Need for crosscut sled?

[Steve Mathews]

After watching the video below I'm questioning the need for my crosscut sled. It seems that mine rarely gets used in favor of an Incra miter gauge, which I find easier to handle than the bulky and heavier crosscut sled. The only complaint with the miter gauge is it doesn't stay square or at least I don't always trust it. The Woodpeckers Exact-90 seems like a good alternative except for the price. Anyone else rely more on a miter gauge for simple crosscuts than a crosscut sled?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGFfAe9qk7A

[Greg Wieskamp]

I have 3 table saws. My Uni-saw. A Bosch that I use for general rough cutting, and my Delta, I leave the dado blade in permanently. I also have 3 Incra 1000HD Miter gauges. I also have 3 sleds. The sleds are stored away up in the attic of my garage.

[Mike Congiusti]

I have the Incra 3000 and I built the sled from The Wood Whisper. I use both all the time. As in his illustration I can't cut a panel with the incra. Maybe I can design the drop pin on my Incra. My sled hangs on the wall and it's a easy on easy off.

[Andrew Hughes]

Miter gage for me. Sleds are silly

[John C Bush]

I had planned to make a sled-mostly for larger panels- but I was fortunate enough to get an Incra 5000 miter sled when I bought a complete hobby WWers shop at an estate sale. I'm too cheap to buy one outright and after using it for several years I would definitely step up and buy one now. Great accuracy, super safe for small piesces and repetability is easy. Down side was limited width of panels you can cut and I made a table extension with a dadoe for the miter bar. My TS is left tilt so I can't use it for bevel cuts as well.

[John TenEyck]

I would not want to be w/o my miter sled. No miter gage comes close to supporting the work as well, or having a built in ZCI. I built it 30 years ago and it still cuts 90.0 deg, without fail.

John

[Keegan Shields]

For 1/3 the price of that mitre gauge (~$350) you could make a nice sled out of BB. Using the 5 cut method to square the fence, you can get 90 deg +/- 0.01. Especially if you have a table saw with a smaller top.

Sleds support the workpiece and the offcut, allowing you to clamp both if you need the precision. It keeps your hands well away from the blade, probably the safest cut a cabinet saw can make.

But man it sucks lugging that thing up on the table.

For example a sled allows you to rip an 18”x8’ piece of 3/4” plywood and make the crosscut for cabinet sides with precision. And you could do that on a job site saw with a quality crosscut sled.

Lots of ways to skin this woodworking cat.

[Warren Lake]

50" baltic one used for many years, it cross cut 4 x 8's. It paid for other machines. What you need depends on what you do. It did tons of work and I didnt care about the weight.

[Jim Becker]

I"ve only had a cabinet saw in my (temporary shop) for about a year right now and I had to nearly immediately make up a crosscut sled in order to safely (at least for me) do that kind of work. A sled is a lot more comfortable for "critical" cross cutting as well as handling small things than a miter gage of any kind, IMHO.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Sleds are very important for the things I make. All of mine are home made.
There are several tasks that I can not find another way to accomplish, other than using robots.

[Michael Schuch]

I can't remember the last time I used a sled or a miter gage. Cross cuts are done on the Radial arm saw and ripping is done on the table saw. I have been working like this for the past 35 years. Before that crosscuts were done on the radial arm saw and ripping was done on the radial arm saw. I celebrate the day when I got my first table saw and no longer had to rip on the radial arm saw.

The last time I used a sled it was for making box joints.

[Jared Sankovich]

It's tough to crosscut a 24" or 30" wide panel with a miter gauge, more so if it's also over 4' long. I personally have no use for a miter gauge.

[Lee Schierer]

I have a Kreg miter gauge and I use it most of the time. However, when I have a piece that is wider than the distance from the blade to the edge of the saw table, my crosscut sled gets used. I also use my cross cut sled for pieces that are going to have more than 30 inches of length against my miter gauge. I've noticed that the drag on longer pieces when cross cutting can deflect creating inaccuracies.

[George Yetka]

I feel like I made a mistake buying the incra 5000. It rarely goes on the saw and takes up a ton of room. I should have went with one of the 1000's

[Thomas Wilson]

I have an Incra Miter Express sled which I have used very little and a JDS Accumiter miter gauge which I have used a lot. The Accumiter has a clamp and a really long bar which alleviate most of the problems with miter gauges. I use it most of the time. The clamp holds the workpiece downward against the bar. It prevents work from slipping laterally while being cut. The long bar with nylon washers that spread to adjust the fit have no play. The head is rigid. I adjusted the angle with the 5 cut method. Cuts are square many years later. I should probably repeat the 5 cut test to see how close it is. The fence has a nice rigid flip stop for crosscuts in the 5-20” range. A telescoping bar extends the width to 32-36”. Too bad JDS went out of business. They had some innovative, high-quality products.

I bought the Incra sled to do production runs of parts for cabinet door and drawers. I wanted repeatable position of flip stops. I haven’t done that operation much but have a large run of built-ins to do this year. I will see if it helps. The fence was set with 5 cut method and gives square results. The sled is small and light compared to many sleds. I haven’t weighed it but it is not much different than the Accumiter.

I expect to keep both close to the saw and use as needed.

[Brian Tymchak]

I think like most things, there are advantages with either approach. I use an Osborne miter gauge on occasion but, maybe due to the nature of the work I do, I more often use 1 of several sleds. I have a large crosscut sled and several small sleds. One advantage I found with sleds is that they can be set up for a single task and gives me an instantly repeatable set up. I use several small lightweight sleds, with 1/2" mdf bases, to cut small parts. I cut building blocks for a local nonprofit so I use a small sled set up to cut equilateral triangles and it's the only task it does. I have another sled to just cut drawer stops for the furniture bank where I volunteer. I have another small sled with a movable stop that I cut a bunch of different parts with.

[Patrick Kane]

I loathe making jigs and shopmade stuff to make furniture when that jig/shopmade stuff is commercially available. When forced to make a jig, i try to make it as quickly and cheaply as possible. When i had a cabinet saw, i much preferred the incra miter gauge. However, i was almost always crossing cutting aprons/drawerfronts to length at 90°, or using it for tenons. I cant remember a time when i ever needed to cross something wider than 8-10" back then. Now, i have a sliding table saw and an oliver 232. I dont have a miter gauge for the Oliver, which almost forces me to make sleds when crosscutting/crossdadoing. The miter slots on that saw are quite wide, 1.25-1.5". A sled doesnt have to be a 8-10 hour project like William Ng's and some of these other sleds i see with plexi windows and t tracks etc. I made a junky one for my oliver in 10 mins out of scraps. Cut my 60° angle dados for an adjustable height highchair--the Stokke Tripp Trapp--and now i can put that sled in the corner to be repurposed at a later date. Each has their advantages, but a sled is awfully nice for the zero clearance factor. It is very convenient to line cuts up when the bottom and back of your sled are zeroed to your current blade/dado.

[Alan Lightstone]

I have a very large crosscut sled that I use all the time. Can't imagine working without it. Made with 5-cut method. Weighs a ton, but store it overhead on an overhead hoist. Sure beats lifting up the beast.

For small pieces I built a small crosscut sled, plus I have a third sled for when I'm using the dado blades.

So, I use crosscut sleds a bunch. I also have an Incra 1000HD. Has been collecting dust for years. YMMV.

[Steve Demuth]

A crosscut sled has distinct advantages over a miter gauge, in my experience. I keep a small sled (30" wide X 16" deep) hanging next to my (very ordinary) cabinet saw, and use it constantly. I like the fact that it's zero clearance on both the bed, and both sides of the fence. I can clamp small pieces to the bed of the sled in order to make small elements and trim cuts. I make many cuts on the sled that I would not consider safe on a miter gauge. My saw would be incomplete without sleds.

[Wes Grass]

I just had a 3x6" piece i needed to cut in half. Would have liked it to be dead square, but no way I was going to do it on a tablesaw without support on both sides of the blade. So it went on the miter saw and squared up on sandpaper.

Just one of the reasons I will eventually make a sled for my Felder.

[Edwin Santos]

Miter gage for me. Sleds are silly

Then I'm the Sultan of Silly. At last count I have 7 sleds.
If any of them disappeared in a sled heist, I'd be making a replacement immediately.
I even listen to Sled Zeppelin.

[glenn bradley]

Then I'm the Sultan of Silly. At last count I have 7 sleds.
If any of them disappeared in a sled heist, I'd be making a replacement immediately.
I even listen to Sled Zeppelin a lot.


Also true here. IMHO a miter gauge is fine for small stuff. I trust my sleds implicitly and my joinery always goes together without the need for crushing clamp pressures. I do use my Incra V-27's. One for the tablesaw and one for the router table. This is primarily for picture frames or angled cuts / feed paths. However, for multiple cuts with a stop or anything larger or heavier than the Yellow Pages (dating myself) a sled is so much easier, repeatable and safe. Just as on a CMS, small cutoffs can become dangerous when they just "fall away". The support of both keeper and spoil with a sled is a safety factor. If your sled is too heavy or bulky, make a smaller one.

P.s. They are also a good platform for other tasks. I just used a right angle fixture this morning to knock out some planters for the wife.

484208 . 484207

[Keegan Shields]

haha yep a slider is the ultimate cross cut sled! I appreciate mine every time I use it. Sleds are awesome, but dang mine was heavy.

[Steve Mathews]

I think the point of the Exact-90 is that most cuts (99% according to TWW) are at 90 degrees so why invite error with a device that does miters. Make it fixed at 90 degrees and make it rock solid. Certainly a crosscut sled accomplishes that but the one I built is heavy and cumbersome to use. Some have mentioned making a smaller sled to solve that problem. I may give that a try.

[Jim Becker]

Steve, I don't disagree with TWW's logic on that...a whole bunch of cross cutting really is at 90º in my experience, so a fixed fixture, as it were, can be ideal for a lot of that work. I don't believe it takes away the need for "sled-like-things", however, as you mention. This is especially true for small parts cutting. Another advantage to a good sled is the ability to temporarily fasten work support elements to the sled so one can create precise, repeatable cuts for things that just are not at 90º or oddly shaped, etc. Heck, even in the short time I've had the PCS in my temporary shop so I had an actual table saw, I've made quite a few temporary fixtures to "make that cut" which just couldn't be handled with a miter gage or even with my sled.

[Lee Schierer]

If any of them disappeared in a sled heist, I'd be making a replacement immediately.


Are sled heists a thing where you live?

[Warren Lake]

Yes common in our area. I usually call the mounties and they ride up then their horses and tie them to the tree on the front lawn.

They tell me most people drop them and leave them part way down the road complaining they are too heavy.


Id like to do woodworking what do I need?

I dont know what are you going to do?

[Patrick Varley]

I think the point of the Exact-90 is that most cuts (99% according to TWW) are at 90 degrees so why invite error with a device that does miters. Make it fixed at 90 degrees and make it rock solid. Certainly a crosscut sled accomplishes that but the one I built is heavy and cumbersome to use. Some have mentioned making a smaller sled to solve that problem. I may give that a try.

I see the point, but it seems like a classic WP move. Over-engineer a single-use solution and charge an exorbitant amount for it. I don't doubt that the accuracy improved by eliminating the miter aspect, but it feels odd paying $325 for something that has less functionality than other premium-priced miter gauges. So going back to the sled vs. miter gauge debate, I'd rather keep a small sled and pay for another nice (but cheaper) miter gauge. If you buy the Exact-90, you still need another miter gauge (or have another solution to cut your miters).

[mreza Salav]

If I have to give up either my sled or my Incra miter gauge it's the latter. There is no way it comes ahead of my robust sled (with hold downs). Especially if I have to cut multiple small pieces. Just a lot more efficient and safer!

[Wes Grass]

Bigger, highly contoured, anodized, engraved ...

'Value added. Profit is always a percentage of 'cost of goods'.

You wanna spend all your spare change? I can make you one from titanium with gold plated hardware...

I'd have to sub-contract any inlay of precious jewels though, but I *do* have a source ...

;-)

[Greg Wieskamp]

"For example a sled allows you to rip an 18”x8’ piece of 3/4” plywood and make the crosscut for cabinet sides with precision. And you could do that on a job site saw with a quality crosscut sled."

If I were cutting things that large, I would also probably be using a sled. As it is, I wouldn't even attempt to cut anything that large, ACCURATELY .

[Maurice Mcmurry]

For me a miter gauge is a necessity as well a sled. Purpose built sleds provide safety, repeatability, and accuracy for creating parts that require a difficult and dangerous cut. In a production environment a thoughtfully designed sled can allow semi skilled workers to consistently produce very advanced cuts safely and accurately.

[Thomas McCurnin]

I don't use them. A well adjust miter gauge is good enough for me. I do have a home made fancy deadly accurate one, that I made 10 years ago, and used a few times. Like other, it is stored in the rafters of my garage. Too heavy.

[Michael Schuch]

Yes common in our area. I usually call the mounties and they ride up then their horses and tie them to the tree on the front lawn.

They tell me most people drop them and leave them part way down the road complaining they are too heavy.


Id like to do woodworking what do I need?

I dont know what are you going to do?


Geeze! I hope you keep your maple syrup well locked up!

[Keegan Shields]

Haha yep they are probably working on (or have already released) a variable angle one.

I like some of their stuff, but the overpriced shop jigs aren’t for me.

[Patrick Varley]

Haha yep they are probably working on (or have already released) a variable angle one.

I like some of their stuff, but the overpriced shop jigs aren’t for me.

Indeed. Already available:
https://www.woodpeck.com/autoscale-miter-sled.html

[Keegan Shields]

Ha! There you go. For 1.5k, you can cut 90 deg and at variable angles!

[Alan Lightstone]

I think the point of the Exact-90 is that most cuts (99% according to TWW) are at 90 degrees so why invite error with a device that does miters. Make it fixed at 90 degrees and make it rock solid. Certainly a crosscut sled accomplishes that but the one I built is heavy and cumbersome to use. Some have mentioned making a smaller sled to solve that problem. I may give that a try.
i really appreciate the smaller crosscut sled I built, as my back is trash. Also very useful for making small cuts, as the polycarbonate center piece on my large sled makes that difficult.

[dennis thompson]

Sled for me, I can’t remember the last time I used a miter gauge

[Bob Jones 5443]

So it’s official: we all agree. It depends on the work. Glad that’s resolved.

The first sled I made was the length of my Unisaw with a 52” rail. It was 27”x 6 feet, of 1/2” plywood. This was before the time I worked with a lot of hardwood; it was a lot of panels back then. In a big move it just couldn’t make the trip, so in the next house (my current and forever home) I got sensible and made one about the size of the cast iron part on the table. It fits neatly leaning on the side of the band saw stand.

I like the absence of friction on the work against the table, small though it would be without a sled. I can also easily cut exact angles after making a precise MDF wedge. It’s easy and safe to advance the sled across the blade, even with two pieces on the sled. I can always clamp a support against one of them.

If I ever start making boxes or other small things, I can definitely see making a small sled, like 18x12 or so.

Finally, although I’m a William Ng Five Cuts sled guy, and my sled always checks out square, I don’t sweat it if it’s off a scosh. Any square end can be trued with a few swipes on the shooting board, up to about 1” thick.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

One of mine that gets a lot of use is a very rustic wedge maker. I made it 20 + years ago when I was out of shims and late for work. It keeps evolving. Every time I need a new angle I add another hole.

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[Rich Engelhardt]

I just had to make 90 - 15.75" X 8.75" birch 1/4" ply panels.

I made up a parallel guide 8.5 inches long and used it to set the Makita track saw to make the 15.75" long cuts - then I made a stop block for my sled to make the 8.75" cuts.

I can't possibly think of any better way to have done this - other than maybe watching that pretty young Korean girl from Youtube that wears the short dresses do all the work while I sipped coffee... ;) .

[Edwin Santos]

One of mine that gets a lot of use is a very rustic wedge maker. I made it 20 + years ago when I was out of shims and late for work. It keeps evolving. Every time I need a new angle I add another hole.

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A fellow sledophile! Love your collection

[Edward Weber]

I use both, I see no need for it to be an either, or situation.
My main sled is a modified miter-express. I have a 1000 HD mounted on it. This sled can do most of what I need. If I need something job specific, like a compound cut, I'll make it, I'm a woodworker after all. I find I don't use miter gauges less and less as time goes by. The support and safety of a sled is a better fit for me.
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The WP 90 degree thing is nothing I would ever consider, YMMV