woodchuck taper tool question

[dhaverstick]

I got a woodchuck taper tool for Christmas and thought it would solve all my taper-making problems-wrong! Is there a trick to using this thing? I can't get my tapers to be consistently symmetrical and I have found the woodchuck will eat skin as well as wood. Any advice you all can pass along would be appreciated.

Darren

[Ben Woodring]

Well, as a highschool shop teacher let me give you my two cents worth. First I have one of those and love it.....you can tweak the taper angle by loosening the motor and twisting slightly one way or another....I do this using the left overs from cutting the shafts to lenght, then make several practice runs. When you use it hold the dowell firmly in the V trough with one hand and use the other hand to feed and turn the shaft..the hand holding it in the trough shouldn't move. Use a little sawdust on your hand if the shaft doens't slip under your hand easily. And yes it will remove flesh with close to the same efficiency as it does wood.

[macbow]

Hi Darren, Exactly as Ben stated. I'd add that as you turn the shaft especially with the hard wood shafts it will eat the shaft away easier with the grain so once you get the bulk ground down feed slowly to get a round taper. It's been one of my best investments.
Knowing you Darren you could write a good how not to article on it's use.
Ron

[Jim now in Kentucky]

There are a couple of other tricks that can make or break the process.

first, make a good clean, square end on the shaft.

Second, learn to keep a steady rate of rotation. I can usually just barely get a full turn without wrapping my arm in a knot, so I use the thumb that is holding the arrow in the groove to give the shaft a spin in the same direction I've been turning it while quickly getting a new grip and pulling the shaft away from the sanding disk. That avoids flats.

[dhaverstick]

Thanks, guys, for the tips! Ron, the title of that article would definitely be "Blood on the Arrow" and would include some helpful hints on the proper use of profanity while attempting to tame the woodchuck.

Darren

[JRY309]

I have had a Woodchuck for over 10 years and love it.It just take little practice,use some old shaft to practice on.I know what you are saying about not getting the tapers symmetrical especially on the nock end.It helps to get the shaft as straight as possible before tapering.And wood is a natural material they won't be perfectly round everytime.And if the shaft is not perfectly round the taper won't look symmetrical as you would like.I prefer to straighten my shafts first and check them on my spin tester and pick the straightest end for the nock taper.I had simmilar problems at first but you will get better after alittle practice.But it is a great tool.

[Tradesmen4]

Darren you be careful with that thing. You need all your fingers to count how many times you miss. Hope everything is going good my friend. Stay safe Greg

[Dick in Seattle]

nobody mentioned this, and I feel kind of foolish doing so, but by all means, read the directions...   I started right out...  "hey, it's obvious what to do, isn't it?"    No.    You have to rotate counter clockwise because there is apparently a bit of built in "give" to the sanding face that is calculated into the process.  Once i caught on to that, no problems.

dick in seattle

[Killdeer]

There are directions??  :eek:  
Mine didn't come with any.  :mad:  
Killdeer~I'm a gurrrllll. I would have read them.