Thread: My new saw - the big blue guy...

Well done mate. I am sure you will be another happy owner of the this saw.

Like waiting for Santa isn't it

Murray,

Mine came two weeks ago, a couple of days after the sparky put the 15 amp circuit in.

Not much in life is better than a new power tool

Mrs Tex and I had a few days holiday this week, and while we're walking around the shops in Noosa I found a 19mm PE cutting board Had trouble fitting it in my suitcase, but now I can finish the crosscut sled.

It's a great saw.

Tex

Tex,

I presume you intend ripping pieces from the cutting board for the runners of your sled. I am interested to know what method you will use to attach them to the sled and to ensure that they are parallel and a snug fit in the slots. You may have seen my recent article on building a crosscut sled (see http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=21462 ).. I suggested using wooden runners, since I could not work out a foolproof method of fixing PE runners to the sled.

Rocker

Originally Posted by Rocker

Tex,

I presume you intend ripping pieces from the cutting board for the runners of your sled. I am interested to know what method you will use to attach them to the sled and to ensure that they are parallel and a snug fit in the slots. You may have seen my recent article on building a crosscut sled (see http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=21462 ).. I suggested using wooden runners, since I could not work out a foolproof method of fixing PE runners to the sled.

Rocker

Hmm, me too please!

I know I'm not an experienced hand here, but why can't I just screw on plastic runners?

guess I need to read your article rocker. Anyplace I can find it online?

And I was so excited to find something useful in a Noosa gift shop

Tex

Originally Posted by Tex B

I know I'm not an experienced hand here, but why can't I just screw on plastic runners?

guess I need to read your article rocker. Anyplace I can find it online?

And I was so excited to find something useful in a Noosa gift shop

Tex

Tex,

Because presumably you will make the sled base from melamine-coated chipboard, which doesn't hold screws well, and, more importantly, you would not be able to locate the runners accurately enough to ensure that they would run smoothly in the slots with no play.

Since the issue with my article is no longer current, I will email you the article, if you PM me your e-mail address.

I would keep the PE for use as guide bars in your tenoning and morticing jigs.

Rocker

How about routing a shallow groove into two base pieces just a little more in from the edge than the distance between blade and TS slot, then epoxy glue it in. Run each piece in its slot (one left side, one right) to cut off excess. Put them both on the table, run slightly off back to attach rear support from underneath, then slightly off front and repeat

Oh i forgot to say great choice. Youre gonna love it

Originally Posted by Cagey

How about routing a shallow groove into two base pieces just a little more in from the edge than the distance between blade and TS slot, then epoxy glue it in. Run each piece in its slot (one left side, one right) to cut off excess. Put them both on the table, run slightly off back to attach rear support from underneath, then slightly off front and repeat

Cagey,

Neither epoxy, nor any other glue, will stick to PE, but admittedly your method could work if you could get a tight enough fit of the PE in the routed slots, but, unless you use plywood for the base of the sled, screws will not hold properly. And you still have the problem of attaching the fence to the two halves of the sled and ensuring it is square. I think the traditional method of making a sled, with wooden runners, as described in my article, is much less hassle.

Rocker

Thank you Cagey, for your suggestion about routing dados into the bottom of the sled.
That will fix my little problem.
I brought a 9mm thick breadboard then ripped it into 19mm strips before learning that my mitre slots were 8mm deep.
It's so simple. What twisted logic caused me to make jig so I can plane them to 8mm by hand?

Poloris

Originally Posted by Rocker

Cagey,

I think the traditional method of making a sled, with wooden runners, as described in my article, is much less hassle.

Rocker

Anyway to get that article without buying back issues (takes too long).
I did make a sled with HW runners, but there seems to be a little slop already after 6 months. How often should they be replaced?

Originally Posted by Cagey

Anyway to get that article without buying back issues (takes too long).
I did make a sled with HW runners, but there seems to be a little slop already after 6 months. How often should they be replaced?

Cagey,

PM me your email address and I will send you the article. If the sled is properly made, there should be no slop. Mine is 5 years old and is as good as new.

Rocker

I use plastic runners on all my jigs. When I made my crosscut sled I predrilled and countersunk the runners put on double sided tape. Placed a couple of peices of 3mm MDF in the mitre slots then placed the sled without any fence attached. I then ran the sled a few times until it glided on the runners. I then fixed the screws and the top fence, made a cut and then placed the bottom fence square to the cut.