Thread: TAS-1210MA 10" & 12" Table Saw

Originally Posted by Arron

If you mean thoughts on the quality of the mitre gauge that comes with the saw, well I use a tablesaw sled and only use the mitre gauge rarely, so it doesnt matter much.
I have 4 tablesaw sleds, cheaply made of mdf. One for 90 degree cuts, one for vertical 45 degree, one for horizontal 45 degree and one for doing little things very accurately without loosing your fingers. I think its well worth taking the time to make them.

Thanks Arron looks like the way to go with the sleds not will fussed with the mitre at all seems to jam up a bit as well probably just needs some work.

Do you have a thread and pics of your sleds that you have made I was looking at the incra stuff last night but nearly swallowed my tongue on pricing in Australia may have to make my own system down the track but I am sure sleds will cover most of my needs.

May have to put together another WF blog with links to good threads etc bit like a sticky wonder if the CNC boys still use my other thread?

Originally Posted by WillyInBris

Thanks Arron looks like the way to go with the sleds not will fussed with the mitre at all seems to jam up a bit as well probably just needs some work.

Do you have a thread and pics of your sleds that you have made ...

Well as this thread seems to be all wound up now, I'll post the photos here.
I make the sleds etc cheaply and quickly out of mdf. Moisture gets in so they dont last a long time, I thought about sealing them but the fact is that as soon as I finish one I get ideas about how to improve them, and thus I never regret having to remake one.

Picture 1 is for cutting 45 degree angles in the horizontal. It travels to the left of the sawblade and has two runners underneath, one for the left hand mitre track and the other runs along the ultimate left edge of the table. The lump of mdf on the right is a 'cut off sled' - it sits to the right of the saw blade and prevents the offcut from falling back into the blade. Its just got a single runner underneath and a stop to prevent it being dragged along with the workpiece. The fence is adjustable through a degree or two. Sitting alongside the fence is a positive stop - which can be adjusted and locked in place with the wingnut - or flicked out of the way as its on a piano hinge. You could use this sled for picture framing at a pinch but there are better ways to build a sled for that - wherein getting a super-exact 45 degree is not inherantly important.

Picture two is a 90 degree cutter. Simple really - I should remake it with a flip-up positive stop. The vertical piece along the rhs is simply a removable blade guard, to stop small things (like my fingers) sliding along the fence and into the blade during the set up process. All my sleds have the two round handles - because I like to know exactly where my hands are before I start moving them towards the blade. This one lives hanging on the tablesaw by a butchers hook so its always accessible.

Picture three is a vertical 45 degree cutter. All the sleds have holes in them so I can hang them up and out of the damp.

Picture four is a sled for making fiddly things. The complicated looking end to the positive stop functions the same as a KM-1 Kerfmaker. On this one the fence is vertical so I can use a clamp to hold small workpieces in place and keep my hands clear.

more in next post

And here are the other things I have made to bring out the best in my tablesaw.

Picture one is replacement fence for using with a dado blade. There is a dado blade in place here but you cant see it - and thats the point. I like to have the fence go completely over the dado, and then drag it back to expose enough of the dado to give me a rebate of the width I need. I use my home-made fence to avoid damaging the fence that came with the saw. It is held in place by two coach bolts - sized just right to sit in the mitre slots, and it requires the crown ground off the head of the coach bolt. Easy to fit or remove.

Picture two is for bevelling edges - say for raised panels etc. It slides along the tablesaw fence. Thats just a finger guard at the front, so I dont stick my fingers out too far when loosening or tightening the front wingnut. Tilt the tablesaw blade to use this one.

Picture three is for doing mitre keys. Again, slides along the tablesaw fence. These ones which slide along the fence are a little inclined towards sticking if the air is moist, but I like the fact that the contact with the fence on both sides prevents them from drifting leftwards towards the saw.

Picture four is simply a very high fence. Very useful - the longer and taller you can make them the better.

Then theres a bunch of featherboards and a thin-strip-ripper and thats about it.

cheers
Arron

Thank you for taking the time to do the pics and write that up for me mate its really appreciated and gives me a lot to think about, many different ways to slice a cat.



Sean