Incra Miter Express

[George Bokros]

Anyone have one of these? Has anyone used one?

Thinking about buying one.

Thanks

[Frederick Skelly]

I have one George and I like it a lot. It's far better than the home made sled it replaced. I use it with an Incra miter gauge, but you don't have to. Edit: I posted a brief review in May but my goofy tablet won't let me post a link for you. It's in the archive though.

Fred

[Cary Falk]

I also have one and like it much better then a home made sled.

[George Bokros]

Thanks for the responses. Frederick, found your review. Very well written and factual. The main reason I want one is to increase the cross cutting capacity on my table saw. I am hesitant to build one because of needing to bet the sled built absolutely square and the weight of shop build sled. The Miter Express is much lighter and will suit my needs well. Woodpeckers has them on sale now at $139.99.

[Frederick Skelly]

That's a fair price George.

Just so you know, depending on how much crosscutting depth you need, Incra also makes a larger sled. I don't remember what it's called.

Take care.
Fred

[David Delo]

George,

I picked up the Incra miter gauge and fence system at an auction a few years ago at a ridiculously low price. Had a home made sled but got tired of lifting it on/off the saw so I bought the express sled new from Incra. Don't use it all that much because I like turning more than flat work but I really like the Incra set-up. Put a sub-fence on it and you'll wonder why you waited so long to do it. Dead nuts accurate for cross cuts and miters.

323075

[George Bokros]

Thanks for all the input. I do have an additional question. I have read the installation instructions and am pondering something. The instructions say that if you have a left tilt saw you should install the offcut part to the left of the blade and the sliding part to the right of the blade. I have never worked with the miter gauge to the right of the blade I have table extensions on both sides of the blade (26" to the right of the table and 20" to the left of the table - table is 26" wide itself). I understand that if you put the sliding part to the left of the blade on a left tilt saw you will not be able to tilt the blade when cross cutting or you will cut the miter express. On the other hand you cannot put the offcut part of the miter express on the left side with the blade tilted either.

So in your experience why do you think they recommend this installation? Is it because you have more table to the right?

[Cary Falk]

I am guessing they say put it on the right so you can get the miter gauge fence closer to the fence without cutting it and the miter express is not trapped under the blade.. With the blade tilted you will have to cut the miter express and then it is only good (if you want zero clearance) for only that angle. I only use mine for the blade at 90 degrees. If I need something beveled I will either do it without the miter express or make a special sled.

[Kent Adams]

George, I have the Miter 5000, like David's. You can use it on either side of the blade. However, if you want to tilt the blade, you'll need an additional right panel. When you set up the miter, you're creating a zero clearance.

Here is the part for the express: http://www.incrementaltools.com/INCRA_Miter_Express_Panel_p/merpanel.htm

[George Bokros]

George, I have the Miter 5000, like David's. You can use it on either side of the blade. However, if you want to tilt the blade, you'll need an additional right panel. When you set up the miter, you're creating a zero clearance.

Here is the part for the express: http://www.incrementaltools.com/INCRA_Miter_Express_Panel_p/merpanel.htm

I think you would need extra panels for both sides if you tilt the blade no matter which side you keep the miter gauge on. Actually wouldn't you need a panel for every tilt angle if the goal is to create a zero clearance situation?

[Kent Adams]

No, you only need one extra panel when tilting at a fixed angle, however, if you need to tilt on both sides at the same fixed angle, then you'd need another one to tilt to the opposite side.

If you plan on a zero clearance for every tilt angle, then yes, ideally you need a panel for each angle to create a zero clearance. However, you'd need to do that no matter what the jig is. If you made a sled with zero clearance at 90 degrees, you'd have to make another sled for zero clearance at 45 degrees. You can't get away with one panel for zero clearance unless the angle is fixed that you plan to cut, no matter what you use.

If however, you didn't care about a zero clearance, then you just need the one panel.

Edit: There is a way you could make multiple angles on a homemade sled, but I think that isn't what you're aiming for, no? For a DIY sled, you'd just make a wide sled with removable tracks, cut the various angles into the sled and make tracks to fit each angle. No doubt there would be a lot of opportunity with this set up for slop and I don't think it would be accurate for very long.

[George Bokros]

Ok I understand about needing only a panel for the drop off side.

I seldom us the miter gauge in combination with tilting the blade so this being said I could keep my miter gauge / miter express on the left side of the blade and be fine, correct? I can only remember one time that I used a miter setting in combination with a blade tilt and when I did it was a piece that could easily fit on the table. My main reason for the miter express is to increase the size of the pieces I crosscut.

[Kent Adams]

If the miter express works the same as the miter 5000, then yes, you can use it on either side of the blade.