Crosscut sled - different way

[Nissim Avrahami]

Good day

The idea is very simple, I make part of the sled, cut the kerf and refer to it as a reference point or line to position the "Back Fence" square to the kerf by "locking" everything together.

I discovered that the plastic drawing triangles are very, very accurate, and I use them to locate the fence (actually, as you will see, I'm using the shop-made triangles that were "copied" from the plastic one).

My table saw is different and has only one miter slot, so I made some kind of "fiction" miter slots and runners for the guys with the "normal" table saw...(I think everybody except me)

Please note that I’m cutting the runners to a smaller than the miter slot width…to prevent binding with humidity changes and also not to “play” so much with the “perfect fit” of the runners to the miter slots and that, saves a lot of time and simplifies the construction.

It took me around 1½ hours to make it (including 148 pics), so I assume that it should take you 2~2½ hours, considering that you have to prepare the parts (I used scraps from around the garage).

Sorry for the Millimeters but I made the text for European forums as well and I was too lazy to make two set's of pictures...

Regards
niki

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[Nissim Avrahami]

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[Nissim Avrahami]

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[Nissim Avrahami]

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[Nathan Conner]

Wow. Really nice instructions! Couldn't be more detailed.

OTOH, When I made my few, that work just fine, I skip a bunch of those steps. Instead, I:

1) make a sled (table, front fence, back fence) in a couple of minutes. Table is scrap 3/4 ply, front/back fences are scrap hardwood. The back fence is screwed from underneath with a slotted hole through the sled (for adjustment).
2) rip a couple of runners to fit the miter slots.
3) screw/glue these to the sled (eyeballed to the slots and back edge of table). Then cut up through by raising the running blade.

Tuning for square is a simple matter of backing out the screws in the back fence a turn, line up fence with a machinist's square to the blade.

Never had a problem with this method. but I doubt it's nearly as accurate as yours, Nissim.

[Nissim Avrahami]

Thank you Nathan

Well, everybody has his different method...as they say, "Two pilots, Three landing methods"...as long as it works, it's ok.

I love this "Idiot proof" method (and I'll not tell you why :) )...

I made the sled in the pics, with the same method... I used "Super glue" to glue the fence to the sled...no screws and no adjustment is possible...but also, no need...it's perfect 90° to the blade.

Regards
niki

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[Alan Tolchinsky]

Nissim, That's a very interesting way of doing it. I always thought that it was not necessary to adjust the fence to square after building a sled. If you have it square to the blade like you do then why play around with it afterwards. How did you make your wooden squares? I think I remember you giving a tutorial on this but maybe I'm wrong. Large squares are cool and must eliminate error in measuring. Alan

[Nissim Avrahami]

Thank you Alan

I did post it in the past but the pics disappeared (all my Photobucket album disappeared) so, here it is again.

Regards
niki

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[Nissim Avrahami]

Another 5 pics

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[Nissim Avrahami]

And the last 5 pics

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[Alan Tolchinsky]

Thanks so much Nissim; that was very generous of you. I'm going to make some of those. I always use my plastic triangle to set my table saw blade. But some of your wood triangles will save my plastic one. Thanks again for taking the time to repost the pics. Alan

[Matt P]

Great pics - What is the plywood strip put in the kerf for??
Tx,
Matt

[Nissim Avrahami]

Thank you Matt

The plywood strip is used as a "guide line" to support the triangles.

I cut the kerf and push the plywood to "elevate" the kerf and to give me not visible but feasible reference line.
When I clamp 2 triangles (one on each side of the plywood), I'm getting a reference line for the "Back fence" exactly at 90° to the kerf.

Some people are doing it by aligning the Back fence to the kerf with framing square or triangle "by eye" and than make the final adjustment of the fence with test cuts.

Once I "lock" the triangles to the kerf (the plywood), and the fence to the triangles, I'm getting the most accurate "90° to the kerf" fence.

I made a few sleds with this method and I got so confident that now, I'm not screwing the Back fence to the sled but instead, I'm gluing it (in the process) with CA (super glue) so no more adjustment...

Regards
niki

[Dave MacArthur]

I always enjoy reading your posts, you show an ingenuity that is refreshing! Thanks for posting this, and taking the time to document it!

[Nissim Avrahami]

Thank you Dave

I'm not sure that it's so much of ingenuity.....it took me almost 13 years to think about it...:o :o :o

Regards
niki

[Steve Rybicki]

Nissim,

I really like your technique. It not only looks like it would give great results, it looks very easy to get them. I just got a new saw, so I need to make another sled. I'm going to give your way a try on this one. Thanks for sharing.

[Nissim Avrahami]

Thank you Steve

It is very easy and accurate. Once you cut the parts, it will not take long before you'll start cutting accurate pieces.

I made this sled with the same method, you can see that I got so confident that I'm gluing the fence with Super glue....no adjustments are possible but also no need to adjust, every cut is perfect 90°

Regards
niki
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