The Zen if Sleds and Miter Gauges

[Curt Putnam]

I had a Kreg miter gauge for my last table saw and eschewed a sled.

With a new saw coming, my thoughts are turning to sleds and miter gauges and I've just realized that I'm not sure of the use case for each.

At 1st glance, it seems as though a sled would lose accuracy relative to the cast iron top while gaining lateral and Fore & aft accuracy. That of course begs the question of sled design and build execution accuracy. Relative to a miter gauge, are we talking more than a .001 - .002 improvement over a miter gauge? I'm looking at the MicroJig Ultimate sled with a lot of interest - what do y'all think of it? Then there is the problem of where to put the darn thing when not in use.

In the other corner, we have the miter gauge. Quick to deploy and easier to store and uses the cast iron top as the flat surface. However, the piece is clamped with fingers and mine are not as strong as they have formerly been. That seems to be more important for actual miters rather than a simple 90° cut. Again, what is the difference between a miter gauge and a sled with clamps for a 90° cut?

To those willing to provide a quick education, my heartfelt thanks.

[David Publicover]

Great question! I’m hoping that lots chime in on this one as I’m coming at this from the other side. I have a couple shop-built sleds and am wondering if I should upgrade the very basic mitre gauge that came with my SawStop.

[Matt Day]

Miter gauges are limited by the distance from the front of the table to the blade. Sleds can be made much bigger to crosscut much more than a MG. A MG can perform angle cuts, sled can’t unless a template is placed on the sled for each angle.

I’d say a MG is quicker and easier, but for cross cutting larger pieces a sled is superior.

[Lee Schierer]

I have a Kreg miter gauge and it works very well. I use it for most cuts on boards less than 4 feet in length. For boards longer than 4 feet, I use a crosscut sled that has a 2 deep by4 foot wide table and back stop. This sled also lets me cross cut wider pieces than will fit between the miter gauge and the leading edge of the saw blade.

[Charlie Jones]

I use a sled 90 percent of the time. Especially since I bought a Dubby. It does a great job with angles and I highly recommend it. I have a homemade sled for 90 degree work but a good accurate miter gauge is good to.

[ChrisA Edwards]

I have a SawStop. I replaced the OEM miter gauge with an Incra HD mies gauge.

I've also made two sleds which get used 99% of the time.

I prefer holding the workpiece on the sled and moving the sled through the cut as opposed to sliding the workpiece over the table with the miter gauge, just a preference. Poor mans slider I guess.

Also, the cut slot on my sleds are also ZCI, which allows very easy alignment of where I want to make the cut on the workpiece.

[Bruce King]

I recently took the time to toss out some table saw accessories and make everything that I probably need.
Extension table, removable, for the front to enable using the miter for larger pieces.
New fence on the miter with a t track on top for setting flip up sliding stops.
New smaller cross cut sled.
I kept two different size panel cutters.
Built a version of the multi function Ultimate Table Saw Fence that adapts to the regular fence, a must see YouTube.

[David Publicover]

I recently took the time to toss out some table saw accessories and make everything that I probably need.
Extension table, removable, for the front to enable using the miter for larger pieces.
New fence on the miter with a t track on top for setting flip up sliding stops.
New smaller cross cut sled.
I kept two different size panel cutters.
Built a version of the multi function Ultimate Table Saw Fence that adapts to the regular fence, a must see YouTube.

Hi Bruce,
There’s a variety of ultimate table saw fences on YouTube. Which one were you referring to?

[roger wiegand]

A sled has a considerable advantage when cutting small pieces. Both sides of the piece are supported during and after the cut.

I have and use both.

[Bob Johnson2]

From the pic the Ultimate Table Saw Sled looks to use an awful lot of cut depth.

I use the MG unless the material doesn't fit between it and the blade, as in wider panels, and also for anything that requires a miter. The Dubby is interesting if one doesn't have sleds and a MG.

I would be interested in a lighter accurate MG, my Jessum, the original, is too heavy and getting hard to set.

[Jim Becker]

Different strokes for different cuts is the name of the game. A quality miter gauge setup with stops, etc., can cover a lot of ground, but sleds have an important place for many operations, especially as we already noted when the workpiece needs to be very small. In those cases, an appropriate sled setup will handle both keeping the cut stable as well as keeping it as safe as can be.

[Alex Zeller]

I'm not sure why you would want to limit yourself to one or the other. I understand not having a place to store a sled (or sleds) but I can always find a place. I can see how people would gravitate towards one or the other depending on which one they felt more comfortable using. But not having the other would just be limiting. I can say that adding an Incra MG was a vast improvement over the stock ones. Being able to know the exact degree that I'm cutting at can be very helpful. I'll pass along a tip (I think it was from Jim). Get some fine grit sticky back sandpaper and stick it to the MG. You'll be surprised just how much the wood moves when just holding it with your hand. I haven't done my sled yet but think it would help just as much.

[Bruce King]

Hi Bruce,
There’s a variety of ultimate table saw fences on YouTube. Which one were you referring to?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3pBbKNrkixY

[David Publicover]

Thanks Bruce!

[Jim Fox]

Hopefully the OP doesn't mind me asking a side question to this.....

So regarding the sleds...............Homemade, Incra 5000 or both? I know that can depend a bit on what you tend to build.

[glenn bradley]

Like others have mentioned, I use sleds for items too small or too large for the miter gauge. The miter gauge is stored on my saw body and is an arm reach away. I have a few sleds and they are a couple steps away. I haven't analyzed it before but, my process is probably something like using the miter gauge (an Incra V-27 bought back when they were under $30) for anything that it can serve well on and moving to a sled if things are too large or too small to be done with the gauge and hand grip clamping. I certainly would not want to be without either.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I use a sled 90 percent of the time. Especially since I bought a Dubby. It does a great job with angles and I highly recommend it. I have a homemade sled for 90 degree work but a good accurate miter gauge is good to.


I too have a Dubby. Love it! Also have NYW style panel cutter. Made a drop off holder for each that rides in miter slot. My Dubby is used left of the blade, and panel cutter to right of the blade, so I made a single drop off support. Tracks in miter slot. First ripped to width using one miter slot, then using other miter slot, ripped other side. Two for the price of one.

[Tom Bender]

My sled is made with 3/16" underlayment and a hunk of Basswood with an Oak runner. It uses up very little depth of cut and goes on and off with one hand.

Shown here cutting angles.

I have a MG around somewhere.
451916451917451918

[Steve Demuth]

I have and use both a high quality miter gage and shop-made sleds. If I had to give one up, though, it would be the miter gage.

A small (30" wide; 16" deep; two runners and fenced both sides of the blade) sled is by far the most used accessory on my table saw. I use it for dead-nuts on square crosscuts on all widths of wood, for finished lengths up to maybe 4 feet or so. It is fitted for various hold-downs, so I can use it to cut small pieces in almost any configuration. I also have the equivalent of a wedgie sled that is slightly smaller (one runner; single side, angle adjustable fences) that I use for repeat angle crosscuts. I have a dedicated miter sled for all true 45o crosscuts. These three are so well suited to their tasks, and I keep them ready to hand near the operator station, so I use the miter gage rarely - typically for one-off or low-repeat odd-angle crosscuts.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Forgot to mention, my most used sled is a single runner, 6" X 8" with single fence. Run it in left miter slot. Cut it to length, then reversed it in miter slot and cut other end. This way, no matter which direction I mount it on the saw, it's the right length. Use it primarily for squaring stock.