I know this easy but...

[Bob Parker]

for some reason I'm struggling with this. I need to miter the end of a walnut coffee table top and the adjoining "leg". I tried to miter it with my circular saw thinking it would be no problem, but it must've been too much for it because it was burning and the cut was straying. Should I just take the time and build a crosscut table sled? the top is 45" long. Thanks!

[David Christopher]

Yes, build the sled you will use it for years to come. it took me awhile to build one but now I would'nt be without it


Dave

[Bill Huber]

+1 on the build the sled ....

It is a great tool to have.

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Another vote for the sled, as the boys have said, very useful.

Here's a video of Glen Huey of PW making a simple sled, check it out Dude.

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/panel_cutting_sled/

[Greg Hines, MD]

Definitely make a sled.

[Jason White]

Use it as a great excuse to get a Festool!
:D



for some reason I'm struggling with this. I need to miter the end of a walnut coffee table top and the adjoining "leg". I tried to miter it with my circular saw thinking it would be no problem, but it must've been too much for it because it was burning and the cut was straying. Should I just take the time and build a crosscut table sled? the top is 45" long. Thanks!

[Stephen Edwards]

Take the time to make a sled. You'll hardly ever pick up your miter gauge again to make square cuts. Mine is very similar to the one in the video that the OP mentioned. I added a removable extension that attaches to the top of the fence for cutting longer boards. With a similar stop block set up as shown in the video you can cut boards as long as you need.

One recommendation is to have another piece of material the same thickness as the sled that sits on the other side of the blade. This reduces the chance of splintering as the cut is finished, especially when cutting long boards.

Do a search for sleds here on SMC and you'll find everything from very simple to ones that look like pieces of furniture.

You'll be glad you built one!

[Jim Becker]

Yes, build and use the sled and make sure you can keep the workpiece absolutely fixed in position for best results with this kind of miter/bevel cutting. You cannot do accurate work with a hand-held circular saw in this respect. Even a top-end guided saw system like Festool requires great care and careful adjustment for no play for these cuts.

[Steve Clardy]

Another....build a sled. :D

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

Should I just take the time and build a crosscut table sled? the top is 45" long.
I can only add - build a large sled first.
Making smaller sleds using the large one is super easy.


Use it as a great excuse to get a Festool!
That's more or less the route I took - got the TS55EQ to cut the large panel to make the large sled.
It was a catch 22 situation - that ended up win/win.:cool: