Router Table Crosscut Sled

[John Hollaway]

Lately I've considered building a crosscut sled for my router table. Since I build a lot of small boxes and such, I thought the small dados might be quicker and easier with such a jig. I would be interested in hearing an opinion from those of you who use one in your shop. Thanks.

John Hollaway

[Jerome Hanby]

I use my Incra 1000SE on the router table to help feed material over the bit. Not exactly a sled, but helps me keep things aligned and moving smoothly. Seems like a sled would eat into the available router bit height and might cause a problem with some bits...

[pat warner]

If the dado is close to the end & the stock does not hang way past the jig then it is possible. Especially if the cuts are shallow. Appreciate, the normal vector (upwards force) from the cutter wants to lift the work off the jig; at the least bend it.
So skinny sticks hung much beyond the jig will vibrate up/down and the cut will spoil.
Moreover, you have exit and entry wounds to contend with, (not down grain, but you said dados). You can stiffen things up with a strong-back over the work, however and that would manage some of the deflection.
I think it is all manageable but how much time do you want to spend fixturing?
This sled (http://patwarner.com/images/tswebb4759.jpg) is third generation & will manage wood, plastic & metal. Expensive and many days of engineering, cutting, refining & I had to make a new fence to control it.
A hassle? Indeed but I couldn't cut these (http://patwarner.com/images/dovetailed-lap.jpg) (x-cuts) until I did my diligence.
You might be better served with the work on the table rather than on a jig.

[Bob Wingard]

Instead of using a miter gauge, try making a sled with a slot in the middle large enough to accept a router bushing. That way, no need for a slot OR a miter gauge, and, you can approach the bit from any angle. The same jig can be used for box joints and lots of others with a little imagination.