counterbore instead of counter sink...I tried using UHMW but it swells when you tighten screws into it unless you countersink and use pan head or truss head screws. I went with hardwood instead. And I went with a one runner design BTW.
Thanks. I meant counterbore and said countersink. A countersink in UHMW makes it even worse I think. The other reason I took it off was that I wanted runner sticking out both the front and back of the sled to extend it's range to be able to cut small panels. I have enough runner sticking out the front that as soon as the sled starts onto the table I can start cutting something. With nothing to support it the UHMW bent like spaghetti.counterbore instead of counter sink...
clearance hole for the screw in the runner...
flathead screws tend to act as wedges and spread/split what they are screwed into...
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That is a big consideration,Jon. I made one out of plywood and 2X4's front and back to do cabinet sides and doors, one time. It was so awkward and heavy I finally pitched it after a time. It worked great on the saw,but was a PITA to store and move around. Also eventually the slot got worn so that it wasn't zero clearance anymore. I think sleds are great jigs for the table saw to cross cut and quite safe too. but storing them becomes a problem at times,like all jigs. That is why a lot of guys just make temperary ones and throw them away after use.I made one out of BalticBirch and decided to give it up based on ease of use. Now use an extended fence faced with 220 grit sand paper attached to the miter.
½'' BB w/ front and back hardwood rails...That is a big consideration,Jon. I made one out of plywood and 2X4's front and back to do cabinet sides and doors, one time. It was so awkward and heavy I finally pitched it after a time. It worked great on the saw,but was a PITA to store and move around. Also eventually the slot got worn so that it wasn't zero clearance anymore. I think sleds are great jigs for the table saw to cross cut and quite safe too. but storing them becomes a problem at times,like all jigs. That is why a lot of guys just make temperary ones and throw them away after use.
Herb
That is a super nice jig you built, I missed it by about 5 years, do you still use it?About 10 years or so ago, I built what I considered a premium CC sled. When I finished, I had what I sought to build. However, 10 years down the road you tend to view things a little differently. The sled I biuld, to this day is rock solid, performs beautifully and does everything I could ask of it. Not bad ya might say....but, sometimes more is not necessarily better. The more bells and whistles you add, the more weight you add. Bigger is heavier (typically, especially if your using standard materials) Esthetics do not necessarily add to functionality!!!!! I tend to like to build jigs that look cool, but that doesn't mean that work any better than one built to bare bones standards. Consider carefully application and practical usage.
IMHO the foundation for a really good sled has got to be Baltic Birch ply. Second choice would be a really good sheet of oak or maple ply. Just not a big fan of MDF for this kind of application. And certainly not particle board. Longevity is always an issue with shop built jigs and i just don't see either material holding up after a few years of use. 3/4" plys work great, but there is always the weight issue. If its just a small sled, then it probably won't make that much of a difference, A medium to large sled, it'll start adding up quickly. Most of the assembly can be handled with good screws. 1/2" ply works great, ya just gotta be careful when installing T-tracks etc.... 1/8th inch isn't much to hold a screw. I prefer to go with an epoxy on 3 sides to hold tracks in place. Pretty much eliminates any flex. Dado fences into place, don't use butt joinery. .....The very best advice I could give would be to just build one. See what you like, don't like, what works for ya, what don't and consider how to improve upon the design... then build the next one based on what you've learned.
Here's a link to one of my sled builds..
https://www.routerforums.com/twoskies57-gallery/17549-crosscut-sled.html
That is a super nice jig you built, I missed it by about 5 years, do you still use it?
HErb
That is some of the very best wood working advice that can be given. Works for jigs, router tables, and what have you. Make a simple one, on the cheap, and use it for a while. That gives you a chance to find out what it does and doesn't do and how well. Mine was made from left over scrap. Looks crude but about 20 years later I'm still using it. I've never found a need to improve on it yet. My CC sled is one of only about 4 that I've ever kept but it sees regular use so it's worth the space it takes up.The very best advice I could give would be to just build one. See what you like, don't like, what works for ya, what don't and consider how to improve upon the design... then build the next one based on what you've learned.
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