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Thread: Sawstop Sliding Table vs Large Crosscut Sled

  1. #1
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    Sawstop Sliding Table vs Large Crosscut Sled

    So, just missed a bad accident. For at least a decade I've had and used a large melamine coated, 3/4" MDF crosscut sled. Weighed a ton, and I couldn't even remotely lift it, so in my last shop, and in my present shop I had an overhead hoist installed so that when I wasn't using the sled, I just pushed a button and it lifted and lived overhead of the outfeed table.

    My bad, when I built it, I attached it to the hoist hook with a heavy duty screw eye. It was threaded into the hardwood surrounding the Lexan on the center of the board. This worked like a charm, until a week ago, when I was lowering it, and the hook pulled out of the hardwood, and gravity took over. Fortunately I avoided what could have been a very serious injury, but it did dent part of my formica outfeed table, and since it's made of MDF, it cracked in several areas. Why I didn't install it with a machine screw / insert nut instead of a wood screw - just stupid design on my part.

    So now, it's time to rebuild either a large crosscut sled, and use the William Ng 5 cut method for accuracy (I want at least 27" width capacity as I've used that repeatedly), or perhaps another option.

    What do people think about the Sawstop Sliding Table vs a crosscut sled? I'm not going to be replacing my ICS with a true slider, so no Felder / Hammer / ACM comments, please.

    I would have to move my second workbench out to accomodate the track for the Sawstop sliding table, and it's crazy expensive vs just rebuilding a crosscut sled, but would it have any benefits?
    - After I ask a stranger if I can pet their dog and they say yes, I like to respond, "I'll keep that in mind" and walk off
    - It's above my pay grade. Mongo only pawn in game of life.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Glad to hear you're safe!
    I made a Microjig Zeroplay sled. Check it out. The MAIN reason I built it is because it's almost all wood, so in the event of some mishap/error with the sled or fence you don't also lose a brake and blade. It's NOT as easy to build as the video shows. Took me a couple fails to get one built. Fail #1 was buy GOOD multi plywood. I got mine form the box store and AFTER I built it, it potato chipped and I spent significant time flattening it out.
    I like the sled. I also have a basic sled for 90 degree crosscuts. Since the Zeroplay is 360 degree capable, that means to me that it's probably not 90.0 degree capable.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2014
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    Alan here is my take. Not sure on which Sawstop sliding table you are considering, I have seen a narrow one and one just like the old Excalibur sliding tables. I started my descent into the world of sliders with an Excalibur table on a Unisaw. They are smoother and easier to use, tipping at the beginning and end of a stroke is gone. This was a huge step up from my crosscut box. The difference between sliding table attachments and a true sliding saw is the space between the edge of the blade and the sliding element. When you go to a true slider that is the next huge step up. I know it does not sound like a big difference but it is. So if you have the space and funds I am pretty sure that using a sliding table will be a revelation to you compared to the crosscut box.

  4. #4
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    I have both a fairly large sled (not as big as yours, it can be removed/replaced by hand) and the the smaller SS sliding crosscut table.

    In my experience, the biggest shortcoming of the sliding crosscut table is that it has to be re-squared every time you remove the fence assembly from the saw because there is a fair amount of slop in the way it mounts to the sliding table. And I find I have to remove it fairly often because it gets in the way when you need to do wide rips using the rip fence. It can be reset fairly quickly using a big square or a known square piece of MDF or the like, but it will not be as precisely square as a sled tuned using the 5 cut method.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  5. #5
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    In my opinion, a large sled is used with large workpieces where gravity works well to hold them down. Since you don't need holddowns, 1/4" plywood works very well for the sled base, making it much easier to handle. I fail to see any advantage to a thicker base on a large sled. A smaller sled with holddowns can be of thicker stock. Neither version is very heavy.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    I've got the smaller sliding table and I really like it. I don't have any problem with taking the fence off and on. When I first dialed it in I first twisted the miter gauge counterclockwise then tightened it down, then I aligned the fence. When remove the fence/miter gauge and put it back on I twist the gauge counterclockwise and tighten it down. The fence lines up perfectly every time.

    One of the things I find a major advantage is I can cut larger panels than I could ever fit into a sled, at least not a sled I can lift.

    Cliff

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cliff Polubinsky View Post
    I've got the smaller sliding table and I really like it. I don't have any problem with taking the fence off and on. When I first dialed it in I first twisted the miter gauge counterclockwise then tightened it down, then I aligned the fence. When remove the fence/miter gauge and put it back on I twist the gauge counterclockwise and tighten it down. The fence lines up perfectly every time.

    One of the things I find a major advantage is I can cut larger panels than I could ever fit into a sled, at least not a sled I can lift.

    Cliff
    good tip, I'll have to give that a try. I wish they would provide adjustability on that mounting bar to take up the slop, like a lot of miter gauge bars do.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  8. #8
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    I made a second larger crosscut sled, as you cut capacity gets bigger, you have more hanging off the front of the saw.

    To counter this, I made this simple support.



  9. #9
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    On my 1987 Uni-saw I ran an Excalibur sliding table for a few years. Finally removed it as it just consumed too much space versus the number of times I cut with it. Found that I "nevva" really missed it.

    In 2006, I sold the Uni-saw and purchase a SawStop ICS with the small sliding table. To overcome the "return to 90" issue, I purchased another sliding table miter bar for it, had the local machine shop drill and tap the miter bar for an INCRA 1000SE miter gauge, and put an INCRA 36-64" Telescoping Flip-Fence on it. No more problems. I find the small slider handy.

    I still utilize my track saw to cut down sheet goods, with final "trim to fits cuts" on the table saw. I think if I was doing it all over, I would still leave space for the sliding table in the shop, but fabricate a large sled. I never worked with a large sled, so I have no idea if it would work out as I work from wheelchair. A large sled and a quality track saw just might be the ticket. As an aside, the December 2021, #292, Fine Woodworking, pp 44ff, has an article on fabricating a sled. A torsion box made from 1/8" hardboard/Masonite for an overall thickness of 3/8".

  10. #10
    I had exacliburs both sides of one saw cross cut left slide to the stop on right, if slider manufacturers got it they could make better saws. its a waste of time to spin a part after you cross cut one end. Exacliburs I had were first generation and primitive, finally got rid of them but my set up still worked better than a 50k table saw cause I didnt have to spin parts. total waste of time. Not all is better on sliders.

    Before that I had 1/2 baltic sled, hard maple front and back and two maple runners, it cut 4 x 8' easy and was supported on the outfeed. Ive watched several internet gurus, clamping gizmos 25 cut method blah lah. Old guys had nothing more than I had and made a living all their lives. If I had thought about it more I could have made a small sled but I used that large one that could cross cut over a 4 x 8 as I was busy making a living and part of that was lifting endless stuff. It was one more thing who cares. 3/4 Mel a mine is a bad choice for a sled, glad you are okay

  11. #11
    Feedback I have gotten from several shop owners who have a SS with the sliding attachment (and I consider the SS a quality product, for the record): If you never dismount it from the machine, it is an acceptable. If you dismount it, it requires re-squaring every time. But these are pro shops. YMMV,

    Erik
    Ex-SCM and Felder rep

  12. #12
    attachments had generations I think Excalliburs i had had five generations and mine was the first gen. I got all my work done and that was what mattered at the time knowing stuff would be replaced so got the SCM when I saw it and exacliburs came off one sold one to be sold still. They alone will blow away a mitre gauge on a saw do the same only more support etc. Taking on and off what for. If ripping sheet stock on the exacalibur all you needed off was the back fence then the carriage is there for support.

    They are 10 times as easy to set up as my SCM slider is but it also has way more adjustments possible on the SCM.

  13. #13
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    Hi Alan,

    Glad you dodged a bullet.

    I built the Mark S. version, which also uses the 5 cut method to set up and using roughly his dimensions. I found his instructions clear and concise. Mine's 1/2" baltic birch, manageable to handle, and happily tucks to the left of the saw. I looked at the SS sliding table as well but didn't because I was concerned about space and running into all the time, I don't do that much with sheet goods, and the $s.

    https://thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/the-cross-cut-sled/

    I find it is just on the edge of too wide for my PCS and will likely build a support modeled after Chris' above.

    Good luck with a replacement.
    "You can observe a lot just by watching."
    --Yogi Berra

  14. #14
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    My two cents is that a crosscut sled takes up no permanent footprint around your TS, unlike a sliding table attachment. I don't have extra space for something that only gets used sometimes. Plus, with a crosscut sled you get a ZCI built in, and it's replaceable with just a little thought. I built a a crosscut sled that can cut over 40" front to back. Yes, it's heavy, but not overly so. It's supported on the outfeed side and if I need support on the infeed side I just slide a roller stand under it. Best of all, after 30 years cuts still come off it exactly at 90 deg. Never have I had to adjust it. When I'm not using it gets stood up along side my sheet goods cart.

    John

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisA Edwards View Post
    I made a second larger crosscut sled, as you cut capacity gets bigger, you have more hanging off the front of the saw.

    To counter this, I made this simple support.


    Nice support, Chris. I think I actually found a simpler approach on my present large crosscut sled. For miter bars I installed the Incra IMS2SE Miter bars. On the end of one of them they have an oval nut that is slightly longer than the width of the miter bar, which keeps it in the track, despite hanging over the front of the table saw. Works like a charm.

    Incra IMS2SE Miter Bar - Oval nuts.jpg
    - After I ask a stranger if I can pet their dog and they say yes, I like to respond, "I'll keep that in mind" and walk off
    - It's above my pay grade. Mongo only pawn in game of life.

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