# Table saw crosscut sled.



## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

It was a busy weekend for me: Son's soccer game over an hour away, movie, ate out twice, trip to Home Depot, blah-blah. And I managed to get some fruitful shop time in too. I started on a pair of tables for our balcony and got the mantel done and mounted to the wall.

And, finally, I am making myself a crosscut sled for my table saw. If I have the time I'll have it finished up tonight or tomorrow night. I'm hoping for tonight.

So far I've got most of the parts cut. A little more sawing and some routing then I can screw it all together and start feeling a little safer and more accurate when crosscutting on the 'ole TS. After this one is done I'll probably make a smaller version as well.









Not much to look at yet but it's a good start.

You know, I always kind of disliked the idea of having to first make jigs to be able to make parts (which is somewhat unlike me, because I've created all kinds of other specialty tools in my life and each one was, in my opinion, well worth the effort. Many of them still get used fairly regularly.). But I'm really starting to change my opinion of that "chore". Actually, I think I'm enjoying it more and more. I may just become a woodworker some day!


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

looks like a good start...... I need to make one of these.... I did already, but made it too heavy and complicated.

Can't wait to see it finished.

Fabian


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

I have the sled pretty much done now. I just need to attach the guard pieces then cut the kerf a bit deeper. Here it sits at about 95% completion. I've got it tuned up to make nice square cuts and I've already used it to make several cuts. Ought to have it wrapped up very soon.









By the way, I got the pattern (though I changed a minor detail or two, mostly the guard) from this excellent book:









Here's a view of the runners.









The T-nuts, by the way, are so I can attach guides and whatever I may decide I need to make in the way of attachments.

Thanks for looking.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Looks good Steve! What the project you had in mind to use it for?

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

firemedic said:


> Looks good Steve! What the project you had in mind to use it for?
> 
> ~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


Thank you. No particular project at the moment. I just, in general, need to be able to make reliable crosscuts that are too wide for my miter saw.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

If anyone happens to be interested in seeing how I went about attaching the runners, I made a little tutorial here: http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f27/attaching-miter-slot-runners-jig-30771/


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

nice job steve. i add one more safety step. i mark/paint/do something to the center few inches of the back rail of the jig to keep my thumbs and fingers away. you get concentrating on the cut, and the jig makes you forget that the blade is going to come out the back.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

TimPa said:


> nice job steve. i add one more safety step. i mark/paint/do something to the center few inches of the back rail of the jig to keep my thumbs and fingers away. you get concentrating on the cut, and the jig makes you forget that the blade is going to come out the back.


Thank you and I absolutely agree. I mentioned earlier about making a guard for it. I'm doing it a little differently than the plans I followed but it will definitely keep hands and fingers away as the gripping end of the sled passes over the blade. I'll post a picture when I get that part completed. Until then, it is usable but deliberate alertness and caution must be used.

I already have the guard parts cut and sanded. I just need to lacquer them to make 'em pretty before I screw them to the fence.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Nice sled. However the shop is too clean! 
Tom


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

TomC said:


> Nice sled. However the shop is too clean!
> Tom


Clutter and mess notwithstanding, I do try to keep the shop clean. I brush and sweep after every session (almost every). The shop also doubles as a foot path from the car side of the garage to the house. So I try to keep the track-able dust and shavings cleaned up.

But I do need to spend a lot more time making storage solutions and getting things organized. The shop would be more efficient. All in due time I suppose. Thy work is never done.


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 26, 2009)

*the beat of a different drum...*

in the 2nd picture (1st of your 2nd post), is that an octoban? is it a drum? looks like the bottom of a small diameter drum.

sled looks good...but if i were you id get those guards on NOW!!! i did the same thing..."oh i'll put on the guards later...i'll be careful"...NO!
was watching a cut and felt the blade touching my thumb (i didnt get cut or anything...not even a mark) ever so slightly. nearly crapped my pants!!! needless to say i stopped what i was doing and made a guard right there and then!
if you need to use it before the guards...double tape some coarse sand paper there so when you feel it you'll know to move your thumbs!!! you want to be able to do this :thumbsup: for the rest of your life right? hahaha
sled really does look good my man! :thumbsup::laughing:


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

FiveOneSix said:


> in the 2nd picture (1st of your 2nd post), is that an octoban? is it a drum? looks like the bottom of a small diameter drum.
> 
> sled looks good...but if i were you id get those guards on NOW!!! i did the same thing..."oh i'll put on the guards later...i'll be careful"...NO!
> was watching a cut and felt the blade touching my thumb (i didnt get cut or anything...not even a mark) ever so slightly. nearly crapped my pants!!! needless to say i stopped what i was doing and made a guard right there and then!
> ...


Back when I was a working drummer I begin making a set of "power toms" (octobans) using PVC tubing and 6" drum heads. Well, I got only the one you see actually completed before getting out of my last band. Then I ended up moving and priorities changed. I have the other tubes made but gave up on the project and they've been collecting dust for years now. (The ring is only crooked due to the lugs not being tightened.)
















I finally glued up the guard last night. Now I'll just need to lacquer it, screw on the plexiglass shield and screw the guard to the sled. Then I'll attach a small stop block to the sled to limit its travel after passing the blade.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Here's what my blade guard looks like:









And with the plexiglass shield in place









I then removed the shield and coated with lacquer. I will have the guard attached to the sled today... after I leave work.


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 26, 2009)

*all thumbs...*

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

good ol' HF (crooked) clamps. i got them too haha

i played drums in national touring bands for years right out of high school. still play for fun but priorities change! i miss touring more then roy rogers!!! maybe i'll get to do 1 or 2 more tours haha but i'm doubtful lol.


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## ccrow (Jan 14, 2010)

Steve-

I guess I'm confused. Can you show a pic of your sled with the blade guard? I'm having trouble envisioning them working together.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Got the guard in place Saturday evening.

















I may end up installing a 9V battery, switch and a white LED or two inside the guard to allow for better viewing. Though I can see decently, it is less visible then it could be.

















In use. And I've used it quite a bit so far. I'm very happy with how it turned out. Now I need to make some attachments for it.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

As far as the stop goes, I made the guard a length such that when I use the factory throat plate I can see how far I need to push the sled to cut through my work piece and when I need to stop to avoid cutting into the guard.

When I see the edge of first hole in the throat plate (the finger hole) I know that the back edge of the cut in progress is located directly over the center point of the blade. This is as far as I need to push the sled to made a cut.









When I see the second hole (the blade hole) I know that I've pushed as far forward as I want to go. If the blade were raised fully (as high as I will use it with this sled. I have the max "set" at 2-5/8 thickness), the leading edge of the blade would be about an inch from nicking the inside of the guard with the sled in this position.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

I still may add a physical stop block to prevent the sled from traveling farther forward. But the visual stops are working pretty well so far.


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## JamesGlenn (Jan 25, 2011)

Great sled and setup. 

One question, what model tablesaw is that. Looks like a Ridgid, but I am curious about the riving knife. I have a TS3650 and would love to get a good knife on it.

Jim


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

JamesGlenn said:


> Great sled and setup.
> 
> One question, what model tablesaw is that. Looks like a Ridgid, but I am curious about the riving knife. I have a TS3650 and would love to get a good knife on it.
> 
> Jim


Mine is the Ridgid R4512

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=202500206&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=202500206&ci_kw={keyword}&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-202500206&ci_gpa=pla&locStoreNum=256


*P.S.* I forgot to mention earlier that there is an 1/8" rabbit on the inside bottom edge of the fence to allow for the clearing of sawdust. This prevents sawdust from interfering with the workpieces' ability to sit squarely against the fence.


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

Chaincarver Steve said:


> Mine is the Ridgid R4512
> 
> http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=202500206&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=202500206&ci_kw={keyword}&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-202500206&ci_gpa=pla&locStoreNum=256
> 
> P.S. I forgot to mention earlier that there is an 1/8" rabbit on the inside bottom edge of the fence to allow for the clearing of sawdust. This prevents sawdust from interfering with the workpieces' ability to sit squarely against the fence.


I have the R4512 as well. I put the cast iron extensions from the ts3650 on my 4512, I even had the fence and rails from the 3650 on my saw at one point, but then the fence got mangled one day as I wasn't paying attention, turned the saw on and had the fence to close to the dado. 

Boy, that 3650 micro adjuster was sweet, and I miss it.

Nice sled.


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