Pencil Post Jig

[windknot]

Has anyone made a jig for cutting tapered octagonal posts for a bed? I have seen the videos for both a tablesaw and a bandsaw. Which is the most acurate and user friendly?

 

[junquecol]

Woodsmith recently had a project of building a pencil post bed. They showed how to taper posts on both a table saw and band saw. Sorry I can't give you exact issue right now.

 

[McRabbet]

Woodsmith #153, June 2004, page 28. I've got the issue, but couldn't put my hands on it tonight.

 

[Mountaincraft]

To make the wierd stuff that doesn't justify building a big, involved jig, remember carpet tape. I had to make a 6' long tapered post to repair a bed. I simply laid out the pitch in pencil on a long piece of hardboard rip, put down 4 small pieces of carpet tape, and put the wood on the pencil lines. Worked perfectly. If I were to make it octagonal, I would leave the post long, tack a full size offcut to the tapered end, and run it on the router table (with slide board, if necessary) and a large chamfer bit. You could also do this on the table saw and hardboard/carpet tape with the blade set at 45, but I hate to reset my saw from perfect plumb. Afterward, cut out the part that is the right size.

 

[Travis Porter]

I made a pencil post bed a few years back, but did not use a jig. I rough cut the four main tapers on the bandsaw and flattened them with the jointer. I then bought a very large chamfer bit (almost 2 inches in diameter), and used it to give me the additional sides. My .02 worth

 

[Ozzie-x]

Lots of good ideas in this thread. I hedge toward tapering on the bandsaw because it seems to do a better job, easier, no burning, plus safer (to me anyway). As for the octagon aspect, you could go several routes. Mountaincrafts router table or Travis' champher bit are okay, shaper might be better, make several passes either way to reduce tearout and such. Could probably just use the same tapering jig and kick the bandsaw table to 45 degrees and cut it, then joint. You'll want to joint the other tapered faces anyway regardless of whether you cut them on the TS or BS.