# Awesome 45 sled



## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Hey All,
Been awhile since I've been here (very busy) but I bring gifts!
I had to make some mirrors for my new bath and quickly realized my father's saying is true, nothing is easy. I got it done ok but it took forever getting the 45's EXACTLY perfect (which they need to be for such things). 
So I found a jig in a woodworking magazine and I'm kicking myself for not coming up with this simple prize! I added a few little extra's for myself. And I'm going to add "legs" to get the length's perfect too. 
This sled has already saved me in several other projects. I love it. 
If anyone wants the schematics let me know.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

I made a similar sled but have a rail connecting the front sides together. I'm thinking now that I wasted time adding that. :laughing:


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

I like it. Is that simply 2 pieces of MDF, with the top piece being a isosceles triangle?


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Yep. The only two tricky parts of the sled are getting the rails fitted perfectly for your saw's miter slots, and getting the triangle absolutely square. 
The magazine recommended using the "factory cut" angle so it would be perfect. But my factory cut corners were far from perfect.


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## dodahman (Mar 19, 2012)

*So I found a jig in a woodworking magazine and I'm kicking myself for not coming up with this simple prize!*

So can you tell us which magazine had this jig?

thank you, T


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

45 sleds are nice. I had to make a bunch of small frames, and made the one below. The fence stop makes cutting to length easy and fast.
The length adjustments for the 2 fences (Not the stop) were to allow moving the fence a tiny bit, so the piece would be cut long, then slide the fence all the way in, and take a final thin cut . Didn't end up using this feature!
The wing nuts, with washer attached are for attaching hurricane shutters. They come in handy for jigs.


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## MissionIsMyMission (Apr 3, 2012)

Personally, I think this is a much better method for making a sled and guarantees you having Spot On 90° frames...


http://youtu.be/H00prACPflw


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Mission,
The sled you show is very similar to the one I show. But, to me, it seems harder getting an exact 90 degree angle with your method. 
I do have a 90 degree sled and that's what I used for cutting my "triangle" a perfect 90.
But glueing and screwing legs into a perfect 90 seems more challenging, not that it can't be done. 
I still like my sled for it's simplicity. 

And I knew someone would ask the magazine. I have to go digging, but I'm pretty sure it was Handyman (ok, not a true woodworking mag). 
I'll work on the date and issue.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

clarionflyer said:


> Hey All,
> Been awhile since I've been here (very busy) but I bring gifts!
> I had to make some mirrors for my new bath and quickly realized my father's saying is true, nothing is easy. I got it done ok but it took forever getting the 45's EXACTLY perfect (which they need to be for such things).
> So I found a jig in a woodworking magazine and I'm kicking myself for not coming up with this simple prize! I added a few little extra's for myself. And I'm going to add "legs" to get the length's perfect too.
> ...


See where a right triangle can get ya? Looks good. You could just start off with using a large plastic drafting template right triangle to final trim (with a flush trim bit) a slightly oversized template.








 







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