This is a work in progress. I just started and nothing is attached yet. I decided to go with plastic runners and they have not arrived yet. I'm also trying to decide if I want to add any features, such as T track in the base or maybe a replaceable zero clearance insert. Adding T track to the base will weaken it, so that's a con. Adding a replaceable zero clearance insert might be difficult to keep everything flush so that's also a con. My old sled had neither and it was perfectly fine so I'm leaning toward just keeping it simple. Does anyone have those or other features in their sled? If so, do you find them useful?
New Table Saw Sled
- Thread starter KenB259
- Start date
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
wood-of-1kind
Member
I built a smaller sled as I mostly do smaller projects and find the smaller footprint makes storage easier. I used
delrin for the runners as it allows the sled to glide smoother vs. wood.
delrin for the runners as it allows the sled to glide smoother vs. wood.
I have many sleds, mostly for special purpose segmenting. This one though will be my main crosscut sled. It's replacing an old with out one.
duncsuss
Member
I made a sled that had 4 t-tracks, 2 running front-back and 2 running left-right (which were cut in half so they were both sides of the blade kerf). Also had a fence that could be set to pretty much any angle and locked down in the sled using t-bolts, and the fence had a t-track across the top-front for stop-blocks, clamps, etcetera.
The base was double thickness, which dealt with concerns about weakening it - but of course made it stupid heavy.
Really a shame that the heat exchange block in our oil furnace cracked and the sled got soaked. If it had been clean water there's a chance it could have survived, but there was anti-freeze in the closed loop and the whole thing was nasty.
The base was double thickness, which dealt with concerns about weakening it - but of course made it stupid heavy.
Really a shame that the heat exchange block in our oil furnace cracked and the sled got soaked. If it had been clean water there's a chance it could have survived, but there was anti-freeze in the closed loop and the whole thing was nasty.
Yeah, that's why I'm considering T tracks, but honestly I don't think I'd ever use them. I already have better ways to cut very accurate angles. It's more than likely this will be just like my old one, just simple. One thing I'm doing different is to not glue down the back fence. That will let me re square it, if necessary.
egnald
Member
It seems like I build a lot of sleds but the usually don't get used very much before I build a different one. I use smaller sleds on my bandsaw far more than I use the larger sleds on my table saw. Since I don't use them very often I typically make the runners out of oak moulding that is made for wooden screen doors. It seems to fit my miter slots almost perfectly at 1/8" x 3/4"and it is radiused on one surface which makes dropping it into the miter slot a breeze. I have put t-track on several of my sleds, typically so I can add a hold down clamp to keep my fingers away from the blade and so I can lock in a stop of some kind for when I'm doing repeat cuts. - Dave
randyrls
Member
Ken; I don't know how thick your base is. Metal Incra slides mounted so the fit of the slides adjust from above.. I put a grid pattern of 1/4" x 20 TPI T-nuts through the base on my sled. I have made a blank cutting jig and an adjustable fence that can attach to the sled. I also made studs and clamps for clamping down odd shaped work pieces,