Incra 5000 question

[mike johnston]

Haven't unboxed it yet. Question is. I always work on the left side of the blade, but have seen vids of people setting it up on the right side for more support Opions.

Thanks Mike

[Prashun Patel]

U can do either.

[Charles Coolidge]

Incra says if your saw is a left tilt use it on the right side of the blade, if your saw is right tilt (the default 5000 setup from the factory) use it on the left side of the blade.

But many people with left tilt saws use it on the left side of the blade myself included. One vote in favor of the left side beside feeling more natural to me as I'm right handed, is the blade is referenced to the left against the arbor. If you put a dado blade on you won't chew a chunk out of the main sled table. This is a problem on a left tilt saw if you are tilting the blade left. I decided for those cuts which are super rare for me, I'd build another sled for those or buy a 2nd 5000.

[Charles Coolidge]

A couple Incra 5000 assembly tips.

1. Remove the white split washers and screws from the steel miter bar. Grease the bottom of the white washer, the countersunk area, and the screw. Without lubrication long before you get the steel miter bar snug in the miter slot those white washers will start seizing to the steel miter bar. You will be bending the allen wrench, its seized up, then BANG it will break loose in a jump. Pretty much impossible to make fine adjustments on the fit to the saw miter slot without lubricating these parts. There's a 5000 assembly vid on youtube, you can see that guy dealing with this issue and getting frustrated. And try to loosen one of those washers when fine adjusting, again BANG it pops loose. Not friendly on the fingers let me tell you. After greasing mine WAY easier. You still get some small ticks as you near the final adjustment, its tight but nowhere near like it was when seizing up.

2. Important: Lets assume you will use the main sled to the left of the blade. After assembly you will run the main sled through the blade trimming off the right portion of the sled which gets installed with the aluminum miter bar into the saw's right miter slot. The instructions for trimming that part of the sled after installing the aluminum miter bar are poor to unsafe.

The issue is the aluminum miter bar is only snug in the miter slot at two points. When that front point clears the saw miter slot its no longer snug in the slot and the sled will pivot to the right, kicking out the rear corner of the sled into the spinning blade gouging it. This happened to me years ago when I setup my first 5000. I saw a more recent youtube video of it happening to that guy also.

The fix is easy. The other day when assembling my new 5000 I installed the aluminum miter bar as per the instructions, then moved my saw fence over flush with right side of the sled and the saw tape showed 9 7/8 inches. Then I removed the aluminum miter bar from the sled. Adjusted my fence to 9 7/8 minus 1/32 (because I wanted a little wiggle room) and ripped the sled like any other piece of wood. Came out perfect with no aluminum miter bar drama.

[Patrick McCarthy]

Charles, as someone with a 5000 waiting to be assembled, THANK YOU very much. The help and guidance is much appreciated.
Best, Patrick

[Charles Coolidge]

Thanks Patrick, I'm a huge 5000 fan love it. Glad these assembly tips were useful.

3. The black fixed washers on the steel miter bar require no adjustment and are preinstalled at the factory. But check the screws, one of mine was completely loose and sticking up proud of the bar.

[Joe Cowan]

I put mine on the right side of the blade but normally work on the left side. It fit my saw better on the right side. This is a wonderful tool.

[George Yetka]

How do you guys store this thing. Im in a 2 car with a ton of other stuff. Its either on the saw with the fence hanging way off the left side or on the floor in front of the saw where I can break my knuckles while adjusting blade angle.

[Prashun Patel]

I hung a couple j hooks on the wall and it sits there. I have not found a convenient way to mount it to the tablesaw.

[Christopher Glanton]

I just setup mine last week and had to call Incra as there was about 1/32" play after assembly. Turns out there's a 'tweak' to make it without play. When using the main miter, push the indicator firmly against the degree (0 for instance) and then tighten down the miter. It's super tight at that point.

[mike johnston]

Although I would really like to mount mine left of the blade I just don't have the room. Left of the table is kind of the main walkway through my little shop. I know I would be running into the fence all the time. I won't use it with a dado blade. As I look around the shop there's 10 other sleds for specific jobs. Also my favorite JDS miter gauge. Thank you everyone for the set up advice, it's greatly appreciated

thanks Mike

ps if I knew how to post pictures, I would post one after it's set up

[Charles Coolidge]

ps if I knew how to post pictures, I would post one after it's set up

Just click the Insert Image icon, it will guide you through selecting a picture from your computer to insert.

[Joe Cowan]

How do you guys store this thing. Im in a 2 car with a ton of other stuff. Its either on the saw with the fence hanging way off the left side or on the floor in front of the saw where I can break my knuckles while adjusting blade angle.

I attached a board on my wall, with dowels ,that match up with the holes in the sled. I just hang it up behind my table saw when I am not using it.

[John C Bush]

I use mine on the left side of a left tilting saw and there are times I would like to use it on the right for repetitive miter cuts. Can the jig be reconfigured to switch sides?? Never really considered it. I got it at an estate sale assembled without instructions. Possibly remove the miter gauge and remount on the other side of the board?? Just thinkin'--

[Charles Coolidge]

I use mine on the left side of a left tilting saw and there are times I would like to use it on the right for repetitive miter cuts. Can the jig be reconfigured to switch sides?? Never really considered it. I got it at an estate sale assembled without instructions. Possibly remove the miter gauge and remount on the other side of the board?? Just thinkin'--

Technically yes but practically speaking it would just be easier to buy a 2nd 5000. When you setup for the left side you push it through the blade to trim to zero clearance to the blade. If you switch everything over to right side use because the blade is different distances to the miter slot left vs right you will have likely a large gap. Also you have to put the other fence tape on for right side use so you would be swapping that around. Plus disassembly and reassembly imo not worth through trouble when you could just grab your 2nd right side 5000 and go to town.

[Prashun Patel]

Different strokes. I would find a second 5000 a big clunky bother to have in the shop. And they are not cheap. I use an auxiliary plywood fence as the zero clearance backer. It takes only a few seconds to shift everything to the right.

I never use the tape and moving to the right is rare.

I am sure it just depends on our individual styles of working.