Taper Calculator — Angles & Jig Settings

Use a taper jig (tapering sled) on the table saw. Set the jig so that the narrow end of the taper is against the jig fence and the wide end passes the blade. The jig offset equals the taper per side. Always use push sticks and keep hands clear of the blade.

A typical table leg taper reduces from 60-70mm at the top to 30-40mm at the foot, with the taper starting below the apron. This gives a taper angle of about 1-3 degrees per side. Both inner faces are usually tapered, with the outer faces remaining straight.

Taper per foot (TPF) = (Wide end - Narrow end) / Length in feet. In metric, use taper per metre: (Wide - Narrow) / Length in metres. This calculator gives the taper per side (half the total taper) and the angle.

Yes, mark the taper line on all four faces, then use a jack plane or jointer plane to remove material down to the line. Start with heavy cuts at the narrow end and lighter cuts towards the wide end. This method gives excellent results on short tapers.