RE: taper tools
I use a Woodchuck. Not cheap, but worth it to me. Tried a Tru-Center and dang near needed anger management classes to get over it. Think I still have a few pieces of it around here somewhere. Haven't tried the little pencil trimmer types (the cheapest) since they came back on the market--didn't much care for them several years ago, but would use those again before I'd drive myself nuts with another Tru-Center.
The Tru-Center will work, I think, if you have the intelligence and patience to get the blade set correctly. If you are that good with tools, you could probably just as easily rig up a jig and sander to work like a Woodchuck. My I.Q. drops to negative 16 when I try to do something like that--found out that, for me, it's muchmore economicalto just buy the good stuff vs. trying to make a cheaper one work or try to build my own. The cost of just one visit to the emergency room will cover a lot of equipment.
Chad