STOP Making Out-Dated Table Saw Sleds, Do This Instead
New woodworking tools come in many different ways, sometimes people invent wonderful new ideas for tools, other times an old design can take on a whole new look by some simple re-building like a my newly modified Crosscut Jig for the Table Saw; years ago I made (or over made) a Table Saw Sled that would last a dozen lifetimes, but it was huge and cumbersome, so a couple of years ago I made a simple cross cut jig on the same principals, but it as a quarter the size and weight and worked faster and more versatile, so much so the prototype I made kept getting used more and more until I was finally convinced to make a Permanent Jig, with Baltic Birch Plywood, Laminated Fence and I even got to use the old metal Mitre Bar from and long since dis-used Mitre Gauge that came with my saw. Now I have the ultimate cross cut jig, it fast, light, easy to use and SUPER accurate for make very wide cross cuts which comes in handy for furniture and cabinet making.
For More Detail on the build, including Tools and Parts like Plastic Mitre Gauge Blanks, check out the article on woodworkweb.com, the link is below.
... Read More Here - bit.ly/42oS0w0
Thanks, Colin. The re-purposing of the metal runner is brilliant. I'm doing it. Thumbs up!
Amazing video. Relaxed, without background music and the right pace, and complete step by step instructions. Thanks for sharing.
I recently purchased a new table saw, and I still have to make a new miter sled for it. This design solves a lot of the issues I had with my previous one. Think I'm going to end up using it. Thanks Colin!
Thank you for shedding some light over this subject! I am done with my traditional big and heavy crosscut sled that is always getting stuck in the middle of my cuts, to the point that pushing it harder makes my saw to move forward! I came after a solution for "sticking sleds" and stumbled against this wonderful video. I am going to make one of these simplified sleds and this time I will use nylon runners. Sometimes simpler is better.
Thanks Colin, this is something I need for my table saw. It's simple and easy to make but the bonus is that you can modify it with accessories such as a stop block or clamps. Great video.
I like the simplicity of this. I’ve been thinking of building one of these for a while... so it’s off to the workshop now... nice work & thanks Colin!
This is what I've been waiting for...a simple idea for me to understand and build. I'm a medium diy intelligence guy and you have all of the answers to help guide me down the path. Thank you so much for showing this sled!
I haven’t used the mitre guide since I brought my table saw years ago ….now thanks to you I have repurposed it to make a table sled like you in this video ….it looks great…thanks again 👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Thanks for the memories. I used to have a nice woodworking shop. Just got tired of building things. Glad it’s gone but really enjoyed watching.
Can’t believe I just watched another crosscut sled video! Thanks for sharing as always, Colin.
After watching 10x of crosscut sled vides this is one I'm planning to build :)
Colin; I always appreciate your candor, thanks!
Ah, nice. A while ago I made the same kind of crosscut sled, exactly for the reasons that you gave. I did not see it before being made in a YT vid so I assumed that this was not truly what a pro works with. So glad to see that it makes sense to pro users too. This is also much simpler to make and really in a few minutes you can start using this. i did make mine with a wooden runner. Seeing your vid motivates me to make a new crosscut like this and this time with a plastic runner to compensate for the wood movement. Thxs.
Just bought my first table saw, and was looking at sleds, now i'm glad I watched this as it looks a lot better to just have this and i'm tight on space, thank you.
WOW - DANG! I need one of these. So simple and straightforward with virtually no material or time - really cool. Video is very nicely done, with excellent and obvious visual demonstration and clear, understandable narration. No wasted words, no BS and it all moves me to the proper result. THIS is how to make this type of training video. THANKS. JR
Love your videos Colin - I'm a very newbie about to go into woodworking hobby staerting when I retire in a few months time. I have watched so many of your videos gaining experience. I made a biggish one for my DIY table saw and now going to copy this one as its so much more user friendly.
Thank you so much for your great video. It was a pleasure to listen to you and get a great idea at the same time. Making a sled has always been on my mind to do, but the sheer size put me off. This sled is compact and ideal for most of us. I'm sure there are many grateful woodworkers out there today because of you.
Great stuff. I, too am planning on building a similar sled for final trimming of cabinet carcass pieces. It is a great design for larger pieces and not limited by the physical size of the sled. Your three cut method seems fine for most items, if the work pieces aren't very large, IMHO. I want to try William Ng's five cut method (using a much bigger test piece ) to maximize any errors in the squareness of sled fence to saw cut. It is extra work, but errors on cabinet panels (UN-square corners) can add up fast to make cabinet construction a pain, if drawers are involved. His method worked VERY well on my last sled build, and I was out only .0015" over 28 inches after two attempts to set the fence. I was able to get that accuracy on a 1980 vintage Delta Contractor saw, so take that SawStop!
I made a small parts sled years ago because I was tired of hauling out my table saw sled. I used the miter slot to square up the fence. Thanks for this video.
Worked like a charm. I used the valet key first, followed by the programmed key, and then the new key. Thanks❤
Thank you, finally found a very simple and functional cross cut sled. Great video sir.
Very new to the tablesaw world. Straight away needed a cross cut sled. Went down the vast rabbit hole on how to make one....was a bit daunting. Then saw this. Made it in less than half an hour and works brilliantly.
same here. Just finished cleaning my CL scored table saw. Going to build this sled next.
That’s it! For some reason I never liked the idea of this elaborate double walled sled, instinctively I knew there is something wrong about this design. This very simple sled design is perfect and all that is needed. Thanks Collin!
Made one very similar to this 10 years ( or so ) ago based on a design I saw from Matthias Wandel. It's worked very well in many awkward situations. I also have a "traditional" sled that is for much smaller work ( max about 10" wide ) and since it's so small and light it gets most of my jobs. But this style is very very handy as you show.
2:15 "...my local plastic story..." I wish my town had one of those! 🤣
If you have an engineering supply store locally they will get you the plastic you need, or go online
@@chriswilliams5498 interesting! What's an example of an engineering store?
@@scillyautomatic a store that sells engineering supplies!!!!!. Bearings, transmission hardware, tools, safety gear..engineering PLASTICS. Etc etc its huge business. They are everywhere.
I wish my country had one of those 😂
Colin. Thank you for this info on using the miter slot and not the fence. I've always had a slight deviation on my previous sleds because as it seems my saw isn't parallel to the miter slots. I've tried adjusting and it's almost imposible ti get it perfect. I tried your method and it works flawless thank you.
Genius. I never thought to square everything up to the miter slots. Makes absolute sense.
I always enjoy watching your videos, and usually learn something. Thanks for keeping them coming!
Oh yes. I changed over to this style of sled years ago. Still have the big one for the rare occasion I need it, but the little one does what I need 99% of the time.
Thanks I am looking to make one myself and appreciate the timing. Also thanks for the link for the UHMW plastic stock.
Thank you Colin, I have one of those heavy cross cut sleds, I am building your design!
I thought my sled was heavy at 21 pounds, glad to know I am not the only one! I was looking for something lighter but reliable, and like your design, so will give it a shot. And, as I live in the real world, the 3-cut method looks like it fits my needs. Thanks for the video!
I do need to make a new sled. Might give this a shot as I see the advantages. Thank you for sharing!
Love it! Keep my life (and work hobby) simple.... Thanks
Saw cuts are never my finished edge, this technique will work perfectly to get me a good straight cut! love it
Excellent! I like the fact that it is lean and versatile. I will definitely be building one. I am thinking about adding T-tracks to increase the versatility. Thanks for sharing this build. 👍
I learned to make that same sled from Norm Abrams New Yankee Workshop about 30 years ago. Very handy device. You’ve made some nice upgrades to it. Thanks for the idea with the steel. I have about 3 of those laying around and now I have a use for them!
that's a smart jig, Colin! Thanks for sharing.
Great video. I have a similar sled, but the back rail is in the front with clsmps and you push it through. Thank you for sharing. Everyone stay safe, happy and healthy. From Henrico County Virginia
Really great jig, Colin! Thanks for all the tips! 😊 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
"Your local plastic store." You know the brick and mortar plastic store right next to the 1970 International Harvester Scout Accessory Mall.... 🤪
I googled “plastic stores near me” and all I got back was directions to a local Lions Den…
I think it's a Starbucks now.
I agree that this is much more versatile than the big one that I’ve been using (overbuilt & heavy, kinda like yours). Thanks for sharing your idea. I can’t ever seem to get rid of jigs, so it looks like I’ll need to make room for 1 more.
Thanks again for your superb channel. It's been a huge delight and incredible education. Hope your week is going perfectly!
I made one just like that many years ago . Plastic was not available then ,so I used hickory strips for the runner . You are spot on ,easy to make , accurate and easy to use , and when they get beat up you dont have much in it . Make a new one
Thank you, Colin, for producing this video. I was all set to build a sled just like the one you got rid of. While reading the comments, I took thought on what others have mentioned here and added a stationary board of the same thickness as the sled bed to go on the right side of the blade. I too, do not like my cut-off pieces dropping down from the blade to the table after cutting. In the process of making that I took the advice of another commenter and used flat washers and another mitre slot guide to hold the stationary board in place while using the sled. Afterwards, I then realized I had no provision for making duplicate cuts without measuring each cut first. On the old traditional sled, I'd clamp a piece of wood on the fence to the right of the blade for consistently sized cut-offs. So, I've now added a T-Track to the stationary board near the rear edge and use a stop block. Would love to add pictures of the finished product, but I don't see provision for that here.
My sled ended up in the scrap pile. Believe I'll give it another try with your instructions - thanks for the great video.
Many thanks. I also have one of those far-too-large homemade sleds; I'll be following your lead to replace it with a smaller one modelled on yours here. Your demonstration of the four-cut method to test for square is very clear and intuitive. I have never fully understood it until now, and I believe I'll remember it based on how you've shown it. You have a gift for demonstration/explanation.
Thank you Colin... I didn't even know I needed this.
Honestly, this is the best design I've seen. It is simple, it is light-weight, and it works. Using the table saw fence and the stop block means you can make a lot of cuts without a stopper on the fence. I have a small table saw, so this does the trick.
The multi-cut technique to check for square is a good approach. But the results showed that it was out of square (0.025” over 4 feet). What would have been helpful is to show how to adjust the fence to bring it into absolutely square. For viewers interested, a quick search for William Ng’s 5 cut method will walk you through the process. When I built my “obsolete” sled, I was able to bring it to within 0.003” over 4 feet, approx. 1/8 the error. It’s easy, only takes a few minutes and a little simple math but will ensure square cuts from now until that plastic runner needs to be replaced.
That level of precision for woodworking is well into the diminishing returns range. As the temperature and humidity changes that sled will be off by more than 0.003".
0.025" over 4 feet...or 0.006" over 12 inches is only the thickness of your hair over 12 inches. I feel for wood work that is a great tolerance. Even though this thought goes against my OCD side as I am a machinist by trade. Ie. Try making a sun deck after dealing with +/- 0.0005" every day at work...so 0.006" is nothing to sweat over. However knowing the technique to get it better will help help so many people.
The 3 cut method is quicker, just as accurate, and zero math involved.
@@acerjuglans383 you only need to do 2 cuts. Cut once, flip the piece and cut again and measure how much it narrows over whatever distance you are interested in.
All well and good in this video, but now I have to go hunt down another video that says how to correct the unsquare. Feels like it will be finicky, what with having drilled and seated the screws already.
This is great information. Thank you for showing this. I made a smaller sled similar to your first example. I might redo it per these instructions.
Smart and simple, great job.
Wonderful, I just made one, thanku, you remind me so much of my Dad....I miss him.
Thank you very much; I’ve watched several of these type of videos and, for me, this was the most useful.
Thanks. This will transform my table saw.
Great job explaining everything. Thank you 👍
Well done. The how to check for square alinment was totally worthwhile.
I built a simple sled, very like your first "simple" one, using scrap wood and a bit of old 1/8" paneling. That was 40+years ago and I ain't worn it out yet. I've considered other types of sled design and materials but I just can't see trying to fix something that isn't broken! I think you've over killed this....
finally, someone that could explain the 3 cut angle checking method that I can understand.. thanks .
Thats great you salvaged the mitre gauge. I am going to use your design.
Thank you, Collin! Excellent as usual.
I just wanted to say thank you. You’re videos are great easy to follow and you can learn a lot so thanks again steve👨🏼🦽
This is just what I'm looking for. I used wooden runners on my obsolete design and just like you mentioned they expanded and made it tough to push through the slots. I've also come across the limitation in depth of cut.
Excellent series of videos. Much appreciated.
Hi Colin. You can save some time and material by using a table saw dial indicator alignment jig to set up your sled if you have one (best measuring tool investment I have made ). Simply place the jig in the miter slot opposite of the jig. Clamp the builders square firmly to the fence. Set the dial to read zero at the base of your builders square. Move the jig to the far end of the square and note the reading. If it is zero you are good. If not move the fence back or forth to bring the gauge to zero. Repeat just to confirm your reading. I don't trust builders squares and usually use a very large plastic drawing triangle for the alignment. I have never been off more than .003" using the 5 cut method. Your blade must be aligned with the miter slot for this to work!.
If you’re going to use a dial indicator you don’t need all those extra steps or most of the parts. Even the dial indicator isn’t necessary if you own hardwood scraps and feeler gauges or a business card… Tool setups aren’t as much about /measuring/ runouts as they are about a quick go-no-go test with a gauge of some sort- even a business card. That even alleviates compounding errors 99% of the time, and checking parallel pretty much eliminates checking for square if you set your tools up well. Measurements are usually a fraction of the value of fitment
@fishhuntadventure You are right. Before I bought the indicator I used a brass screw in a board set perpendicular to my miter gauge. Just kissed and marked the front tooth of a sawblade and revolved it the toward the rear of the table. Moved the miter to the tooth and adjusted the blade. An indicator is easier and quicker way to cut down on boring stuff leaving more time to make sawdust.
Great video! Simple and effective solution! Thanks for taking the time to publish this!
12:00 - the accumulating error cuts are genius, never heard of that method before 💪🤓
Genius things are simple. Thank you!
That's great. I would be able to use the blade guard on my saw with this type of sled. I am going to make one.
Great video. My sled is as big and heavy as your old one, and as much of a pain to use! This will be one of my next build projects.
If you can't find the plastic for the runner, go to a kitchen ware department and buy a plastic chopping board of the right thickness which you can cut into strips.
I have just been thinking the same idea. I was also wondering if you couldn't make a sled completely out of kitchen plastic cutting boards. Maybe find a glue for bonding the plastics together.
Thank you, because I've never seen a plastic store lol
pieces of PVC trim boards work too
Corian scraps would work too.
Or just use some hardwood scraps that you have around the shop. It’s not rocket science. Rip down some strips of Mesquite or Purpleheart or hickory and you’re good to go! KZhead is a trip.
My first couple of sleds were kind of like your heavy one. I saw some of the other options including the big red do-everything types of sleds you can buy. I was fascinated by the one where the right side of the blade was fixed but the left side slid. I made this same sled you show here, but with a slight twist. My first cut established the right edge of the sled. I used a square to align the fence to the edge I just cut. It was really good. But the twist is that I also made a right hand sled. I did the same thing without the fence. It was just a runner and the same height as the sled. Then I lowered the blade and flushed the right side next to the sled. The right sled was longer than my jobsite table saw so it would support 6 more inches than the saw top. I pulled the right side back, raised the blade and pushed the right side next to the sled together into the blade until the back of the right board was aligned with the back of the saw. This gave me no gap to the blade and zero clearance at the blade and I felt better about some pieces being supported on both sides of the blade. I did not need the right side many times, but I discovered that with this setup, I could use my blade guards. For my saw, the blade has to be fully raised. I used 1/2 inch plywood instead of 3/4 but I don't think that really matters. I also added a piece of 1x2 board that extends from the tables saw fence when it is flush against the right board, to the saw blade. It is over a ruler so that I can move the table saw fence to adjust the stop block to measure repeated cuts. This gives me 11+ inches from the piece I cut off to the table saw blade. That should be save enough. Again, all of this works great even while my blade guard is on my saw. Like you noticed, the sled is super light. I've been procrastinating using a 3/4 version where I add screw holes to mount accessories for things like angles and rabbits and finger joints. For me and my small shop, the smaller and lighter, the better. Great video, as usual. Keep it up.
Now this was full of smart things! Will copy!
I got rid of my behemoth sled a while ago. The smaller sleds are so much easier to use and store: those big ones take up way too much space. If you counter sink and put a slit in the plastic runners, you can over-tighten the screws to make the plastic bulge a little and you get a perfect fit. Wood runners only seem to fit the day you make them. Thanks for the video.
Only thing I would tweak with your base design is to add a small angled cut where the fence board meets the table board to allow for any dust that might accumulate and throw off the fit against the back fence. Otherwise it is a great base design.
Was going to mention this.
Genius
An improvement is to drill several 5/8" holes through the sled every 4 or 5 inches along that angled cut. Be sure to bevel each hole slightly, top and bottom. These help empty the sawdust every time the sled is backed up beyond to edge of the saw table.
Thank you, i am not a very good woodworker but I did make a crosscut sled two years ago and use it a lot. This will make an improvement on the original!
Woodworking is a process of learning and trying and I still have lots to learn too :)
Hi Colin, it is a pleasure watching your KZhead
Very cool 😎! I just had to move recently and, alas, the table saw is in storage....... However, right before I moved, I had to run off "a pile" of cuts, and I was not going to construct a giant sled just to throw it out in the move. I remembered the Norm Abrams panel sled and I threw one together in reverse similar to yours, again in scrap. Thin base , couple of hardwood off cuts. Not heavy and it worked. It will get remade as soon as I get the saw set up. Better piece of Birch ply, thin; Delrin guide, with a finish. Kudos to you 😊!
Colin I must have watched 50 vids on crosscut sleds and this is the one that makes most sense. I am gonna do it! Sincere thanks.
Hi Colin I’m going to make mine redundant in favour of the one in your video. I had a similar one years ago after watching Norm built what he called his panel cutting sled.👍🏼
Thank You from New Hampshire
I looks like a New Yankee Work shop sled. I made one years ago and with the fence at the front you could cut small panels. You could also turn it around with the fence facing the rear of the table saw to cut large panels. Thanks for the video. I had the same problem with my cross cut sled, it was big and heavy to lift on and off the table saw. Thanks for your video. Now to find a place to get that plastic you talked about.
Great video! One small suggestion I learned from Norm on the New Yankee Workshop - put the fence on the leading edge. This way you are not limited to the size of material on the sled. The sled can rest on the table and engage the miter slot and the material can hang off the sled between you and the blade.
It’s nice that you were able to square up to the fence the first time but you never showed us how to correct the problem if we’re not as fortunate. Thanks a lot.
I agree you should adjust your sled’s squareness and William Ng’s method is widely thought of as the best method to get a high degree of accuracy. Two things that I think you’ll need to better explain are 1. While lining up the sled to the opposite miter track would be accurate, this does not mean the blade or fence is parallel to the miter tracks and can introduce issues - the blade to the sled and your projects not using the sled but use the fence. 2. Not sure why you aren’t cutting through the back of the sled and using the back of the sled to prevent tear out and provide a smooth cut to the face of your work. I still believe it is helpful in doing certain work like cutting small parts to have the sled on both sides of the blade. I like to laminate 2 @ 3/4” pieces of Baltic birch for the back - very stable. I also put a very slight chamfer where it connects to the sled as saw dust might build up in the corner. Final comment - something someone else mentioned was waxing the bottom… I do that and wax the top of my tables.
Once you have the guide attached to the sled you can run it through the saw for the first cut. This cut is what you want to set the fence to using your framing square. After preliminary setting you can proceed with a 5 step method or whatever you'd like. All your cuts will be the same as that first cut.....if the fence is square to the cut you should be good (unless there is sawdust between the fence and the work piece (as mentioned).
Went the same route several years ago. When I got my new SawStop, i built all these gucci jigs and sleds. My miter sled hand built in 45s for mitering. It is a nice piece, but too big and heavy, so I built almost exactly the same thing as you with a metal bar off a miter gauge with the adjustable ball bearings.
Colin, Nice build. I see this as very useful and a good substitute for some cases where I use a crosscut sled. However one of the benefits of a traditional crosscut sled it that it supports both ends of the piece you are cutting in order to have a very clean cut on both sides. This jig does not do that. I would probably just use my miter gauge instead.
That added support of a big sled can reduce chances of tear-out at the end of the cut.
Brilliant mate it will save a lot of time and make work easier many thanks
I made a couple of taper jigs that way, but I also made one "dummy" sled, just a slab and a runner, that runs (or sits) in the other slot. It not only supports the offcut side, but also prevents tear-out, in case you want both sides clean. The dummy can be pushed with the main sled, but it works just as well just sitting there stationary. You would want to mount the runner a little farther from the edge than the distance to the blade, then trim the slab by running it through once.
This is funny. I have had one like your new one for maybe twenty years and sort of felt bad about it because it was not one of the giant sleds. Kind of the poor step brother. Got a new table saw and was thinking about making a real big one. Thanks, I am sticking with the version like yours. I made mine with a 1/4" thick base so I could cut through thicker stock.
Thank you for sharing this useful information. Best regards
Wished I would’ve have watched this video 2 years ago… excellent video!!! Keep up the good work!
I love this. I have the budget level Stanley table saw. It's nice enough, but the fence isn't totally accurate and the mitre gauge is pathetic. I hadn't considered such a simple design, especially recycling the bar from the mitre gauge, brilliant! Definitely have to make this 😊
I actually made one similar over 30 years ago. The idea came from "New Yankee" Norm, but he put the square portion on the other end. In this manner you're pushing the piece against the stop and it is much less "tippy" when you start since much more of the weight is on the front of the sled. Also, by extending the guide bar well past the end of the panel you can literally cut VERY large pieces since you're always assuring that the board is against the square stop. Although that can depend on your saw size and outfeed situation. Norm called it his panel cutter. And then they invented the track saw.....
Fence extensions way off to the side of the saw also help when cutting plywood as do all manner of extension tables. Its crazy trying to guide big panels with a short stubby miter gauge. The fence is better.
This is certainly helpful, thank you very much
Nice outside the box ideas, very clever, thanks!
Made my 1st one 10 years ago made it about like the one you made. I installed pull down clamps on mine so I can easily cut tapers
I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS learn from your channel. Thank you for everything you do and can't wait to make this my first table saw sled.
I have some plastic guides I keep around for jigs, but have a lot of aluminum ones too. I go to the metal salvage place and buy 3/8" thick flat aluminum stock, then cut it on the table saw. To smooth the cuts, I use canning wax by rubbing it over the cut line. You can actually hear a difference in the cut when using it. Too, you can see the wax melt just ahead of the kerf. In the past, I've used one of my 60 tooth, ten inch carbide blades, but bought a dedicated blade for nonferrous metal (I like the cut quality of the 60 tooth wood blades a bit better). I cut with the blade guard down (mine swivels out of the way), but still wear a full face shield because hot metal can get tossed. Because I make my own guide bars for far less than they would cost from a commercial supplier, I have no qualms about keeping several bars around and making them long so I can use whatever length suits my fancy. For example, a few of my jigs have the bar extending several inches out the back, which would be perfect for this sled, to add stability at the start of cuts.
what I like about old school is that nothing falls down onto a blade. there is no stressing when using the sled.
Love it. I call that a panel sled.