Sled Questions

[Jerry Bruette]

Getting ready to build a crosscut sled and I have a few questions.

1. I'd like to have 24" between the fences but I'm unsure of the length. What would be a good dimenson? Would 40" be too big?

2. How much should I have on each side of the blade?

3. Would oak be o.k. for the fences? It's on sale at the BORG and I was thinking 1 1/2" by 3 1/2" for the back fence and 3/4" by 3 1/2" for the front fence.

Thanks in advance

Jerry

[Carroll Courtney]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZuyC7udVjs&feature=PlayList&p=C4A361A90F1D9C8F&index=0&playnext=1
Here's some ideals,but I think its what works for the user.Post some pics---Carroll

[Rich Engelhardt]

Would oak be o.k. for the fences? It's on sale at the BORG and I was thinking 1 1/2" by 3 1/2" for the back fence and 3/4" by 3 1/2" for the front fence
Borg Oak is usually all twisted and gnarled.
Not real good for something like a fence.

What I've found @ the Borg to be a whole lot truer is their sections of hardwood flooring.
A lot of times they have odds and ends from discontinued ones laying around loose & priced right.

[glenn bradley]

My front fence is about 2" thick and my rear about 1-1/2" on 2 or 3 of my sleds. this has worked out OK. My sled that I use most is about 22" front to rear clearance and I have frequently wished for a bit more. I have a large sled for those jobs but it is quite large. My daily user is about 38" wide with 13+ inches to the right of the blade.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZuyC7udVjs&feature=PlayList&p=C4A361A90F1D9C8F&index=0&playnext=1
Here's some ideals,but I think its what works for the user.Post some pics---Carroll
Thanks for this link.... It gave me some good ideas.

[William Addison]

Oak is heavy and will make the sled unwieldy to carry around. I think light is good and made mine of 3/8 baltic ply and Cedar and it's worked fine for about eight years.

[Jeff Hallam]

I just completed this one, also with 24" between the fences like you mentioned. The other dimension is around 39" or so. The fence extends another 8" or so past that for support to longer pieces. If you're willing to muscle it around I don't see why you couldn't use Oak for the fence (quartersawn would be best). I used Ash for mine because I had it on hand and it is manageable (and i'm no weightlifter).

Here are some pics...

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_UVn5mQy1usk/S-lvbexgFFI/AAAAAAAAMTE/9yI74yq6-Cc/s800/IMG_1778.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_UVn5mQy1usk/S-lvc03g4KI/AAAAAAAAMTE/V0oQipKB3A4/s800/IMG_1779.JPG

[Ellen Benkin]

I used poplar for my fences. Strong enough and pretty light. I also added a T-track to the inside of the rear fence which allows me to have a moveable stop block without using clamps. If I had thought of it, I'd have added a T-track to the top of the rear fence so that I could add a hold down there. That means I'd lose the fancy curves, of course.

[Jerry Bruette]

I haven't posted pictures of the sled becaused it looks naked without the t-track installed. I've got all the slots routered on the sled and the back fence but they're just big gaping holes without the track.

Sled works wonderfully and I wish I'd have built it a long time ago.

Jerry

[Alan Lightstone]

Mine is full sized and way too heavy. I wish I had downsized, FWIW.

Oh, and I spent the better part of the day jointing and planing BORG Oak. And that was the straightest pieces I could pick.

[Joe Chritz]

I have one that is 31" between the fences and often wish it was a bit more. It is however, about as big as can be handled regularly.

I will likely build a little smaller one but my SCMS is tuned up pretty well and I use it for almost everything under 12".

Width was whatever I had for scrap but is about the same as the cast iron top of the saw.

Fences I use baltic birch that has been laminated into 1" thick chunks.

Joe