# cross cut sled



## Karri_B (Jan 10, 2022)

I'm trying to make a sled for my boyfriend's rickety old Delta table saw, but I am having trouble with the sliders....the bar for the miter looks simple enough to make from wood...it looks like it should fit, the measurements are right, but the darn thing won't slide in the friggin slot! I don't know if it's the taper on the undercut or what....I've been at it all day... nada....What can I get that will fit? I looked up miter bars, but didn't find anything that looked similar to the profile of the slot..same for the sled kits I found.....There's gotta be something out there I'm sure, I just don't know what it's called
Thanks!!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

You got one of those "odd ball" saws with the "T" shaped miter slots.
No common miter bar will fit them. I think they measure 5/8" wide by1/4" deep?
The "T" shape is supposed to prevent the attachment from lifting or dropping out. a classic case of over-engineering and unintended consequences.
You'll need to search for the correct size, maybe like these?








Aluminium Alloy T-track Slot Woodworking Tools Saw Miter Slider Router Table New | eBay


T slot nuts M6 / M8 threads. Oxide finish. Bottom of T-Slot nut is staked to prevent the stud from protrusion. High strength and hardness. Easy to install. Durable in use. Undersized to fit machine table slot case hardened.



www.ebay.com





You can make wood ones with or without the "T" wings, as a last resort.
Those tiny, fragile wings will only break off anyway with any normal use.
A really determined and clever soul could find or make two pieces of flat aluminum bar that fit the into separate slots and bond them together.....maybe?


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

I had an old cheap Delta table saw with a slot like that. I just used a piece of scrap wood, I think it was cherry or oak for the slider from top to bottom of slot without the wings and it worked just fine.


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## Karri_B (Jan 10, 2022)

Of course I have an odd ball to work with...that's the story of my life...  As for making wood ones, there just isn't quite enough of a lip to get a good grip...I thought about making it from two pieces of wood, but they'd have to be exact, and for me, thin and exact aren't exactly my strong suits....but the aluminum might work...My neighbor is an engineer, has a CNC machine for custom automobile stuff...I'll see if he can maybe make one....

I was going to use the table saw to cut the sinking's for the mirror frame, since I used one strip of wood, cutting a rabbet would have to be done after cutting the miters and since I have no guide or router table...I thought this would be the easiest way to achieve what I need...


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Just cut a strip to fit the top of the slot, never mind the ears at the bottom, if it is a good fit you are good to go.

Guess Tony and I were typing at the same time.


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## Karri_B (Jan 10, 2022)

unfortunately I don't have any hardwood right now to work with...


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## mlpar (Oct 16, 2021)

Karri_B said:


> I'm trying to make a sled for my boyfriend's rickety old Delta table saw, but I am having trouble with the sliders....the bar for the miter looks simple enough to make from wood...it looks like it should fit, the measurements are right, but the darn thing won't slide in the friggin slot! I don't know if it's the taper on the undercut or what....I've been at it all day... nada....What can I get that will fit? I looked up miter bars, but didn't find anything that looked similar to the profile of the slot..same for the sled kits I found.....There's gotta be something out there I'm sure, I just don't know what it's called
> Thanks!!
> View attachment 437430
> View attachment 437431


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## mlpar (Oct 16, 2021)

Try putting silicone on the sliders. Old Delta saws are great if they are powerful enough.


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## sunnybob (Sep 3, 2016)

A cross cut sled does not need to have its runners that shape.
That T slot is a universal slot not only for sleds and mitre gauges but also for hold down bolts for feather boards and jigs.
You dont need hardwood for runners, construction timber will last for years.
Make each runner rectangular so that it fits down in the slot.
Put a thin washer each end of the groove and rest your runner on top, and cut the runner so that it is now flush with the top.
Line the top sled over the two runners and screw the two together.
Take the sled away and remove the washers. 
Your sled now slides perfectly.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

I have also use HDPE in the form of cutting board. I just sliced the board to make the runners. Not very deep (thick) in the slot but they work on smaller sleds very well.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Without going too far into the "weeds" sled runners do either one of two things or both.
Typically. they control the lateral movement of the sled to keep it from wandering left to right and getting jammed in the slots. This is why a low friction material like HDPE or HHMV plastics are preferred rather than wood. However, a waxed hardwood runner can be almost as low friction as the plastic types in most cases.

The design of the sled is the next factor and that means whether the runners bottom out in the slots providing a "lifting" action to support the weight of the sled AND to reduce the sliding friction of the entire surface of the sled bottom on the table.
If we want the lowest sliding friction possible, then some sort of plastic whether a high pressure laminate or low friction sheet should be used on the bottom surface of the sled. However, more likely than not, Melamine would be used or a sealed and waxed MDF surface as a low budget solution.

The "ultimate" sled is not a sled at all, but a sliding table that uses linear bearings and has a large crosscut capacity. This would be every home shop owner's "dream saw" but they are typically upwards of $5,000 and more. They also have a huge footprint that most home shops do not have the space for.

There is a third solution, the panel saw, with either a single axis vertically or a two axis that also has horizontal travel for ripping. The single axis will allow for ripping,by moving the sheet on rollers, but that requires a floor run of about 18 ft or 20 ft for a 4 X 8 panel. A two axis only needs a 10 ft run since the saw carriage travels on horizontal rails.

That brings up the track saw which has become more popular for dimensioning sheet goods as the cost has come down and the accuracy improved. In my opinion, it will not replace the table saw in the home shop for many operations that are safer and faster on the table saw. The tracks are long and floppy and need support. However, if you get the multi function table, this can be solved to some extent. I did own the entire Festool system at one time, TS75 saw, 55" and the long 120" tracks , MFT table, and all the goodies. But, I sold it soon after I realized I would never need it or use it, since it did not suit my operational methods and the need for portability for job site use.

I guess that was far enough into the weeds anyway?
I did build a large, versatile table saw sled, mainly for the challenge of it, as it turned out:








Table Saw Sled Build


So many threads on sleds. So I had to make one. I used 1/2" hardboard, like Masonite, for the sled. Maple runners. Oak for the front rail. I haven't decided to cut though the rear portion yet. I don't see the need so far. The semi-circular 5/16" slots for the "T" bolts were routed on the...




www.woodworkingtalk.com


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

i guess that i am the oddball, all four tables saws that i own (sawstop cabinet, grizzly cabinet, sawstop contractor, and delta unisaw) have the t-slots on them...

the "t" part is for a washer on the end of the miter gauge, to keep it well grounded into the table, even when you pull it back off the table. a decent safety feature.


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## B Coll (Nov 2, 2019)

Karri_B said:


> Of course I have an odd ball to work with...that's the story of my life...  As for making wood ones, there just isn't quite enough of a lip to get a good grip...I thought about making it from two pieces of wood, but they'd have to be exact, and for me, thin and exact aren't exactly my strong suits....but the aluminum might work...My neighbor is an engineer, has a CNC machine for custom automobile stuff...I'll see if he can maybe make one....
> 
> I was going to use the table saw to cut the sinking's for the mirror frame, since I used one strip of wood, cutting a rabbet would have to be done after cutting the miters and since I have no guide or router table...I thought this would be the easiest way to achieve what I need...


There is a solution. The runner should be a bit tight. When you run it in t will bind. When it binds there should be some polishing or marks where it binds. Lightly clean it with a block plain, not taking off too much, just enough to ease the binding. Repeat. I would also wax the runner and the guide. You will eventually get to where it slides with just light friction. I have never had those guides, but it appears that you could likely make the runners fit into the slot without using the 'T' and it would work fine.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

TimPa said:


> i guess that i am the oddball, all four tables saws that i own (sawstop cabinet, grizzly cabinet, sawstop contractor, and delta unisaw) have the t-slots on them...
> 
> the "t" part is for a washer on the end of the miter gauge, to keep it well grounded into the table, even when you pull it back off the table. a decent safety feature.


Yes, just notch end of runner for washer, run a screw through the washer and runner up into the sled base.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

TimPa said:


> i guess that i am the oddball, all four tables saws that i own (sawstop cabinet, grizzly cabinet, sawstop contractor, and delta unisaw) have the t-slots on them...
> 
> the "t" part is for a washer on the end of the miter gauge, to keep it well grounded into the table, even when you pull it back off the table. a decent safety feature.


Yes, you are ..................... NOT.
It's the table saws that have the aluminum tops with the tabs the stick into the slots I was referring to.
Maybe not that type KarrieB has but THE worst slots you can imagine.
My 12" Powermatic has "T" slots, but they are heavy dusty for sure. The miter bar had a screw and a washer that was at the end, but I removed that annoying feature.
The intended purpose was to prevent the end of the bar from lifting up. I found that annoying when I simply wanted to lift it out of the slot and set it aside.

As an aside but related, I had to file the inside edges of a few of my miter slots to allow the entire family of miter gauges I own to work without sticking.
The older 1980's vintage Craftsman bars were just slightly different widths, the newer Incras seemed to work better.
As you know by combining three Craftsman 12" saws and two Craftsman 10" tables, all 27" deep, I ended up with a total of 10 miter slots.
There weren't all exactly the same width. No big deal just take a mill file to them.
The better miter gauge bars have adjustable slots along the bar to tune them exactly to the slot, perfect!

If a flat bar of metal 3/8" thick by 3/4" wide, the standard miter bar size, will not fit "exactly" in the slots on her saw, but would fit with some judicious filing, that is also a solution. Her CNC friend would do that in a heart beat.


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## Karri_B (Jan 10, 2022)

Off topic question reposted in general woodworking forum


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Karri_B said:


> I don't know if I should have made another post for this question or not....but I'm wondering how can you square up a board if you don't have a straight factory edge to run on the fence? Whenever I have looked up how to do this, I don't have any of the fancy stuff they use in the YouTube videos.... And there's got to be another way, cuz that fancy stuff hasn't always been around....Whenever I think about the time before power tools...I'm always in awe..to look at stuff they made? It's hard for me to cut a straight line with a circular saw, let alone a handsaw??


1. You can clamp or attach a board on the underside of the workpiece that slides along the left edge of the table saw. It will act as a "fence" but works differently because the clamp or board is the actual fence and it doesn't matter if the right side edge is straight or curved.

2. You can use a bar clamp or attach a straight edge board to run your circular saw or jig saw along to guide it.
A free handcut with a circular saw will not give a satisfactory straight and true edge, as you suggest.
You Tube has many examples of "straight edge guides" for the circular saw. Nothing very fancy from a DIY jig to a simple long bar clamp.
One example by Kreg:





Another version by Bora:





Bora sells a base plate that seats onto the clamp in a groove so it "locks" in place. This keeps it from wandering away from the clamp creating a worble in your cut. I bought one just this past month on Amazon for about $50.00 but it only fits on their WTX clamps.








Bora NGX Saw Plate Includes 55" Non-Chip Strip That Elimates Tear Out, Designed for Straight Cuts While Using The NGX Clamp Edge System, 544001 - - Amazon.com


Bora NGX Saw Plate Includes 55" Non-Chip Strip That Elimates Tear Out, Designed for Straight Cuts While Using The NGX Clamp Edge System, 544001 - - Amazon.com



www.amazon.com


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

Karri_B said:


> Thanks!!
> View attachment 437431


looking at the 2nd pix, getting anything to slide smoothly will be a serious challenge.
then wood/plastics/etc will fit and slide nicely

the miter slot needs a good cleaning -


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## BigCountry79 (Jun 2, 2021)

Another vote for simple rectangular runners. .


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Karri_B said:


> I don't know if I should have made another post for this question or not....but I'm wondering how can you square up a board if you don't have a straight factory edge to run on the fence? Whenever I have looked up how to do this, I don't have any of the fancy stuff they use in the YouTube videos.... And there's got to be another way, cuz that fancy stuff hasn't always been around....Whenever I think about the time before power tools...I'm always in awe..to look at stuff they made? It's hard for me to cut a straight line with a circular saw, let alone a handsaw??


Make a carrier to run it through your table saw.


Taper and Straight Edge Jig



Or a guide for your circular saw:


Circular Saw Cutting Guide Board


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## Karri_B (Jan 10, 2022)

ARGGG! I seriously want to bang my head against a wall, shoot myself in the foot, maybe toss all my tools and say screw it....working on my cross cut sled, every single thing I've seen says to set the front fence first, then flip it around and square up the back fence with the slot.....well...the miter slots on my saw are not equal distance from the blade....one sits 5 3/4" and the other is 3 1/2" from the blade....like I'm seriously beginning to think I'm cursed or something....It's like I start to gain some progress, wham! road block....tackle the road block, manage to overcome it, take another few steps....WHAM! Another pile of crap I have to figure out how to get around...over and over again....Is this something anyone else has experienced or am I just destined to only long for the smell of sawdust but never make any of it...??

Side note- I'm aware that this isn't a major thing for me to overcome for my needs, that I'll make it work.....I just really want to know if things work out like they're supposed to the majority of the time for everybody else...cuz if so...maybe the universe is trying to tell me something....


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## Bob Bengal (Jan 2, 2021)

Karri_B said:


> Side note- I'm aware that this isn't a major thing for me to overcome for my needs, that I'll make it work.....I just really want to know if things work out like they're supposed to the majority of the time for everybody else...cuz if so...maybe the universe is trying to tell me something....


Hang in there, it will feel so good when you get it right. Though a beginner compared to some of the people here, I have a lot more experience with wood working than you do and I've been going through multiple frustrations getting a crosscut sled right lately.

I like this video: 


5 Cuts To A “Perfect” Cross-Cut Sled – SCHOOL OF FINE WOODWORKING



Generally only the sled fence close to you as you use the sled needs to be accurate.

Re flipping the sled around, does your blade lower below the table? Most can, or you can take the blade off. Then you can flip the sled around to check things.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Karri_B said:


> ARGGG! I seriously want to bang my head against a wall, shoot myself in the foot, maybe toss all my tools and say screw it....working on my cross cut sled, every single thing I've seen says to set the front fence first, then flip it around and square up the back fence with the slot.....well...the miter slots on my saw are not equal distance from the blade....one sits 5 3/4" and the other is 3 1/2" from the blade....like I'm seriously beginning to think I'm cursed or something....It's like I start to gain some progress, wham! road block....tackle the road block, manage to overcome it, take another few steps....WHAM! Another pile of crap I have to figure out how to get around...over and over again....Is this something anyone else has experienced or am I just destined to only long for the smell of sawdust but never make any of it...??
> 
> Side note- I'm aware that this isn't a major thing for me to overcome for my needs, that I'll make it work.....I just really want to know if things work out like they're supposed to the majority of the time for everybody else...cuz if so...maybe the universe is trying to tell me something....


The rear fence is rather irrelvant. It has nothing to do with accuracy since the front fence where you register all your work on.
It's there to hold the entire thing from falling apart, and that's about it.
This may be of some help, but don't try to make one like it.... yet.








Table Saw Sled Build


So many threads on sleds. So I had to make one. I used 1/2" hardboard, like Masonite, for the sled. Maple runners. Oak for the front rail. I haven't decided to cut though the rear portion yet. I don't see the need so far. The semi-circular 5/16" slots for the "T" bolts were routed on the...




www.woodworkingtalk.com


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## DrRobert (Apr 27, 2015)

+1 on ignore rear fence.

Have you checked the alignment? Make sure the blade is parallel to the miter slots.

If it’s any consolation, I rarely ever get them to slide perfectly right off the bat. I use a plane iron as a scraper to fine rune the runners. Register the side of the iron to the bottom so it take material off at 90°. Look for dark marks where it’s rubbing.

The last sled I made I used HMWP (?) strips - the high density plastic stuff. If you go that route you need screws about every 3”.

Every sled video I’ve ever watched makes it look too easy. Ng makes EVERYTHING look easy! Don’t go down the rabbit hole of dialing in .001” over 12”. Tom McLaughlins 3 cut method is adequate enough for ww’ing,


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