Crosscut Sled for the Table Saw
There is more than one kind of sled. Curtisy
of Tom Vos
A cross cut sled might have a platform that spans the blade,
with runners in both miter slots. This will provide for accurate cross
cuts.
Since a miter gauge has a rather small
face, it can be hard to keep a long board straight as it goes through the blade.
But if you have a sled that extends out past both sides of the blade a foot or
two, you will have more control.
You will need to use a rather high back board that connects
the platform on each side of the blade.
And maybe one on the front of the platform too.
There's another kind of sled that I use for cutting larger
panels.
It can be of variable size, but two feet square would not be
too large.
Mine goes on just one side of the blade, and the wood strip
that runs in the miter slot extends out past the front of the sled a ways.
If you want to trim off the edge of a larger panel that
you've glued up, and you try it with the miter gauge, you will be pulling the
miter gauge back off the saw top in order to get the blade into the panel.
With my panel sled, I can start two or more feet back from
the blade, and still have good control over the panel as it goes through.
I have a wood piece across the back of the sled that is set
carefully to be square with the blade.
Added by Bob Kennedy
One of the features that makes an accurate sled nice is the wood sits on
the sled instead of the saw itself. You also have a zero clearance insert
so to speak and the cut line is easy to find and line up with your mark.
Here is a video series that
is vary clear on making a crosscut sled by:
Copyright 2008 Eagle Lake Woodworking
Cd References for crosscut sleds
Build a Simple Crosscut Sled for the Tablesaw, CD 11 track 18
Simple Crosscut Sled, CD 12 track 34
Improved Crosscut Sled for Tablesaw, CD 15 track 27
Compact Crosscut Sled, CD 21 track 49
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