Tapered Drawer Side Layout Calculator
Calculate the angle for cutting tapered drawer sides.
Creating angled or tapered parts is a common design element in furniture, especially for table legs or unique drawer boxes. Setting the correct angle on a tapering jig or miter gauge is essential to achieving the desired final shape. This calculator helps you find that precise angle.
By inputting the start height, end height, and the length of the workpiece, this tool uses basic trigonometry to calculate the exact angle of the taper. This removes the guesswork and trial-and-error, allowing you to set up your jig and make a perfect cut on the first try.
Set your tapering jig or miter gauge to this angle.
The calculation uses the arctangent function to find the angle from the sides of a right-angled triangle.
- Determine Triangle Sides: Imagine a right-angled triangle where the 'adjacent' side is the length of your drawer side, and the 'opposite' side is the difference between your tallest and shortest heights.
- Calculate Height Difference: The calculator finds the length of the 'opposite' side by subtracting the shortest height from the tallest height.
- Apply Arctangent: The angle is found by calculating the arctangent of the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side. The result is then converted from radians to degrees.
Angle = arctan( (Height Difference) / Length )
- Taper: A gradual narrowing of an object from one end to the other.
- Tapering Jig: A table saw jig that holds a workpiece at a specific angle to the blade, allowing for the creation of tapered cuts.
- Arctangent (arctan): A trigonometric function that calculates the angle of a right-angled triangle from the ratio of its opposite and adjacent sides.
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Always double-check your measurements before cutting.
Account for the kerf (the width of the saw blade) in your calculations.
Consider wood movement (expansion and contraction) in your final dimensions.
Buy 10-15% extra material to account for mistakes and waste.