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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    NSW
    Posts
    24

    Default Home made cross cut sled

    G'day,
    I want to make my own cross cut sled, seen plenty of vids etc and pretty settled on how i am going to do it but wondering what you all think about using a piece of scrap melamine that i have lying around as the sled base? Any problems with that?

    While you're at it, feel free to throw in some pics of your own sleds and pros and cons. I'll add a few posts later showing the build and how it went.

    Cheers,

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    72

    Default

    Melamine coated board is cheap, hard wearing, dimensionally stable, but slick and slippery.

    Good for the bottom of the sled so that it can slide easily over the table saw. Perhaps not so good for the top of the sled if the wood you're cutting moves during the cut. You could use fancy hold-downs and clamps, however.

    Personally, I'd go for a good quality plywood (eg. baltic birch) or even MDF.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    NSW
    Posts
    24

    Default

    Thanks mate, excellent point, seems obvious but being a newbie i missed it, appreciate the response.

    I have some mdf lying around as well but guess i'm worried about it soaking up moisture, i think i'll go with option A which is good quality ply. Follow on question is where do you guys suggest sourcing ply from whether in the Wollongong/Sydney area or online? I'm making the assumption that we don't use the "B" word around here?

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    blue mountains
    Posts
    4,882

    Default

    As you say don't mention the the ''B'' word for ply. I have used this one a couple of times without any worries.
    Mister Ply Wood > Stores
    Regards
    John

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Canberra - West Belco
    Age
    63
    Posts
    646

    Default

    Despite having even new melamine lying around it's the last thing i wanted as a top surface.

    I really went dead basic with scraps, maybe a next one will have t-track etc but i don't think so at this stage when it's easy to clamp a stop block in as needed.

    Here is my basic sled
    6mm MDF sheet for the base
    19mm hard wood strips for the runners
    scrap pine for the front and back

    P2240087.jpg P2240088.jpg

    The runners were inserted in the track as per all the videos and just glued to the MDF sheet, then beeswax was applied and some forward/backward sliding action got them moving smoothly.

    The front fence had one pivot screw inserted on the left, a clamp block was hot glued into place on the right, fence clamped on and 5 cut method executed, adjustment was the fence being shimmed away... once i got a square cut the fence was just glued down

    The rear blade guard section is just scrap pieces glued together and then glued on to the fence

    People seem worried about the sleds getting wet but really it should be stored inside with next to no chance of ever getting wet.

    Why did i use 6mm MDF.... well two reasons... one i had quite a bit and two it maximised cut height available.

    Cheers
    Phil

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    NSW
    Posts
    24

    Default

    Thanks mate, i think mine is going to be much the same! I have all that stuff lying around

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