Taper reamer for chair and table leg round mortice

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
E813110F-9B4E-441B-8380-DC284585D070_1_201_a.jpeg


896BA89F-8FFA-4C00-9AB8-1426E8CFADC9_1_201_a.jpeg


B504AC19-7B93-494A-9916-96EEF00AEC20_1_201_a.jpeg


mdbuntyn gifted me an old saw for the blade.
36ED9847-2D78-4F99-B3D9-7A36371E530B_1_201_a.jpeg
 
Last edited:

Flute Maker

Mike
User
I like that MIke. I wonder if there is some kind of reamer that I could use in my flute making that would be adjustable the 3/4" to a little over 7/8"? I am just totally thinking..I know a guy that is a professional maker that uses a reamer on certain flutes.But I dont know that much as to what this accomplishes or the math involved...Just thinking!! If you do anything else keep posting your changes or progress!! Love it!
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I know machine shops use adjustable readers for precision finishing of drilled parts.
look in some of the machine supply sites.


not as much as I thought but you may need a set of two or three to get the range you want.
 
Last edited:

walnutjerry

Jerry
Senior User
Yeah, I’ve tried several different method and tools not satisfied yet. Thinking about having a machine tool made.
I have a machined taper bit I bought after doing the chairmaking class with Dunbar. It is solid metal not the hollow tapering bit. If you are interested I will try to dig out the contact information for the maker of the bit. The guy is in the New England area ----------or was, I really do not know if he is still around. I met him 20 years ago.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I have a machined taper bit I bought after doing the chairmaking class with Dunbar. It is solid metal not the hollow tapering bit. If you are interested I will try to dig out the contact information for the maker of the bit. The guy is in the New England area ----------or was, I really do not know if he is still around. I met him 20 years ago.
The problem I have had is finding one with 2 inches diameter at the top and 3/4 at the narrow end and over 6 inches long- preferably 8-10 inches long.
I bought a plumbers reamer that is less than 4 inches and it's too steep. Then a step drill that is also 4 inches long but the required 2 inch diameter.
Using both gets a little better but not really what i need.

I have the tapered machine reamer that Chris Schwarz recommends but it isn't nearly big enough for my project.

I think the one I made will work if I drill and bolt the tapered wood part through the blade so it doesn't flex so much.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I bought a reamer from Elia Bizzarri in Hillsborough. It wasn't cheap but worked fine for making a few stools. I also got a tenon cutter from Lee Valley to prepare the legs.


Mine is quite a bit larger than that. If I could get that kind of price for my work I would retire from textile design and make tools full time.
 

walnutjerry

Jerry
Senior User
The problem I have had is finding one with 2 inches diameter at the top and 3/4 at the narrow end and over 6 inches long- preferably 8-10 inches long.
I bought a plumbers reamer that is less than 4 inches and it's too steep. Then a step drill that is also 4 inches long but the required 2 inch diameter.
Using both gets a little better but not really what i need.

I have the tapered machine reamer that Chris Schwarz recommends but it isn't nearly big enough for my project.

I think the one I made will work if I drill and bolt the tapered wood part through the blade so it doesn't flex so much.
The reamer I have would not work for you then, it is too small also. What you made is very similar to what Buchannan and the guy in Pittsboro use. It will do the job----just take lighter cuts or you may break it like I did with the one Buchannan had. At any rate, I think the taper was something like 1:8 taper.
 

walnutjerry

Jerry
Senior User
I bought a reamer from Elia Bizzarri in Hillsborough. It wasn't cheap but worked fine for making a few stools. I also got a tenon cutter from Lee Valley to prepare the legs.


I turn the tenons on the lathe for chair legs, using open end wrenches for sizing top and bottom of tenons and a template for length of taper. I turn the leg profile and make the tenon while it is on the lathe.
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
In Renaissance to Baroque instrument making (1350-1700), because tooling was less sophisticated they made graduated coarse bits and reamers that were heated and would burn a hole in the wood. This technique is still used and does work well, especially when you need to bore an angle hole that might need a slight curve in it. By the 1700's the tooling and modern mechanical engineering made better instrument key designs making this used less and less. The burning hole was done a lot on early Bassoons or its earlier versions in order to make the holes where you place your fingers closer together. Could be something to toy with.
 
Last edited:

Premier Sponsor

Our Sponsors

LATEST FOR SALE LISTINGS

Top