Coping Sleds - Value and Uses

[Randy Heinemann]

Is a coping sled (such as Woodpeckers or even a homemade jig) used on a router table of value for normal routing across the end grain of a board (rabbets, lap joints, etc.)? Or is merely using a good quality, accurate miter gauge give the same result? I have always viewed a coping sled more for use on rail and stile cuts for cabinet doors (which I don't do a lot of).

[Dick Mahany]

I found a coping sled was key for me to achieve square tear out free ends on cope and stick door frames. I had tried a miter gauge but was not able to hold parts securely enough. Here's a super simple DIY coping sled with a replaceable back up board. It simply rides against the fence. I can't say anything about the commercially available sleds as I don't have experience with them.

403760

403762

[Bob Lang]

Using a miter gauge on a router table isn't worth the trouble it takes to get the fence and slot perfectly parallel with the gauge at a dead on right angle. It can be done, but you need to redo all that if you move the fence. A block that runs against the fence, as in the photo does the job. It can be as plain or fancy as you want.

Bob Lang

[Julie Moriarty]

After making about 50 five panel doors, I broke down and bought a Rockler coping sled to tackle the next 50+ doors. I'm glad I did. It's worth it.

[Tom M King]

I just stick together ones dedicated to the job I need to do. Sometimes they ride against the fence, and sometimes are made to use the edge of the table. Here is one used to cope tenoned rails on sash. Either end can be used. The backup piece, that matches the molding profile on the sash parts is boxwood.

edited to add: There will be tearout on the outside, plain edge of the rails going in one direction, but the rails are made a little wider than they need to be at finished size anyway, so it's not a problem. It allows the molded, inside corner to be protected going in either direction.

http://historic-house-restoration.com/images/sled_wall_007.JPG

[Rod Sheridan]

I have a sliding table shaper so I normally use that for coping.

I also have the Aigner coping jig which rides on the fence, it works well also....Rod

[David Stone (CT)]

Short answer: it can be, depending on what you're doing.

The biggest benefit of a coping sled is that it holds a narrow workpiece more securely and safely than is possible with hands-only and a miter gauge, meaning no chance the piece can pivot off perpendicular and/or slide or tip into the gaps between the fences fore and aft of the cutter (which would at best ruin the work and at worst result in a very unpleasant kickback). Whether this is something to worry about relates to how heavy the cut is and how much gap, if any, exists between the fences to allow for the cutter to work. As you mention, a coping cutter for stick and cope doors takes a heavy cut and (absent some extra effort) involves a big gap between the fences. Similarly, a big slotting cutter on the end of a rail. I wouldn’t attempt either of those except with a coping sled.

A second advantage of coping sleds as compared with miter gauges is they --at least many of them, like the Woodpeckers --register off the fence, not the miter slot. Note that the fence will not be an accurate stop for establishing the correct position of the workpiece prior to making the cut if the fence and miter slot are not parallel. As the miter gauge travels forward guided by the miter slot, the end of the piece will contact the cutter differently than expected. So registering off the fence directly saves set-up time and headaches/mistakes.

Of course, even on light cuts that don’t justify getting out the coping sled, you still need to use something to keep a narrow workpiece controlled. The miter gauge can work OK here, assuming the fence and slot are parallel. But an easier solution, IMO, is a rectangular piece of ply with a handle attached, like in this picture. It registers off the fence and doubles as a backer board to prevent blow out.

[Robert Engel]

I don't recommend using a miter gauge.

A sled that rides against the fence and doesn't use the miter slot is the best IMO. I make a push block made of usually a piece of MDF and I screw a plastic push block to it. Once the bit height it dialed in, I use this block as a zero clearance for the rails.

So long as the face against the fence is perfectly square to the bearing edge, you're fine.

Clamps can still be used if desired but I generally find them unnecessary.

[Randy Heinemann]

After making about 50 five panel doors, I broke down and bought a Rockler coping sled to tackle the next 50+ doors. I'm glad I did. It's worth it.

Obviously Rockler's coping sled is inexpensive compared to other commercially made jigs, but I have found that at least some of Rockler's jigs are cheaply made and, in the end, inaccurate (or maybe more like lacking in precision). Sometimes there is some play in the parts of the jig as joined together. Given what a coping sled does, this might not be significant with this particular jig. Just checking to see whether the Rockler coping sled required a lot of playing around to get it to work as desired?

[Nick Decker]

I have the Woodpeckers sled, and it's good with a couple of "maybe" issues.

They don't provide any method of securing the backing board in place. Everything else is nice and strapped down, but the backing board isn't. You can rig up a hold down clamp yourself, kind of, but they should have thought of that. I sent them an email pointing out that shortcoming and received a response akin to "Thanks, cool story, Bro."

The other thing is that you're limited to about 5" width on your workpiece. That may or may not be an issue for you.

It's a good, well-made sled and I still use it, but wanted to point those things out.

[Larry Frank]

I looked at some of the coping sleds and they are too expensive for me. I built my own with all the features of the good purchased ones. It is a lot cheaper. When it wears out, I take the hold down clamps off and reuse them

[Rich Engelhardt]

After making about 50 five panel doors, I broke down and bought a Rockler coping sled to tackle the next 50+ doors. I'm glad I did. It's worth it.I'm perfectly happy w/the Rockler sled also.

[glenn bradley]

I made a very nice one early on because I thought I needed it. I have come up with a couple of things to do with it but, it is the only thing used less than my shop saw :D:D:D

[ChrisA Edwards]

I bought the Woodpeckers Coping Sled when I first started this hobby a few years ago.

Of the commercially available coping sleds, I wish I'd bought the Infinity Tools Sled.

But I will eventually make this one, and yes I think they serve a purpose.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNZXfrcmXZE&t=13s

[Jared Sankovich]

I use them for coping, my shapers have sliding tables and small parts dont work well with them. No miter slots, not that id use a miter gauge if there were.

I just use whatever scrap is laying around for the sled. Ive had this one for a couple years. Its setup for left and right hand feed depending on clamp position.
403919

[Ben Rivel]

I bought the Woodpeckers Coping Sled when I first started this hobby a few years ago.

Of the commercially available coping sleds, I wish I'd bought the Infinity Tools Sled.

You like this one (LINK (https://www.infinitytools.com/professional-coping-cross-cut-sled-4537)) over the Woodpeckers huh? Whys that?

[Andrew V Smith]

If you have a sufficiently wide sacrificial piece behind the piece your cutting, would you need a sled? Obviously not a good option for large scale production but that’s what I’ve done (hobbyist) and it’s worked fine.

So is it really a question of speed?

[Nick Decker]

Wow, that Infinity sled really went up in price. I forget exactly what it was, but definitely not 200 bucks.

[James Zhu]

Aigner Contermax is probably the best coping jig except for those sleds with clamping cylinder, very easy and fast to change the stock. It just takes way too much time to change the stock on Woodpecker coping sled, I sold it after I bought Contermax.

https://www.simantechinc.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=89

[ChrisA Edwards]

You like this one (LINK (https://www.infinitytools.com/professional-coping-cross-cut-sled-4537)) over the Woodpeckers huh? Whys that?

I think it just has better clamps and a larger width capacity.

[Nick Decker]

I think it just has better clamps and a larger width capacity.

I haven't used the Infinity sled, but agree about the clamps and increased stock width. Where the WP sled is better, IMO, is that it offers the optional larger plexiglas guide, which allows for deeper cuts without cutting into the sled itself. Fits the kind of work I do better. I did make a sled myself which used the miter slot, but didn't like it. For me, referencing off the fence is a must, and the WP sled seems to do that best.

Some of the cuts I make are large enough that each piece gets run through several times, so registering exactly the same each time is necessary. A shaper, I guess would make those cuts all in one pass. Not smart on a router table with a large bit.

I would also agree with an earlier poster who mentioned how long it takes to switch stock and get it clamped down between cuts. As a hobbiest, this doesn't bother me much, but would be a pain in a production environment.

[Roger Feeley]

Short answer: it can be, depending on what you're doing.

The biggest benefit of a coping sled is that it holds a narrow workpiece more securely and safely than is possible with hands-only and a miter gauge, meaning no chance the piece can pivot off perpendicular and/or slide or tip into the gaps between the fences fore and aft of the cutter (which would at best ruin the work and at worst result in a very unpleasant kickback). Whether this is something to worry about relates to how heavy the cut is and how much gap, if any, exists between the fences to allow for the cutter to work. As you mention, a coping cutter for stick and cope doors takes a heavy cut and (absent some extra effort) involves a big gap between the fences. Similarly, a big slotting cutter on the end of a rail. I wouldn’t attempt either of those except with a coping sled.

A second advantage of coping sleds as compared with miter gauges is they --at least many of them, like the Woodpeckers --register off the fence, not the miter slot. Note that the fence will not be an accurate stop for establishing the correct position of the workpiece prior to making the cut if the fence and miter slot are not parallel. As the miter gauge travels forward guided by the miter slot, the end of the piece will contact the cutterifferently than expected. So registering off the fence directly saves set-up time and headaches/mistakes.

Of course, even on light cuts that don’t justify getting out the coping sled, you still need to use something to keep a narrow workpiece controlled. The miter gauge can work OK here, assuming the fence and slot are parallel. But an easier solution, IMO, is a rectangular piece of ply with a handle attached, like in this picture. It registers off the fence and doubles as a backer board to prevent blow out.

David, Good idea. I've been grabbing a piece of plywood out of the trash for years. You refined it. I assume you start out a bit oversized and take a bit off with the table saw when it gets too nasty?

[David Stone (CT)]

Exactly. You can see in the pic where I had to move the handle after trimming off the leading edge multiple times.