How to cut a tapered joint. - Woodworking Talk

alpinechris · 02-01-2007, 10:43 PM

I need to cut a tapered miter out of maple plywood for a table leg. I also need to make a pyramid out of the plywood as well. Can I get some suggestions on making a jig for my table saw in order to cut these? Thanks for the imput.

**TexasTimbers** · 02-01-2007, 11:11 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Do you mean a beveled miter . . . . or a tapered leg?
And how big does this pyramid need to be because cutting the triangles on the table saw would not be hard but a straight edge and circular saw with a sharp, thin kerf, high teeth count carbide blade might be even easier.
I think the angle of the great pyramid was 52ish but that is working from memory from a book called Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock. You can use any angle you want obviously.

Rob · 02-01-2007, 11:19 PM

This question comes up from time to time on different forums. Unfortunately, I can't give you the answer. After a little research, this link looks like it might be the easiest, but is still a little "mathy" for me.
http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/56462.html

alpinechris · 02-01-2007, 11:21 PM

I am making the pyramids 15 inches. The tapered joint will be from about 4 inches to 6 inches or so and 32 inches tall. It is for a support under a granite counter top.

Rob · 02-01-2007, 11:27 PM

Making a jig would be relatively easy with the use of a couple sacrificial sleds made up just for these cuts. Getting the bevel and miter numbers sounds like the challenge to me.

Rob · 02-01-2007, 11:34 PM

Wow! This is a pretty neat pyramid calculator. Will have to bookmark this for that day when I too have to build a pyramid.
http://www.1728.com/volpyrmd.htm

**TexasTimbers** · 02-02-2007, 07:10 AM

I still don't know what you mean by "tapered" joint. Are you calling a bevel a taper? Are you talking about the bevel edge on the mitered sides of the pyramid parts? I don't think so because I can't picture what you mean when you say "the tapered joint will be from 4 - 6"

But alpine don't think it is you, I ain't the brightest bulb in the chandelier when it comes to visulaizing what other describe.

That calculator Rob linked to is awesome! Hope it is what you are looking for I can't imagine the math that went into writing the software for that.

BULLHART · 02-02-2007, 08:31 AM

Sounds to me like you want to make a tapered leg with a miter. If so I use a premade taper jig. They're inexpensive, but just googling a picture of one will give you the idea how to make one if you prefer.