Thanks to everyone who answered my questions this past couple of weeks. I've finished my latest and greatest table saw crosscut sled. I tried to use all the neat ideas I've seen on others to make one to suit my needs. This sled is only for 90 degree cuts as I have an Incra 1000 for angled cuts.
To start I used a piece of 1/2" birch ply for the base which is 28" x 30". With this size I am able to cut 24" wide planks. The fences are doubled up 3/4" ply. After thinking it over, I went with the ply hoping to get stability. For the runners, I used solid aluminum ones from Rockler. I don’t want the runners to swell or shrink from the humidity. With the fine tuning nylon screws on the bars, the sled glides real smoothly on the saw. On the top of the forward fence, I installed an adhesive metal tape rule that measures out to 50" so I don't need to measure and mark my pieces and just use the stop that I also made with a knob that tightens from the back of the stop. I painted the top of that fence with a dark red paint that I had lying around so that I could see the tape rule lines better. The only thing is I bought the wrong reading rule so my measurements are upside down. I needed the right to left reading one and I can't buy it locally so I just used it. After a lot of thinking, I routed a channel parallel to the cut line and installed a Kreg t-slot bar so I could use a shop made hold down on my pieces when I wanted to use two hands on the fence. It can be removed and installed as near the rear of the t-slot, I grinded out a small portion on one side so a modified carriage bolt would fit in on an angle. I also made an extension that screws on with 3 screws with round knobs so I can cut pieces up to 48” accurately. On the outside of the fence is a cover for when the saw blade exits the fence. Lastly, I waxed the underneath of the sled using steel wool and wood wax.
I am very satisfied with the results. The only thing I may change later is that the extension is held with ¾” ply as that is all I could use at the time. I went to a metal supplier but I couldn’t find a nice aluminum channel to use. I would have preferred that instead of wood. Regular steel would be too heavy.
Thanks again to all who gave me their input as it was greatly appreciated.
Thanks for looking.
Rob
To start I used a piece of 1/2" birch ply for the base which is 28" x 30". With this size I am able to cut 24" wide planks. The fences are doubled up 3/4" ply. After thinking it over, I went with the ply hoping to get stability. For the runners, I used solid aluminum ones from Rockler. I don’t want the runners to swell or shrink from the humidity. With the fine tuning nylon screws on the bars, the sled glides real smoothly on the saw. On the top of the forward fence, I installed an adhesive metal tape rule that measures out to 50" so I don't need to measure and mark my pieces and just use the stop that I also made with a knob that tightens from the back of the stop. I painted the top of that fence with a dark red paint that I had lying around so that I could see the tape rule lines better. The only thing is I bought the wrong reading rule so my measurements are upside down. I needed the right to left reading one and I can't buy it locally so I just used it. After a lot of thinking, I routed a channel parallel to the cut line and installed a Kreg t-slot bar so I could use a shop made hold down on my pieces when I wanted to use two hands on the fence. It can be removed and installed as near the rear of the t-slot, I grinded out a small portion on one side so a modified carriage bolt would fit in on an angle. I also made an extension that screws on with 3 screws with round knobs so I can cut pieces up to 48” accurately. On the outside of the fence is a cover for when the saw blade exits the fence. Lastly, I waxed the underneath of the sled using steel wool and wood wax.
I am very satisfied with the results. The only thing I may change later is that the extension is held with ¾” ply as that is all I could use at the time. I went to a metal supplier but I couldn’t find a nice aluminum channel to use. I would have preferred that instead of wood. Regular steel would be too heavy.
Thanks again to all who gave me their input as it was greatly appreciated.
Thanks for looking.
Rob
