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Tapering Small Radius Dowel

3/20/21       
Drew Zembruski Member

Website: http://www.artifexhome.com

I need to taper some ~12" long dowels. I am using 5/8" dowels and I'd like to taper one end to 3/8". I'll be doing 40-60 of them. Current working plan is to use the jointer to taper one end to 3/8" square and then round with a block plane. Any advice on repeatable, somewhat efficient process would be appreciated! The size of the ends (5/8" and 3/8") is the most important part in terms of accuracy; the evenness of the tapers piece to piece is less critical.

I could certainly have them made by a specialty shop but this is going to be for a set of wedding gifts for friends (short Shaker-inspired benches) and as a result I would prefer to make all the parts myself.

3/20/21       #2: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
rich c

There is always this method.

Chopsticks

3/21/21       #3: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Drew Z Member

Thanks Rich. Should have specified that these are spindles for a bench so they will be rounded. But this contraption has plenty of ideas worth mimicking for repeatability and efficiency. Seems like after using the jointer to get dowels that go (in section) from 5/8" circles to 3/8" squares, a cradle of some kind could increase my efficiency and accuracy in using my block plane to fair the square ends round again. At least in keeping my sizing consistent.

3/21/21       #4: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
rich c

That's why I gave you the link. They show how to do an 8 sided chop stick, a 16 sided gets very close with just tiny points to sand off.

3/22/21       #5: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
TonyF

Drew:

You could make a jig like the chopsticks jig, with more clearance on the bottom, and place a spur (nail point, etc.) such that the tapered end centers in a way that allows the finished taper to fall 1/8" below the "sled" that the plane rides on. If your dowel is longer to start with, you could mak a "knob" that fits on the outside of the jig, allowing you to turn the dowel as you plane it.

The resulting multi-faceted tapered spindle will give you the "Nakashima look" that you are probably after.

Hope this helps.
TonyF

3/24/21       #6: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Gary Balcom

Sounds like a good job for a benchtop lathe, a chuck, and a skew chisel.

3/24/21       #7: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Gary Balcom

Actually, you could setup a slope to ride a block plane on, on the lathe to make it more repeatable.

3/24/21       #8: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Nicko Member

Chuck it in a drill and just squeeze it in your hand with some sand paper and spin it until you get the taper you want. Where gloves to protect from the heat buildup. I have done this before and it’s fast and works well. You would have to have a drill that would accept 5/8 or reduce one end to 1/2 and then cut it off when done.

Nicko

3/24/21       #9: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Drew Z Member

Website: http://www.artifexhome.com

Thanks all for some very good ideas -- I'm going to play around with them and do some time trials to find my most efficient method for doing all 60. Thanks again all.

3/24/21       #10: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Nicko Member

If you have a disc sander you could make some kind of jig that you could put the dowel in and spin it around for the taper.

Nicko

3/25/21       #11: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Thomas

We have made angled jigs to fit the taper we need for edge sander. Once you have the correct angle or slope, then you just start turning the dowel as you feed it into the angled jig. 80 grit paper will shape it pretty quick.

3/25/21       #12: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Nicko

There Are some clever ways of tapering dowels on YouTube. One guy makes a jig and does it on a table saw.

Nicko

3/25/21       #13: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Drew Z Member

I spent some time at the end of the day today trying out some ideas; Thomas, the edge sander seemed to be the fastest way for a repeatable result (and I can have someone else do it while I'm working on the other parts of the pieces). I am attaching an image from Fine Woodworking that I found helpful.
Nicko - I have made some larger, tapered dowels on the TS before and plan to again, as I don't have a repeater set up in the shop since I do almost all cabinetry now and not furniture. I've found it much faster and more accurate with the table saw the few times a year I need to have a leg for something. Plus I can have my cabinetsaw set up to do that and use the slider for everything else.

3/25/21       #14: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Drew Z Member

Image didn't link correctly, trying again.


View higher quality, full size image (700 X 321)

4/4/21       #15: Tapering Small Radius Dowel ...
Drew Z Member

Website: http://www.artifexhome.com

Thanks again for the all good ideas. The sander ended up not being as quick or accurate as I hoped; I ended up tapering on the jointer and fairing with a block plane. Took me about 75 minutes to do 44 spindles, and probably 25 minutes was setting up jigs and stop blocks to standardize my taper and fairing. Next time I have to do this that time should get cut down further.
If anyone would like to see, I’m including a photo of the completed benches here, pre finishing.


View higher quality, full size image (2016 X 1512)


View higher quality, full size image (2016 X 1512)


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