Crosscut sled

[Laurie Brown]

I got a PM asking about my sled, and it's a pain to attach pictures in a PM, so I thought I'd just post a message so anyone else with an interested can look.

This is the quickie crosscut sled I made when I got my new saw. All I had laying around as scrap was oak, so the bed is oak plywood, with solid oak runners and fences. I waxed the bottom of it so it slides nicely on the saw. It will handle material up to about 15" wide, and I plan to use it mainly for cutting raised panel door parts - stile and rails to length, and panels.

I added a picture of the bottom of it, to show the runners. I used a suggestion I saw in another post here somewhere, and shimmed the runners in the miter slots so they sat proud of the tabletop for ease of gluing the base on, no screws used.

I also made a quickie push tool for my new saw out of a scrap piece of poplar, using a handle template I have that I made out of MDF and use to make anything that needs a handle. I don't have a bandsaw, so I used a jigsaw to cut it out to rough shape, then flush trimmed with my router to the template, and rounded over all the edges so it would be smooth in my hand. ;)

[James Reichman]

Nice job on the sled. Is that a hybrid delta TS? How do you like it?

[Laurie Brown]

Nice job on the sled. Is that a hybrid delta TS? How do you like it?

Yep, it is. The one I picked up recently from another Creeker. I love it! It's so much better than my old Crapsman cheapy saw. I love having a real tool that can cut straight and square, and is even quieter!

I want to make a zero-clearance insert for it next, but I'm not sure how.

[Nissim Avrahami]

Very nice Laurie

May I suggest, if you like it to run smoothly on the table, you can "Iron On" edging tape, one on each side of the kerf and another one near each edge, it will "ski" on the iron table.

I glued "anti skid tape" (it's used for bath tabs and showers) under the push shoe for better grip on the wood (# 80 sanding paper is also ok).

niki

[Don Fuss]

Nice sled Laurie. I'm going to make one similar to that for crosscutting larger stock. The one I made has a very low fence and lacks support in the back to allow it to ride under the blade guard. I definitely need to make one like yours too.



I want to make a zero-clearance insert for it next, but I'm not sure how.

I made one out of poplar. It took all of 5 minutes. I just ripped and crosscut the stock to size, planed it to thickness, and traced the outline of the original insert plate and cut it out. Since the blade's lowest position comes right up to the top, I left the old insert in, double stick taped the milled stock to the old insert, and used a caul to clamp it from the front and back of the table to hold it securly down while I raised the blade through.

Hope that helps!

[Laurie Brown]

Very nice Laurie

May I suggest, if you like it to run smoothly on the table, you can "Iron On" edging tape, one on each side of the kerf and another one near each edge, it will "ski" on the iron table.

I glued "anti skid tape" (it's used for bath tabs and showers) under the push shoe for better grip on the wood (# 80 sanding paper is also ok).

niki

Thanks for the suggestions! I may give those a try.

[Laurie Brown]

I made one out of poplar. It took all of 5 minutes. I just ripped and crosscut the stock to size, planed it to thickness, and traced the outline of the original insert plate and cut it out. Since the blade's lowest position comes right up to the top, I left the old insert in, double stick taped the milled stock to the old insert, and used a caul to clamp it from the front and back of the table to hold it securly down while I raised the blade through.

Hope that helps!

Thanks, Don! I think I have some leftover hard maple I can make one out of... :)

[Randy Cooper]

Laurie,

If you go to the website named runnerduck and look at his woodworking projects there is a description with pictures of how he makes a zero clearance insert.

Randy

[Al Willits]

fwiw I have the hybrid too and chances are the insert won't sit level so you'l have to put some height adjusters in also.
Not sure what everybody else thinks, but I like the fact my inserts screw to the saw also to keep them in place.

I used 1/4" allen head screws for the adjusters, the threads were 1/4x24 I think.
Have fun..:)
Al

[glenn bradley]

Yeah. my insert screws down at the front and has a tab at the back. I use BB ply or MDF for ZCI's as it stays more stable with weather changes. When I cut out the blanks I leave a little tail at the back. This I later machine to act as the retention tab. I match all holes on the original; 4 for 1/4 X 3/8 long set screws for levelers and the hole for the front retention screw. I also add the finger hole, of course. I double tape the original to the blank I rough-cut on the band saw and use a flush-trim router bit to get a good, close fit. I route a 1/4" slot right over where the blade will sit. This allows me to have the ZCI installed as I raise the blade to assure a perfect ZCI blade slot. Make a few and label them with felt pen on the bottom as to which blade they're for. Don't forget the splitter ;-)

[Don Fuss]

fwiw I have the hybrid too and chances are the insert won't sit level so you'l have to put some height adjusters in also.
Not sure what everybody else thinks, but I like the fact my inserts screw to the saw also to keep them in place.

I used 1/4" allen head screws for the adjusters, the threads were 1/4x24 I think.
Have fun..:)
Al

Al,
I noticed that also. I took the low tech approach, however, and used folded pieces of double sided tape as shims to level it.

[Al Willits]

Al,
I noticed that also. I took the low tech approach, however, and used folded pieces of double sided tape as shims to level it.



Whatever works, I just happen to have a lot of set screws and a pretty complete tap and die set from my metal working days....hard to give up the old life.. :)

Al

[Jerry Olexa]

A sled is an invaluable tool. I used mine today for several panel cuts...Nice job on yours..

[Robert Mickley]

Nice sled Lauri, On ZCR's. I made template out of mdf
Used the factory insert and drew around it.
Cut almost to the line and sanded it to get a good fit.
I then used that for a pattern to make mine out of corian.
cut them close on the bandsaw then used double stick tape to hold the pattern on and used a flush trim bit in the router. Drillled and tapped it for leveling screws and away you go.