Coping sled opinions

[thomas prusak]

I was about to order the woodpecker coping sled but I thought I should get some of your opinions on this sled or recommendations of other sleds. I would appreciate any info on the subject. Thanks

[Mike Goetzke]

That WP sled is a beauty. I was thinking of getting one too. I currently have a crude homemade one....but then I saw this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Sommerfeldpushblock.jpg

[glenn bradley]

I made one for cheap if you have feel like making your own (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=40640).

[Matt Meiser]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=124652

[Peter Quinn]

For the router I use a square block of MDF with a home made handle skewed towards the fence. A push block and backer I guess you'd call it. With a router bit, the stiles are typically wider than the gap between the fence and bearing, so the coping sled is frankly of limited use except for very small parts, like rails on very narrow doors. So my opinion is the sleds are fine if you have the money and need to process small parts and hate making jigs.

For the shaper I made a nice coping sled from phenolic and sapele scraps, with a maple runner. It does miter angles up to 50 degrees, has a quick replacement backer, and several 250# hold own clamps. The gap in the shaper fence can get larger than your average rail easily, and the shaper will tear small parts out of your hands quicker than you can say "Honey call the doctor". DAMHIK, so I like a sled there. The sled took me 4 hours to make and cost $35 in parts sourced mostly from woodcraft, its big enough for entry door parts like 9"X26"X1 3/4" kick rails, which some store bought units were not. And the miter thing is nice too.

I recommend you make your own sled to suit your work as an exercise in self reliance. Worse case it will help you identify the features you would most like to have in a store bought unit.

[Joe Scharle]

I got one from MLCS a couple of years ago. Clearance or sale price $9.95. Replace my shopbuilt very quick!

[Neil Brooks]

I got one from MLCS a couple of years ago. Clearance or sale price $9.95. Replace my shopbuilt very quick!

And I picked up a used MLCS ....

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/graphics4/coping_pro_big89.jpg

For $30.

I like it ... a whole lot.

[thomas prusak]

Thanks for all the help. I ordered the woodpeckers sled.

[Sam Layton]

Hi Thomas,

I see where you just ordered a sled. In case anyone else in interested, here is the one I made for my cabinet doors. I use it on my Shaper. Router table or shaper, does not matter. They are inexpensive to make, and I can not imagine a store bought one working any better that a shop built one.

Sam

[thomas prusak]

Sam,
That is the best shop made sled I have seen as of yet. When using a shaper as opposed to a router are you able to remove more material with each pass when making raised panels?

[Sam Layton]

Thomas,

Depending on what you are doing, a shaper will allow you to remove more/all of the material in a single pass. Also, I think it would depend on how big your shaper is. I have not raised panels on mine. I do not use raised panels. All of my cabinets are flat panels. I just use a back cutter on the panels so they will fit into the stiles and rails.

I have a 3hp delta shaper, with a 3/4" spindle. It does a good job, and I can remove a good amount of material using a power feeder.

Sam






'

[Jerome Hanby]

Incra has a jig kit that has instructions for a coping sled. Worked well for me and I can morph it into some other jig when the need arises.

[Jeff Duncan]

Well I guess I'm a bit late but I too use shop built sleds. Not as nice as Sam's but still much better than anything I've seen for sale. I have 2....one for cabinet doors, and a separate heavier duty version for entry doors.
good luck,
JeffD