A taper attachment is used for long tapers, IE longer than you can get with the compound slide. The way they work is that you disengage the cross-slide scew nut so the slide is floating. Then you attach the taper attachment to the cross slide. When I was on my apprentiship in the way back when, one of my training sessions was using the taper attachment. I ended up with an awsome set of drift punches up to aroun 20" in length. As an apprentice, I wasn't allowed to do "real" work, so what I ended up doing was making tools, for me and about anyone else who saw me making something and wanted one.

For precession taper work though, IE fitting a flywheel to a crank, the compound is what you will use. The key is to cut both the OD, crank throw, and the ID, Flywheel with the same compound setting. The parts will not be interchangeable with other engines, but you are doing one off work anyway. Trying to cut an ID taper to match and existing part is no fun. You almost always end up with a slight miss match and that results in a wobbly fit. Cutting both with the same setting results in both parts being exactly the same angle, what ever it really is.

On the spinner, you could use a follower setup with the curve of the spinner. The trouble is that you would need two different profiles, one for the OD and one for the ID. Then you would have to devise some way to keep the relationship right when changing your setup between ID and OD cutting. Not an easy task. It can be done, but it is an advanced journyman's setup.

You have to pace yourself with the machining. It is as addicting as flying. And if you don't watch it, you won't have time for both.

Don