# Home made Cross Cut Sled Vs Incra



## JoshuaF (Feb 8, 2019)

New to woodworking but totally consumed...down the black hole I go:vs_OMG:. Anyway, my question is this. Is it worthwhile to build your own sleds for the table saw or is it more sensible to just invest the money in a product like the INCRA? Part of me wants to build my own sleds but by the time I put money into the wood it seems like it may be more sensible to just save the time and money and buy something. I have two small kids and a full time job to pay for this hobby so my time is precious.

Any suggestions or personal experiences are welcome. I plan on building anything my wife tells me to ie furniture, frames, cabinets...:smile2:
Josh


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## Echo415 (Apr 3, 2018)

Build it...spend the difference on steak, lobster, and beer.

Edit: Doing a little math... the Incra 5000 is about $330 on amazon

Materials for a sled should be $30 or less...most people have scraps laying around the shop so it's essentially free.

That being said with the difference, you could pick up 230 beers or 25 pounds of steak/lobster...


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## John Smith_inFL (Jul 4, 2018)

*Question:*
do you want to be a woodworker ????
or ~ do you want to collect store bought gadgets and 
when your friends ask about it - - - you can say,
oh yeah, I "BOUGHT" that little trinket.

or ~ if and when you build your own custom jigs and other
labor saving devices with your own hands . . . . 
you can say - oh yeah, I MADE that myself - because I am a woodworker.

jus my Dos Centavos

.

.


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

Welcome to the forum, Joshua! When you get a minute complete your profile with location so it shows in the side panel. 

Build it and then show us what you built. I have 3 of them for various setups and no telling when I'll build another but I don't ever see myself buying one.

David


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I say build it, in all probability it will not be the last one, I am of the belief that custom made jigs and fixtures are preferable to a manufactured one size fits all. It will be a great learning experience which will help when you have to build that stuff on the "honey do" list.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I have both. I have made a couple and also bought one from Rocklear. The Rocklear one is big and heavy but great of angles. My home made great for 90 degree.


George


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## WeebyWoodWorker (Jun 11, 2017)

The thing about making your own jigs is that you get to decide exactly how you want it made. Sleds are important for a lot of projects, having one that both fits your saw and is comfortable to use is important. I'd make it if were you.



-T


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

You can make a sled, but that will lead to two sleds when you want to cut something at a 45 degree angle, which will lead to a third sled if you want to cut something at a different angle, and a forth and a fifth and so on. Or you can buy an incra miter sled that will allow you to cut something at ANY angle.

I’ve read the many posts here about getting the runners exactly right to make 90 degree cuts at exactly 90 degrees and all the screwing around that that entails on shop made sleds. Not worth the effort for a one trick pony.

Really, if you can afford the Incra sled which is more than just a sled in that it has one of the best miter gauges made built into it and a quality hold down system with a quality fence that had a tape measure and micro adjustable stops built in, then I say go for it. No reason to waste your time making something second rate.


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


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## JoshuaF (Feb 8, 2019)

Echo415 said:


> Build it...spend the difference on steak, lobster, and beer.
> 
> Edit: Doing a little math... the Incra 5000 is about $330 on amazon
> 
> ...


I happen to enjoy both steak and beer good sir.


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## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

I vote for building it because it will be good practice. I also have a different aspect for you to consider: will your crosscut sled be more accurate than what came with the saw?


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## JoshuaF (Feb 8, 2019)

gj13us said:


> I vote for building it because it will be good practice. I also have a different aspect for you to consider: will your crosscut sled be more accurate than what came with the saw?


Well, it will certainly be safer. The accuracy part would depend on the craftsman, I suppose.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

JoshuaF said:


> Well, it will certainly be safer. The accuracy part would depend on the craftsman, I suppose.


Not sure that is always the case, particularly with the type where the blade runs through it without proper safety features and precautions.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Hi Joshua, and welcome to WoodworkingTalk! By now, I think you have figured out that this is one of those decisions that only you can make, and whatever you decide will be right for you. 

You must find your own path to satisfaction in woodworking. Only you know you, and your interests will evolve over time.

Buy: 
* No delay before it is ready to use (after assembly, safety training, and practice).
* Manufactured device may have more features, easier to use, more accurate, etc. 
* Manufactured device may be made of more durable materials, such as metal or plastic, that are less sensitive to temperature and moisture. 
* Assumed to be accurate (or easily calibrated) out of the box. 
* Lets you focus more on the project and less on the jigs you need to make it.
* Limited to what is available on the market, which may not match your needs perfectly.
* Usually costs more than making it yourself. 

Make:
* Usually lower cost. 
* Custom designed to your specs. You can add features or build it to the exact size you want.
... or dumbed down enough so that you can build it. 
* No guarantee you'll get it right. What if you have trouble squaring the fence on your homemade sled?
* Guaranteed you will get some woodworking education - skills, knowledge, and experience. 
* Takes extra time away from projects. Whether that is a problem is a matter of opinion. Jigs are fun - you can make them from scrap and you don't necessarily worry about the finish. 


If you have the time, I think you should build the sled for the following reasons:

* More forgiving. If you drill a hole in the wrong place on a sled, nobody cares. If you drill a hole in the wrong place on a small jewelry box, it might ruin the piece.
* Gaining a quality woodworking experience of the best kind. The more you learn, the faster and better you will be. I know woodworkers who can grab some pieces of scrap and assemble a needed jig faster than they can drive to the woodworking store to buy it ... and it will cost them less than the fuel to drive to the store. 

At our local woodworking club meeting last week, the speaker was demonstrating various kinds of joints for boxes and drawers. He kept showing small handmade jigs, squares, etc., saying, "You can buy something out of metal or plastic at the woodworking store, but I prefer to make this instead." I liked his jigs and squares. Nice stuff.

For me, I want to build more, but I get lazy and buy it. Those old guys seem to have had more time for jig building. :-(


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## JoshuaF (Feb 8, 2019)

Tool Agnostic said:


> Hi Joshua, and welcome to WoodworkingTalk! By now, I think you have figured out that this is one of those decisions that only you can make, and whatever you decide will be right for you.
> 
> You must find your own path to satisfaction in woodworking. Only you know you, and your interests will evolve over time.
> 
> ...


Right on man. Thanks for taking the time to reply


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## woodchuckbenjamin (Feb 19, 2019)

i was wondering the same .


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## Scott410 (Feb 2, 2019)

Build your own own, I just finished mine last night.









Watch this.






Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The accuracy is in the fence ..... adjustment*

The 5 cut method sounds too formidable. 

I make a crosscut on a 1 X 6" with parallel edges and flip the cutoff piece over. I butt the ends together to see if I get straight edges OR if there is a obtuse angle. If there's an angle the fence is off by 1/2 that amount. Adjust and cut again until I get 2 parallel straight edges. 

No matter what method you use to check the accuracy, it boils down to adjusting the fence, possibly in very small increments.


here's my build:
https://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f27/table-saw-sled-build-49218/


https://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f12/table-saw-crosscut-sled-one-two-sides-blade-194273/


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## sgcz75b (Mar 16, 2019)

You say you've got the money to buy it, that your time is precious, and you want to start making projects.


Buy the Incra. It's a precision tool. Later on, you can use the Incra to build any other jigs or fixtures you want.


Or, to satisfy the purists, go chop down a tree, use a broadaxe to hew the edges, dig a pit so you and someone else can rip the log using a 8 foot rip saw, and so it goes.


Buy it and get busy having fun.


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