Your Crosscut Sleds

[Scott Hildenbrand]

Ok, what is your largest crosscut sled?

Wondering just how big would be stupid to make one.. I've got three panels of laminate flooring glued and locked up to make some sleds. I figure I'll start with the smallest one first.

I've got one set glued up at 15" X 51" and one glued up as 22" by 51".. Plan on cutting one down to around 15" x 24".

I'll be making cabinet doors, which some will be as long as 3' or so. Else the small sled is just for whatever.

Down side of using laminate for the base is no T-trackability. Up side is it's lighter, and the underside is basically a plastic coating, so it's really slick against the granite top.

I plan on having T-track in the back fence and having hold downs work off of it, where needed, as well as stop blocks.

[Rick Dennington]

Scott:

I've got 3 crosscut sleds and a panel cutter. My biggest sled is 28" x 38" for BIG long panels. One is 24"x 36" for medium work, and one that's 18" x 26" for smaller stuff. My panel cutter is 20" x 32" w/ a 37 " stop. All of these are used for different setups, depending on what I'm building as to which one I need. It's good to have 2-3 different sizes I think for whatever the purpose. I try to keep them as light as possible and use 1/2" birch ply for the base with hardwood runners in the miter slots. Having miter slots is a must to get good accurate cuts.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
Biggest is 2' x 4'.
(It also uses soft (pine) guides instead of hardwood for an extra tight, but smooth fit)

It's sole use is to make smaller sleds.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

What would be the minimum kind of wood for the rear fence? Maple? Want something stable, but not too pricey. Or could I get away with poplar without much worry about the back fence distorting out of square? I doubt it, but worth checking.

Rich, a sled to make sleds? Now that's interesting.. ;)

[Scott Hildenbrand]

No other opinions on crosscut sleds or feedback? Kind of odd... Guess the bulk is out doing weekend projects... What I should be doing, in fact.

[Joe Scharle]

Well you got some good working sled sizes. I also have 3 that I use regularly. And make others for special purposes as needed. Here's some pix (better than words!)
Small precision parts sled. 18 X 24

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/194/Small_Sled_2.jpg

My everyday miter gage substitute. 11 X 16

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/194/Universal_Tablesaw_Jig.jpg

Panel sled 24 X 37. (That's a sofa table top on the sled..not part of it)

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/194/Fly_Leaf_Table_3_1.JPG

[Bob Noles]

Joe,

Those are some of the nicest sleds I have ever layed eyes on.

[Joe Scharle]

Thanks Bob, but you wouldn't say that if you saw my purpose made sleds!

[Bob Noles]

Thanks Bob, but you wouldn't say that if you saw my purpose made sleds!

What would it take to talk you into showing those? :D

[Ned Ladner]

Joe, Are the sleds your design or from acquired plans. Do you have material lists/ drawings that you can share? Very nice sleds!

[Roger Benton]

Thanks Bob, but you wouldn't say that if you saw my purpose made sleds!
Sorry Joe, but you are definitely going to have to cough up some pics of your other sleds.... just not fair to tease us like that!

[Kent A Bathurst]

Joe -

Panel sled - ply bed? Rail - MDF? Hardwood? Seems like 3/4" ply is needed for stability + rigidity, but wanted to ask. Couple thoughts for the rail, tho.

You just gave me an "a-HA" moment - thanks. Rear-mounted rail with destaco clamps - You just increased the width I can cut, cut the weight of mine by more than half, and I am already making plans for the oak rails I have on mine. Served me well for 10 yrs, but heavy and awkward.

[Joe Scharle]

Sorry...no pix. Those purpose made sleds have a short life cycle. Make one for some purpose; cut it down for something else! If I had room for a slider (think Felder), I wouldn't need most of them. But I'd keep the miter gauge substitute (Universal TS jig plans from Wood) and the small parts sled.
I had a $300 miter gauge that got replaced by the Universal TS jig. The small parts sled and the panel jig are culminations of past sleds. The panel jig's fence is NOT glued because I've found I need to use a framing square every time I use it. It's big enough to be affected by seasonal movement. You can't see in the pic, but there are holes over the Incra slide for track adjustments. The finger holes are 2.5" dia (my largest forstner) that allow me to keep pressure on the workpiece with finger/thumb and are handy for hanging on the wall. Anything too big to be safely handled on this sled (3/4" Melamine) goes to circ saw and track.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

Thanks for the pics, Joe.. Those are certainly some nice sleds for sure.. That center one, hope you don't mind if I emulate it down the road once I get my router extension set up..

A little confused about how it's laid out though, RE: the swivel miter gauge and how cuts are laid out and material is set into it. Looks like you actually end up cutting into the fence a bit when making cuts?

Regardless, thanks a ton for the sleds input.

[Joe Scharle]

That sled/jig is not mine; it's from Wood Mag.
http://www.woodstore.net/untabjig.html

And John Nixon (he's on the Creek sometimes) has a nice video.
http://www.eaglelakewoodworking.com/post/Wood-Magazine-Universal-Tablesaw-Jig.aspx

I built mine from the mag, not ordered plans. Never saw a good reason for the laser cut scale since I may set the fence anywhere.

And NO; you can cut from both sides of the blade but NEVER through the fence!
Good luck, Joe

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello Scott,
Having a good known true platform - the large sled - makes cutting and fitting a smaller sled a breeze.

Also, using the large sled as a known good reference, I can set the fence true instantly & w/out having to make a lot of adjustments & adjustment cuts.

[Jerome Hanby]

My first sled has been obsoleted by my Incra 1000SE (and the fact that MDF based jigs don't interact with acceleration and concrete floors :rolleyes:). But after using the heck out of it, my plans for the next sled call for much larger. Right now I'm thinking at least as wide as the saw top and as much front to back size as I can lift without killing myself.

[Nissim Avrahami]

I have a few sleds...2 of them are "Half sled", one is up to 16" wide boards...
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb151/matsukawa/Picture%20frame%20WIP/22.jpg


And, another one for up to 25" wide boards
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Glass%20table%20WIP/003.jpg


I have also another 2 "Normal sleds", one dedicated to 45° cuts for frames...
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Glass%20table%20WIP/008.jpg


and the other one, for small pieces (and I mean cutting an 1/2" cube into 2).
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb151/matsukawa/TS%20sled%20last%20vrs/03.jpg

Additionally, I have also a "Quick Attach Detach" sliding table for up to 39½" wide board but, I don't use it so much.
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb151/matsukawa/TS/004.jpg

My method of building the sled is a "Fail safe" design and the fence will be always at 90° to the miter slot (and the blade)...I never check or adjust the fence...actually, I'm so confident with the method that - on one of the sleds - I just "Super glue" the fence to the sled (the one on the first pic).

Regards
niki

[Todd Bin]

I have a large cross cut sled that I built and use. It overhangs my TS top by about an inch on each side. I used Maple for the cross pieces. It cuts great.

One word of caution. This thing weighs almost 50 lbs. You have to hulk it up onto the table.

[John Gregory]

I had bought a commercial sled from a classified ad, for $100, a few years ago. It retailed at that time for over $300. It worked great! Built like a brick S_house if you know what I mean. It was heavy like one too. Too heavy and too large to store easily in a small shop. I sold it for $90 and bought the Incra miter express. I already had the 1000SE. It works great for angles and small pieces. For larger pieces I use the panel cut off sled that Norm uses. It is light and easy to handle. This set up works well for me.


My first sled has been obsoleted by my Incra 1000SE (and the fact that MDF based jigs don't interact with acceleration and concrete floors :rolleyes:). But after using the heck out of it, my plans for the next sled call for much larger. Right now I'm thinking at least as wide as the saw top and as much front to back size as I can lift without killing myself.