed up with my old one.

 

[rmwarren]

Am I envisioning this correctly, that after each setup you'd need to replace the sacrificial MDF strip if you wanted to always fully support whatever you're cutting?

For example if the first cut was on 2" stock tapering to 1", you'd lop off the tapered portion and in that area end up with 1" remaining of the sacrificial MDF. Then if you wanted to cut 4" stock with a taper to 2.5", at the start of the cut 3" of stock would be hanging over the edge where the first taper was cut? When the cut finished there'd still be 1.5" overhanging unsupported in the tapered area?

RMW

 

[Birdhunter]

I think you are correct. I ordered the extra 4 MDF pieces. I’ve probably used 2 taper angles in 40 plus years. I guess 5 angles should be adequate for the years I have left.

 

[ChuckM]

A small improvement during the design stage would have made the MDF base and replacements unnecessary. Simply design the clamping force to be applied at the far end of the extrusion instead of from the top to the stock, and the base can be dispensed with.

If I had one of these taper jigs, I'd fashion a clamp myself, install it to the extrusion slots, and use the jig without any MDF base. One doesn't need the mdf to prevent tear-outs. That's what a ZC throat plate on the table saw is for.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I do it so often, on so many wildly different sized parts, that a commercial jig would never work. I make a new one from scrap every time and toss it when I'm done. I keep a handful of toggle clamps around for just this application. On really large parts, I pull out my shop-made Hans & Frans clamping pads, for use on the Laguna slider saw.

 

[Birdhunter]

On my ancient taper jig, the tab on the end of the swing arm that pushes the wood forward is metal. I worry that the tab would contact the SawStop blade and trigger the safety device. There isn’t a way to swap the metal tab for a wooden one.

I’m anxious to see what the new jig uses.

Also, my guess is that there is a way to make a plywood substitute for the factory MDF.

 

[Birdhunter]

I received my taper jig. As usual with Woodpeckers, well made. Making sacrificial sleds looks easy and my 1/2” Baltic birch seems to be the perfect thickness.