Crosscut Sleds

[MattMoore]

Hi all,
I have been gathering information lately about crosscutting sleds.
One thing I have noticed with each one is that there is 2 mitre slots on all of the saws they are designed to be used with.
The saw im looking to make one for only has one slot, does this effect the sled in anyway at all?
the only thing I have come up with is that it will be easirer to push out of square slightly by pushing on oneside more than the other,
Is there any other problems with making one for a <a style='text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 3px double;' href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=29&k=table%20saw" onmouseover="window.status='table saw'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">table saw</a> with only one mitre slot?

Many thanks

Matt

 

[MikeW]

Hi Matt,

Only one sled I have ever made has two runners for the miter slots. The ones I've used for the past several years have only used one slot. But they also only are on one side of the saw blade.

The issue is supporting the cut-off so it doesn't fall into or get caught against the blade. I have never had a problem with kickback using the one side, one-slot sleds.

I would think that if I were to make a full, span the tablesaw top sled and only had one slot I would make the kerf in the sled a tad wider than zero clearance to account for slight twist.

Or, one could use the tablesaw's edge, either one side or the other, as a way to capture and hold firmly to the miter slot. In essence a miter slot runner without the miter slot. This assume you have an edge that is square to the miter slot. If not, I would look for a way to make it so. A shimmed piece of metal or wood would be a guess.

Take care, Mike


Take care, Mike

 

[johnelliott]

Using such a device with only one slot desn't feel like a very good idea, depending on what level of accuracy you are trying to work to. Would it be possible to use the sides of the saw table itself as guides, by securing strips of wood to the underside of the sled?

John

 

[Philly]

Matt
I've made and used three different "one runner sleds". You'll have no problem as long as you use a decent hardwood for the runner.
Here's a look at two I made recently
http://www.philsville.co.uk/mitred_box2.htm
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[MikeW]

The single slot will work--even on my single-side of the blade sled, depending on how much support you can have.

For safety, it is best I suppose to have one that spans the entire top.

Buts as for accuracy? Here's a pic of my current sled. Single slot, no underside strips at the edge of the table.

Those boards did have a swipe on the shooting board. But it was a single, fully across shaving that came off. This sled is more accurate than I am.

Take care, Mike

 

[MattMoore]

Thanks for the replies so far,
im trying to get it as accurate as possible,
I do have the use of a radial arm saw, but with the saw extending to its full width capacity it does move out of square slightly.
The sled is going to replace this, if i can get it accurate and secure enough.
I will take some measure ments to see if it is possible to use the outside edge of the table as an extra guide, this might well provide the extra support I think I need.
some of the cuts i will be doing, will be cross cutting from an 8ft rip,
do you folks know of any kind of out riggers that are effective to stabilise the overhanging stock??


Cheers,
Matt

 

[Alf]

This sled is more accurate than I am.

You get your son to make the sled then, Mike? :wink:

Cheers, Alf

P.S. Guards removed for clarity I 'spect? :roll:

 

[DaveL]

P.S. Guards removed for clarity I 'spect? :roll:

Probably got those shy ones, hide when you point the camera at them.

 

[MikeW]

...
P.S. Guards removed for clarity I 'spect? :roll:

Nope. No guards. Removed once and put away.

I have found that most schemes that come with an American table saw suck and are as dangerous as what they try to protect against. A real riving knife is something manufacturers have no clue about here. Something so simple seems to elude the poor ...

Which is why someone comes up with the Sawstop tablesaw. Pity. It's a good saw and a great principle. But I wonder if it would have been invented had we the sense the European makers have had.

I'm more afraid of a shaper, a router--freehand or table-mounted--or the Rat than a tablesaw.

Take care, Mike

 

[syntec4]

I made a sled that runs in only one slot.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/lee_harrison944/Table saw Slide/index.htm

I made the bar from 2 pieces of Steel laminated together to form the 'T' Section. Works very well. Turned a rubbish saw into something useable. The t section means that the sled cant tip up even at full extension. It means I can cross-cut wide boards safely as the front of the table is extended quite a bit with the sled pulled back.

Cheers
lee.

 

[Scrit]

Some of the cuts I will be doing, will be cross cutting from an 8ft rip, do you folks know of any kind of out riggers that are effective to stabilise the overhanging stock??

Without a sliding carraige I feel it will be difficult to support this safely without some form opf outrigger - I have an Altendorf panel saw and whilst that does the job well I still resort to trying to limit my cuts to 6ft or so on the panel saw as any overhanging stock tends to bow upwards under its' own weight. A solution might be to ape the layout of the early Altendorf saw (note the carraige):

Why not use the RAS to rough the crosscuts and do the accurate stuff on the tabkle saw when you have more manageable lengths? (That's what some timber yards do) Better still, why not tune the RAS to cut straight, if necessary by supporting the outboard end of the arm using a V-cable tied to he wall behind with ring bolts? Just thinking out loud

Scrit