Thread: Flubbed up on my sled

Unless this is a particularly fancy sled, I would imagine that you will spend more time mucking about with a repair than simply making a new one.

I bet you're right. I can't imagine any kind of filler that it if didn't chip out on first cut wouldn't vibrate out over time. Oh well, it was worth figuring this out before I put any lost effort into it.

I can't think of any putty-type filler that I'd consider for the job.

If replacing the floor wasn't an option, I'd think about using a router & straight edge to widen/straighten the existing kerf so I could lay in a strip of infill, then recut a new slot.

Of course, if the floor is thin enough this wouldn't work well.

On a couple of my TS sleds I have routed a rebate to take standard thickness MDF or "Masonite" so that the "zero clearance" can be restore when I require it. They are held in place by small CS screws. The idea came from a cabinet maker (family friend) in the early 1970's when we first started using a DeWalt RADS. His were a little more fancy with a dovetail rebate. Saves replacing the tops, well no so often.

On other sleds I simply face the whole area in front of the fence of the sled with a small sheet of MDF or "Masonite." The MDF is held in place with small pins. When I require "zero clearance" again I simply lift the sheet and reposition it.

My TS sleds are made from what ever I have at hand, but usually 12 mm MDF / "face" ply for the "accurate sleds" or 16 / 19 mm CD ply for my "roughing sleds." I make a lot of inlay banding requiring many repetitive cuts for small components, so I'm not particularly worried about maintaining full depth of cut. Stability, accuracy & precision are more important to me. The sacrificial face on the fence is typically 10 or 12 mm thick pine / Tas Oak / whatever is at hand and usually not suitable for projects.

I did something similar a while back, and finished up with a slightly wedge shaped slot about 5 mm wide at its widest.

The smartest option would have been start again with a new sheet of plywood, but I didn't have a piece big enough, so I improvised. My solution was:

1. Run a router along each side of the slot to make both sides parallel, straight and smooth,
2. Thickness an offcut of Tas oak down so that it would snuggly fit into the slot,
3. Mix some epoxy and painted a soaking coat on both sides of the slot and the fillet,
4. Then thicken the remaining epoxy and apply to both sides of the slot and both sides of the fillet,
5. Put fillet in place, triple check that it is properly aligned, and wait for epoxy to dry,
6. Plane and sand back epoxy squeeze out flush with sled on both sides.
7. Carefully recut slot.

After I finished Step 6, I found that the sled would no longer slide smoothly in the slot - some alignment had changed. So I removed the rails, plugged the screw holes, and started again:

1. Triple checked that the saw blade was absolutely parallel with both slots,
2. Put the rails in their slots,
3. Put the sled in position, checked all square, clamped sled to table and double checked sled perpendicular to table edge,
4. Clamped alignment battens snuggly both sides of sled,
5. Removed sled and put double sided tape on to rails in slots,
6. Replaced sled (between guide battens) a pressed firmly to make sure double sided tape got a good grip,
7. Carefully slid sled and rails out and screwed through rails to secure them to sled. (I probably should have removed tape after I drilled the holes - its still there!)
8. Replace sled and triple check all is square.
9. Carefully recut slot - ie Step 7, finally.

Still works well after five years. Bit of wax polish on the rails and bottom of the sled does work wonders.

I've used Techniglue to fill the kerf in zero-clearance inserts on the table saw. It works well and doesn't chip out, but it's expensive, so I do it if I've happened to mix up too much for a gluing job.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

I can't think of any putty-type filler that I'd consider for the job.

If replacing the floor wasn't an option, I'd think about using a router & straight edge to widen/straighten the existing kerf so I could lay in a strip of infill, then recut a new slot.

Of course, if the floor is thin enough this wouldn't work well.

Kept my old sled alive for about 12 years doing just that occasionally! Quick and easy and refreshes the edges perfectly. Cutting things like Gidgee and Rosewood can deflect the blade a bit at times so it used to chew out the edges quicker than one would like.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

I can't think of any putty-type filler that I'd consider for the job. ....

Me too; I really think you need a really strong and gap filling glue like epoxy.

In fact, if you replicated the technique of Pauls321, then you could transform a recovery operation to a high art sled.

a few more Resin Boxes

Yes very interesting, had a smile when I read that post referenced to my resin boxes. I'll some take pics of my sled when its all finished. It basically is finished but I misjudged the length axis on it. I was more concerned about the cross axis on it clearing my workpiece. So I ordered another set of linear rails 200mm long, to extend it. This will all make sense when I do the pics. Very impressed with this sled so far.

Paul

I don't think its worth messing around with. What makes a sled accurate is it's made on the saw it will be used on. The rails are the datum and that first time you raise the blade up through the base board then its set. I would never even considered trying to adjust one to use on another saw. More trouble than it's worth.
Regards
John

Thanks for all the advice guys. In the end absolute accuracy is my goal so I'm just gonna do a quick fix like adding a thin floor to my current sled then make a new one, like I knew I was probably gonna have to do in the first place. Glad to have all the advice on filling though. I can use that in other situations I'm sure. Interestingly enough I was giving the advice to use JB Weld 2 part epoxy by a guy who had the exact same problem as me. Guy said it worked great and someone else agreed, so I guess that could be an options as well.

Originally Posted by bradleyheathhay

... Interestingly enough I was giving the advice to use JB Weld 2 part epoxy by a guy who had the exact same problem as me. ...

I'd be a little wary of that advice, Bradley. Most epoxies are quite good, but there is a quality spectrum and some products such as Araldite and JB Weld are targeted at the discount market, not that they are cheap. There are better products available.

Paul123 who does those spectacular resin infill boxes prefers Trojan 1000. My preference is WEST System or a local fibreglass shops generic copy. Other respected products include Epiglass and Norglass.