tru center V2 taper tool

[monterey]

For those with experience with this tool, how would you rate it?

I get good results with a v block on a rigid oscillating sander by it involves setting it up in the driveway!  Its 20deg out there today.  Maybe time for a change.

[Drewster]

I've had one of these for a couple of years and find that it works very well on most species of wood: poplar, Sitka spruce, etc.  Not so well on Douglas fir.  Douglas fir grain varies greatly in hardness between the spring wood and summer wood which makes it tear out badly.  I use a sanding disc and "V" block to put tapers on DF.

With a sharp blade, it will perform well on most woods.  Hope this helps.

[Pat B]

I bought one years ago and couldn't get it to work well for me and ended up giving it to someone. I had better luck with the small plastic taper tools. I now use a belt/disc sander and a angle jig for tapering shafts.
I use lots of hill cane or sourwood shoots for arrows and the pencil sharpener type taper tools don't work well for any of them because of their size and irregularity.

[macbow]

Over the years I've used just about all of them.
The Tru taper was ok for cedar shafts.

I built a taper jig from alumium like the wood chuck and used it with my disk sander. This took set up time, but worked well.

Finally bought a wood chuck and haven't regretted it.

Spent more money over the years on others could have paid for the wood chuck many times.

I also use bamboo shafts now also.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Ive had mine for 2-3 years and love it. I even taper boo and hill cane cleanly with it. The only issue is nodes, but that's not the tools fault. I tapered cedar, spruce, poplar and oak with it. I love mine and will replace it when need be.

[darin putman]

Works great for me, I use it on Douglas fir. I just take it slow and steady. Is definitely an improvement over older model as far as fir goes anyway. Doesn't seen to gouge around edges like it did. I do change blades as needed.

[monterey]

Thanks guys.  It's going on my Christmas wish list.

[M60gunner]

I have a couple as well. Bought a jig that hooks the thing up to my hand drill. Takes a few seconds to do a shaft. For me it saves the pain in my old hands.

[kiltedcelt]

This thread is a couple months old but I thought I'd chime in. I'm with Pat B on this one. I've got a Tru-Center and I've never been able to get good clean tapers with it (only used on cedar), so I don't use it anymore. Heck, I've been wanting to trade it off to someone but keep forgetting to do so. I get better results with the little pencil sharpener type taper tools and will likely stick with those, but at some point I think I'll make a jig for use with a sander.

[monterey]

Well my Christmas wish came true and Santa brought me the tool.  So far I've only used it on cedar and like the results.  Between Whiffen and bearpaw I hve four of the pencil sharpener types.  None of them apply a straight taper like the V2 does.  Some poplar and Doug shafts will be next up.  Hoping it works as well on them.