Multiple Angle Taper on Butt

rack runner

rack runner

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Morning/afternoon all! Been making messes in the garage on the lathe. Respirator on of course. Been setting up to do tapers, been messing around with test pieces to get it right. Literally broomsticks, making "dimensions" i want to get to, and making all the adjustments to get it to them. Been doing straight tapers, but have been wondering the logistics of doing multiple tapers (ex 2 or 3). So far with my experimentation, 'ive had a hard time with the second and third tapers. First one not too bad, but to make the second/third taper, for me requires a lot of adjusting where i think my repeatability might be lost. Maybe I can do some kind of setup blocks, or gauges or something. Id enjoy hearing any additional thoughts. If you dont want to share your methods with the world and deem me worthy, id love to hear from you in a pm. If not, id love to hear ideas on here. Please and thank you in advanced.
 
What method/equipment are you using to taper?
what don’t you like about it if anything?
is there a defined shape (profile) you are trying to attain? Or are you just exploring limits “in case”?
 
It's easy. Use feeler gauge as shims/stopper.
Don't mess with the bar at the joint end.
Only the bottom. Unless you like headaches at tomato stakes.
Do the math. Write it down. Realize you are in lathe mode . Not milling.
 
Ssonerai said:
What method/equipment are you using to taper?
what don’t you like about it if anything?
is there a defined shape (profile) you are trying to attain? Or are you just exploring limits “in case”?
Click to expand...
On a midamerica pro, large bore headstock. Running a makita router, no taper bars yet.
 
Aha, i see your difficulty...

from the mfgr’s website:

”This is a Professional Cue Repair Lathe. In the hands of a qualified and experienced technician this lathe is capable of performing most the operations necessary to build a simple cue however, it will not easily cut a compound taper for making a new shaft. It was not designed nor is it intended to be a cue building lathe.”

with upgrades, will it take a taper bar arrangement?
Or will you have to engineer it yourself?
Are you using tailstock offsets currently, or other method?

If you were using any sort of follower method (aka typical cue taper bar) my suggestion was going to be that it is not difficult to derive hard masters from, say 1/4” aluminum flat bars & keep each separate as part of a library. I even use microlam plywood wizth large followers. If you aRe doing it all by spinning dials, maybe get an import dro?

I can imagine that if someone took my good tools and shop away & only a smallish straight bed lathe was allowed to make tapered and profiled legs (or cues :) ) that i would mount the router firmly to a tower on the bench, put a profiled piece of smooth edge plywood under the lathe, and run it past a 1/2 moon circular plywood follower on the bench under & concentric with the router bit.

Basically a limited purpose ad-hoc pin router set up.
However, it is never easy to assume other’s interest or facility with what the kids these days seem to call “hacks”, rlelating to tool bodgery.

smt
 
Ssonerai said:
Aha, i see your difficulty...

from the mfgr’s website:

”This is a Professional Cue Repair Lathe. In the hands of a qualified and experienced technician this lathe is capable of performing most the operations necessary to build a simple cue however, it will not easily cut a compound taper for making a new shaft. It was not designed nor is it intended to be a cue building lathe.”

with upgrades, will it take a taper bar arrangement?
Or will you have to engineer it yourself?
Are you using tailstock offsets currently, or other method?

If you were using any sort of follower method (aka typical cue taper bar) my suggestion was going to be that it is not difficult to derive hard masters from, say 1/4” aluminum flat bars & keep each separate as part of a library. I even use microlam plywood wizth large followers. If you aRe doing it all by spinning dials, maybe get an import dro?

I can imagine that if someone took my good tools and shop away & only a smallish straight bed lathe was allowed to make tapered and profiled legs (or cues :) ) that i would mount the router firmly to a tower on the bench, put a profiled piece of smooth edge plywood under the lathe, and run it past a 1/2 moon circular plywood follower on the bench under & concentric with the router bit.

Basically a limited purpose ad-hoc pin router set up.
However, it is never easy to assume other’s interest or facility with what the kids these days seem to call “hacks”, rlelating to tool bodgery.

smt
Click to expand...
ya understanding that, trying to make do. not ideal but do-able. Space constraints made the taig based lathes an obvious choice. No space for a 13x40 or a nice heavy 10...Thatd be sick. But ya, still working to really set up and dig in. Just need to get all the "puzzle pieces"
 
JoeyInCali said:
Oh jeesh bro. You need one . How are you going to taper shafts without one ?
Click to expand...
Yup! true statement. i do need one. I strive to come up with solutions and not only problems, i strive to "make do". Im pretty curious and ingenuitive, like im sure you know joey, necessity is the mother of invention. All the joeyjigs must have come from you saying at a certain point, "there has to be a better way of setting this pin to precise depth without having to depth mic/caliper every time", or "theres gotta be a better way to bore these super tiny rings out (also props to DZ)". I try my best, and hope its enough. If not i have CA and bandaids lol.
 
. I strive to come up with solutions and not only problems, i strive to "make do". Im pretty curious and ingenuitive,
Click to expand...

so does that mean you are likely or not to try the pin router suggestIon?
Or do you have something else percolating in the ingenuation chamber?
:)

smt

FWIW this is not joking, i’ve actually done it at times to create facets (rather than full/continuous rotation) albeit on one of my actual pin routers. Low center height, flat wide base, mass, & all the rigidity you can contrive contribute to success.
 
Ssonerai said:
I can imagine that if someone took my good tools and shop away & only a smallish straight bed lathe was allowed to make tapered and profiled legs (or cues :) ) that i would mount the router firmly to a tower on the bench, put a profiled piece of smooth edge plywood under the lathe, and run it past a 1/2 moon circular plywood follower on the bench under & concentric with the router bit.

smt
Click to expand...
ah i think i see what you are suggesting! basically like a non-connected carriage. If at all possible, im trying to keep all tooling running off the carriage. Keep variables down and precision (as much as can). Not to say your idea wont work. Ill give it a spin. Ive got plenty of dowells and broomsticks to test on!
 
The waxed microlam plywood sub base base becomes your “taper bar”.

it can either be split in the middle to straddle your pin/guide. Only one side (outboard side) is control. The other is clearance gap away and merely keeps the lathe from tipping. Althernately, a full solid sub base cn be used with the front edge being the taper control. In this case, depending on base width, the router may have to be projected on a short arm. I think this is better, though. It’s easier to see & make pencil marks or other refernces on the top of the guide base edge when you pivot or adjust it a little. Hard stops & shims can be utilized as Joey mentioned for a more typical lathe bar. It also allows a larger diameter/non-metallic mguide concentric with the cutter.

The control issue becomes your ability to “feed” smoothly without jerking or going too fast.

BTW, i am not reccommending this over a more, ahem, “normal” set up; but addressing your professed interest in working with enginuity, and machines at hand. Depending on your skills and what your time is worth it can be costly even if you don’t spend much money. OTOH, it is a proven process in other areas of woodworking, albeit with bought or shop made industrial componentry.

smt
 
well BBC did fine without a taper bar.
just some handsaws and planes.

1611378271534.png




1611378221593.png


& i'm going to keep using the plywood base under my profile lathe for the taper bar.
With a little help from the 1 ton planer table.


:)

smt
 

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