# Table saw sled



## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Hey,

I have recently acquired my first table saw which is great, but I would like to make a crosscut sled for it.
Unfortunately it's similar to a site saw, hence it has only a pressed steel table not cast iron. And so I come to my problem: it has no mitre slot.

It has a steel rod that runs along the left (see picture), although there is a little flex in it and so a sled may not fair well on it. I would like to make a sled but I am a little baffled on where to mount it. You could obviously mount it to the mitre slide, but there must be a more accurate way for a consistent cut?













(I have in the meantime added an 'extension' to the slide, but I would like a sled for accurate crosscuts)












Thanks very much for any help on solving this!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

I would just add a long extension on the miter gauge you have and be done with it. You have a sliding "table" miter gauge on the steel rod rather than a miter slot, probably of European design? 
I don't see an easy way to make a sled that will adapt to that arrangement.


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

This timely, so I will watch with interest. I am sure somebody will offer up a workable solution.

Your post saves me from doing one which I was going to do today. I have a different table saw but similar problem and a sliding cross cut sled would come in real handy at the moment.

I have an idea that I will be trying out today, if it works, great, I will post in your thread. 

Pete


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## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Yes it is a European design I believe. Metabo made in Germany.

Ok sounds good! Update me on your solution. Today I have come up with one of my own so we can see who's is better! Mine is rather simplistic but I think it should work ok:
Attach the sled to the miter gauge (where the aluminium fence is attached with two knobs - just take the fence off) and then run the rip fence up to the edge of the sled on the right hand side and clamp. This removes any wobble in the miter slide. It does however limit how wide your crosscut can be (as in how much material one is cutting off) plus there perhaps may be friction issues.

I did a crude test of this and it worked very well. Better than I thought it would: no wobble even in a few pieces of wood knocked together. I did however, neglect to take a picture of it.

I'm not entirely sure how well this is explained but I shall put a photo up as soon as possible (I am unable to do any work however for the next week or so)


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

I guess I'd try to make the runners ride along the edges of the table

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbG-n--LFgQ


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## MissionIsMyMission (Apr 3, 2012)

I agree with the above. Here's a drawing of how I'd do it.










Lay it on the table, raise the blade cut the slot. Then using a framing square Attach the back and front rail and you're done.:thumbsup:


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

If you don't need a lot of width to the right of the blade and if your saw fence is smooth on both sides, and reliable, you can make a sled with an inverted "U" channel attached to the right side that "captures" the fence and slides over it. I have a few jigs I've made like that and they work great. You just have to be careful to set your fence in the same spot each time so you don't get a bunch of saw kerfs in your sled.

Bret


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

One possible solution.

A typical sled could be built. The difference would be the way it runs along the table top. 

Instead of running on rails along the top of table, it would run through a miter track or t-trackc installed on the inside of the rip fence ,and a miter rail or t-bolt installed in the outside face of the right side piece. More details later.

The other side is already taken care of . Its is connected to the miter gauge slide via the extension of the miter fence to the sides of the sled.

Build a sled by extending the miter fence all the way across to the rip fence leaving room for a right side sled piece. The extension would also go to the left and connect to a left sled side piece. The left side piece could not protrude past the left edge of the table top. Otherwise it would hit the miter slide assembly.

The sled bottom would attach to the lower front edge of the miter extension and have sides approx 3 or 4 inches high. As well as a back piece to complete the sled.

The right side of sled would connect to the rip fence.

The connection would be made using t-track or miter track along the length of the rip fence and a miter rail or t-track bolt on the outside face of the sled's right side piece. The rip fence would remain stationary during use of the sled as the sled would ride in the t-track or miter slot.

The miter fence extension would serve as the sleds front fence and a piece of melamine laminated MDF could serve as the bottom of the sled.The miter gauge and handle would connect to the back of the front sled fence and serve as a push handle.

The sled would not be able to extend past the left side of the table top
because of the sliding miter fence mount.

The sliding miter fence mount would serve as the left guide of the sled by being connected via the miter fence extension. So you already have a runner on that
side.

Also a back fence (farthest away from the user) about 4 inches high would connect the two sides and complete the sled structure.

Also if the miter gauge slide is rigid you might be able to forego any connection on the right to the rip fence.

The real challenge would probably be making the sled 90 degrees square to blade and not binding.

Much of the success or failure of a sled will depend on the ridgidity and squareness to the blade of the miter slide.


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

Just bolt a T-track along the left side of the table, flush with the tabletop. With a couple pins and bolts/wingnuts it could be easily removable.


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## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Okay thanks very much for the help so far.


The t slot idea gave an idea which should work with my saw at least, but I'm insure of other saws of similar design. My rip fence can be flipped around for ripping thinner workpieces and the slot where the carriage bolts go to hold the fence on could be used as a t slot, just as people have mentioned above. Therefore this would act as the second slide. (See pictures below)


The only issue I can think of is, does anybody know of any wear problems with normal carriage bolts running in an aluminium fence? I don't particularly want to damage the slot, as this is where the fence is held on.


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

Alchymist said:


> Just bolt a T-track along the left side of the table, flush with the tabletop. With a couple pins and bolts/wingnuts it could be easily removable.


 
I like this idea mainly because I have a Ryobi BT ***x saw. Fortunately, it is a few years old and was built a lot more solid then what has been put out in the last few years.

The Aluminium top does restrict what can be done and the mitre track is next to useless. Because I am cheap and think I may happen to have a T Bolt router bit in my selection I might try a prototype out of wood.

Actually, the routering is a two step process, first with a straight bit then with the T Track bit, if I am correct.

Pete


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

There would be wear as the carriage bolts will be harder than the aluminum. You could lube it with something or try to find carriage bolts that are softer than aluminum. Like nylon or something. Or use nylon or teflon washers maybe.

I would use sliding T-track bolts with teflon washers between the surfaces of the t-track cap bolt and fence that make contact. Some type of lubricant that doesn't attract sawdust would probably be helpful also.


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## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Ok I'll have a hunt for some nylon/teflon bolts/ washers.

Do you know of what lubricant would be suitable for this sort of application? I assume some form of dry lubricant but I have never used any before.


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

The only thing I can think of would be graphite. Same product they make for locks. You could also try to get some 
Johnson's Paste wax and smear it on. If you get washers you should be good to go without lubricant .


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## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Ok thanks very much for your help.


I'll look to build the sled when I next have some free time over the next week or so. I can update on the sled if anyone is interested.

Thanks very much again for all the help!


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

Yes interested. Post updates when you get a chance.


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## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Sorry for the long wait! And I still haven't had time to make anything!! However I have come up with the easiest solution as mentioned above. I am just going to add extensions to the sides and router out a channel for a mitre track, those one can make a sled of the normal construction, plus it will be far easier to use different jigs etc.

Would it be worth buying a mitre track such as this:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/ujk-technology-dovetailed-mitre-slot-track-prod889084/

or would it be perfectly adequate to just route out the channel straight into he wood? (Wood will be birch plywood so of very good quality)?

Thanks very much


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

woodnthings said:


> I would just add a long extension on the miter gauge you have and be done with it. You have a sliding "table" miter gauge on the steel rod rather than a miter slot, probably of European design?
> I don't see an easy way to make a sled that will adapt to that arrangement.


Totally agree.

There is no reason to take such a simple problem and making it so complicated.

George


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## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Okay thanks I'll have another look however a mitre slot will be very useful for the use of jigs etc. I'll update on what I do anyway for those that are interested


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