Cross Cut sled

[outback]

I'm sick of my cross cut sled. :mad:

What has everyone else come up with. I've been searching here, and on the net in general, but would appreciate any and all input.

Oh, why am I sick of my sled? It relies on a single mitre track to keep it on line, too much play in the runner these days so I reckon it's time for a change. I'm sure there are better ideas somewhere.

[NewLou]

I've found a few of these links not Bad

http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/howto_crosscut.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-crosscut-sled.htm

http://www.imaging.robarts.ca/~amulder/wood/j.sled2/

http://www.beaverpondstudio.com/Table_Saw_Sled.html

Hope these Help M8

Regards Lou

[echnidna]

For the past 8 or 9 years I have been using a homemade saw bench without a mitre slot. So my various sleds have been guided by
1. Against the saw fence
2. or by a length of RHS set outboard and parallel to the sawcut line. The underside of the sleds had 2 strips of wood that fitted snugly across the square tube. I found this method very accurate and simple to setup.
I can't currently post a pic of this setup as I have recently reworked the saw with a power feeder for production ripping and no longer have that sled function available.

My old Durden Junior Joiner saw had a channel fitted outboard of the table. This channel was the mitre slot. I am just recommissioning this little old saw and have fitted an overlay top which will be setup for use with sleds using a new outrigger of Square steel tube.

[Rocker]

Outback,

If you give me your e-mail address again, I will send you a copy of an article on a crosscut sled which is due to appear shortly in the Australian Woodworker.

Rocker

[Iain]

Either the current or last edition of Australian Woodsmith has plans for a crosscut jig using two tracks.
It looks like a serving tray with handles either end and a fence along the width of the unit to hold the timber square.

[morry]

I too got sick of the mitre bar being sloppy on hot days and tight on humid ones. I found some steel bar that was a tad to wide and carefully draw filed one edge until it was a nice sliding fit in the mitre slot. This was then drilled and contersunk and attached to the bottom of the sled (18 mm MDF). The first pass on the saw lopped about 10 mm off the edge to give a reference line and then a long fence screwed to the bottom edge ( square to the cut line). It has been in use about 12 months and shows no signs of wear or binding. Brass would also be another option for the bar. I will try to post a pic later today of the setup and a sketch of an adjustable bar from brass that I have used on some of my jigs.

[outback]

Thanks everyone.
It seems most sleds are basically the same. Brass may be an improvement for the runner, I had thought of letting it hang over the edges and attaching a guide there.
I like the idea of toggles as per the links.
I'll keep thinkin' an lookin' to see what I can concoct.

P.S. Thanks Rocker, maybe I should just send my subscription to you, it would get me all your ideas, and save getting all the advertising cr*p

[Rocker]

Outback,

I find that wooden runners are OK, so long as you ensure that the growth rings are vetical in the slot, since the radial movement of timber is always much less than the tangential. If you have a planer/thicknesser, it should be possible to thickness a flat-sawn board to the exact thickness of your table-saw's slots, and then rip a 10 mm strip off its edge for the runners of your crosscut sled.

Rocker

[outback]

Thanks for that Rocker. Certainly a trap for new players like me. I also think the runner was always a bees dick too loose at the best of times. More experience and getting fussier has started to show this up.

[outback]

Thanks for the plans Rocker. I especially like the idea of using it to make finger joints.

I'm playing with the idea of making an add on along the lines of a stop block, which will be adjustable to allow several cuts of timber of the same length to be made.

It would bolt on and need to be long enough so reasonable variations could be allowed for, and no too long so as to become dangerous or unwieldy. Dunno, just the merest kernel of a possible thought.

[Rocker]

Outback,

I like your idea of an adjustable stop for the crosscut sled. It could use sail-track set in a dado in the arm of the stop, in a similar fashion to Sturdee's height gauge
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=5063

The only trouble about using the crosscut sled for finger joints is that you are restricted to 1/8" thick ones, unless you are willing for the kerf in the base of the sled to be widened. It might be best to make two sleds, one for regular crosscutting, and one for finger joints made with a dado set.

Rocker

[jow104]

I'm still using my Triton workcentre (approaching its third year) and think about tablesaws with cast iron, whether I should change over or not. Then I read a thread such as above where there is dissatisfaction with the mitre slot and slop with fixed top table saws.
Are there any members prepared to state how long or short a period before they have had to resort to jigging up to get over this niggle with their make of saw.

[markharrison]

I don't know of which thread you speak. I'm not throwing off at Triton tools, however, I cannot concieve of a situation where a cast iron surface would be inferior to stamped metal.

If you are after a reliable mitre guage or sled runners there are a couple of options.

Every after market mitre guage that I am aware of has the ability to adjust the fit to the slot. I have an Incra 1000 which I highly recommend. For sleds, Incra make adjustable runners that you can use.

An alternative to the Incra sled runners is to make your runners out of a dimensionally stable material. I've seen HDPE runners in a magazine somewhere. Another option is to make the sled runners from wood but make them adjustable.

One technique I've seen is to have the sled runner glued on one side only. This runner has a series of holes in them which are countersunk. Radiating along the length of the runner are slots which are terminated by smaller holes. In the middle hole you put a countersink screw which when screwed adjusts the fit.

Anyway, it's harder to describe than achieve. If anyone is interested, let me know and I will do a drawing.

[outback]

Outback,

I like your idea of an adjustable stop for the crosscut sled. It could use sail-track set in a dado in the arm of the stop, in a similar fashion to Sturdee's height gauge
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=5063


Rocker
I love the idea.
Only problem is it costs more to have sail track delivered to me than the actual track itself. Capral have a minium delivery fee, which acts as a real pain in the dado! I'll have to see if I can find a transport company willing to pick it up from their warehouse, and not charge a new tablesaw for the trouble.

[Barry_White]

I love the idea.
Only problem is it costs more to have sail track delivered to me than the actual track itself. Capral have a minium delivery fee, which acts as a real pain in the dado! I'll have to see if I can find a transport company willing to pick it up from their warehouse, and not charge a new tablesaw for the trouble.
outback

I don't know where you are in the central west but Tamex Transport picked mine up from Slacks Creek, Brisbane and delivered it to Tamworth for me.

They have a branch in Dubbo 6884 4245. You could probably get it from Caprals Sydney branch.

[Rocker]

Jow,

The problems with sloppy runners have nothing to do with the slots of table-saws, which are normally very accurately machined. They arise from the fact that the runners in them are made too narrow, or from a wood that is too susceptible to humidity variations. The problems, as has been pointed out above, can be overcome either by choosing a material for the runner that is not liable to dimensional variation resulting from humidity changes, or else by making a wooden runner and taking care to ensure that the grain orientation is correct and that the wood species is suitable for the application.

Rocker

[jow104]

Markharrison,
I have adjusted my spreaders on the Triton gauge once, you quote that your gauge is adjustable.

Outback says he needs a sled his table slot is sloppy. So I cant see any benefit in changing to a saw with a cast iron top.

I assume if you spend $20.000 the table should wear better thats why I enquired how much use other members got from their equipment before they resort to jigging around.

[Barry_White]

Woody

I made a copy of Rockers mitre sled but adapted it to the Triton 2000 but used plastic bread board for the runners and found that ther is no movement at all using this material and always runs smoothly.

Have a look at the post. http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=12493&highlight=Mitre+Sled

[Optimark]

Woody, you made mention that you had adjusted the runner on your Triton mitre gauge and presumably everything is alright.

I too have adjusted the runner on my mitre gauge, in 1987 when I bought my MK3 new series Triton. I did it very carefully and was quite pleased with the way it worked.

Since then, I have used it for building anything I'm told I wish to make and it's also used for work, which in this case, is making wooden rubber stamp mounts. I wouldn't say I've flogged it, but, it has put some serious numbers of stamp mounts through, using the mitre gauge.

One memorable job was for 600 180mm x 120mm stamps. I made a jig for that lot, cut them in one afternoon and then vulcanised rubber all that night so they could be mounted and out the next day.

Apart from the rare bit of lubricant applied, nothing else is done. The runner and slot are holding up quite well and they're still running smooth. The gauge was never square, if you set it at 90º you didn't get a 90º angle. I simply, by trial and error, found 90º, then marked the gauge correctly and have used that mark since.

One friend has a very old saw bench that his late father bought with a humungously big cast top. It's an old English thing and the mitre gauge that came with the unit was supplied with a set of shims to pack out or pull in the runner as and when required, for a smooth and precise fit. Now that runs as smooth as a hot knife in butter, I don't think he's ever adjusted it, apart from when his father would have set it up.

I somehow think that the Triton, like all reasonably manufactured equipment, will, if used carefully and not abused, last quite a long time. I doubt that it could or would outlast some heavier cast table tops. My top has had paint bubbling where rust was underneath a couple of years ago. A bit of emery and it dissapeared, followed by some touch up paint for cars that happened to be handy, hasn't resurfaced so far.

Mick.

[jow104]

Optimark,

Thats good news, seems I can stick with my Triton workcentre then and stop daydreaming about a C.I. top.

[outback]

Oh, why am I sick of my sled? It relies on a single mitre track to keep it on line, too much play in the runner these days so I reckon it's time for a change. I'm sure there are better ideas somewhere.

Outback says he needs a sled his table slot is sloppy. So I cant see any benefit in changing to a saw with a cast iron top.

Jow, if you read my original post you will note that your statement is incongruous. The most likely cause of my dis-satisfaction has been pointed out by Rocker.


The problems with sloppy runners have nothing to do with the slots of table-saws, which are normally very accurately machined. They arise from the fact that the runners in them are made too narrow, or from a wood that is too susceptible to humidity variations.
Since this, Rockers plan has been improved, adapted, and improvised. When I find available time, the cross cut sled from hell will be manufactured.

[jow104]

OK Outback

I surrender its the c.i. slot that's wearing out the runner :p