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Did anyone ever build and/or use a cross-cut sled on a BT3? How is the cross-cut sled attached to the saw? Thanks Kwok
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just curious but since the BT has a sliding miter table why would you need a cross cut sled? -
I recently built a sled using plans that came with Incra's miter sliders (http://www.incra.biz/Products/MiterSliders.html). You could also use home-made sliders made out of wood or UHMW plastic.
A search of this site and the BT3 articles at http://www.bt3central.com/index.php?page=articles should provide more than enough info.
If I might put a plug in for the Incra sliders -- they work well and can be adjusted for a snug fit. If you use wood or plastic you have to cut them yourself, although that shouldn't be too much of a bother.
Good Luck, Regards, SteveComment
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My feelings exactly. I use the sled for just about everything I can just because it offers up so much control and you know it's perfectly square (if you make it square).
Mine out of MDF mostly, with oak sliders.
Here's a shot where I'm ripping a tiny sliver of walnut for an inlay. I would never even consider doing this without it. It's taped down to the sled. (This, by the way, is not the safest thing in the world to do -- e.g. don't stand in front of it in case it shatters and comes flying at you.)
online at http://www.theFrankes.com
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"Life is short, Art long, Occasion sudden and dangerous, Experience deceitful, and Judgment difficult." -HippocratesComment
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I added on homemade mitre slots to my bt3k to accomidate sleds.
I'm very glad I did. I never felt comfortable with the crosscut sled and I am very comfortable with my crosscut sled.-John
"Look, I can't surrender without orders. I mean they emphasized that to me particularly. I don't know exactly why. The guy said "Blake, never surrender without checking"
-Henry BlakeComment
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If I understand what a sled is correctly (basicaly a a Zero Clearence SMT that slides in tandem on both sides of the blade, it seems to me you could just mount it on the SMT - no need for additional miter slots or other mounting hardware. You would have to make sure your SMT is square to the bade and the sled is square to the miter table (and therefore the blade) and clamped down well. The main advantage of this would be its very easy and cheap to make - just some plywood/mdf, glue and screws to get the basics. Think I'm going to try it unless there is some obvious reason this is a very bad idea
TimLast edited by timb; 03-28-2007, 12:12 PM.Comment
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This will work. Basically, the stock SMT is nothing more or less than a one-sided crosscut sled. The biggest complaint with it, alignment issues aside, is that its crosscut (front-to-back) capacity is only about, IIRC, 16". If the fence could be mounted all the way to its front edge, nearest the operator, there is sufficient travel to increase the crosscut capacity to, again IIRC, about 22"-23". Some owners have dreamed up various ways to mount the stock fence closer to the front edge of the sliding table. Your concept of bolting a shop-built crosscut sled atop the sliding table accomplishes the exact same thing.
This means, of course, that your crosscut capacity will be limited to the travel of the SMT. With a "loose" sled, guided by miter slots, you can make the front-to-back depth as big as you like (within reason). With your idea, you'll never be able to crosscut more than the SMT will travel, no matter how large you make the sled.
You've already touched on what I would regard as the main issue ... the leg bone has to be square to the hip bone, the ankle bone has to be square to the leg bone, etc. The more places you have for errors to creep in, the harder it will be to get everything perfectly aligned.LarryComment
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Kwok,
I agree with Steve and Alex. My sled usually remains on the saw. I only remove it when I have to rip or for larger stock. It just feels safer to me
I run mine using one of the accessory miter-slots. Since this photo, I have added some t-nuts to mount clamping devises for really small stuff.
SteveI would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong. Bertrand RussellComment
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The safety block on the front of Steves is a great feature. (PLEASE Don't mistake it for a HANDLE!!
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The crosscut sleds are so easy to use and you get so confortable with them that it's easy to forget that a dangerous blade might be coming out the front -- so put something there to protect yourself.
I've also see these with some wood, and then a clear plastic cover as well so there a visual indication that the blade has come through. I also say one that was designed to start coming apart if the blade went too far in -- even more visual and audible -- thought that was pretty cool, too.online at http://www.theFrankes.com
while ( !( succeed = try() ) ) ;
"Life is short, Art long, Occasion sudden and dangerous, Experience deceitful, and Judgment difficult." -HippocratesComment
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Alex,
In addition, the bolt head you see on the right front of my sled, extends down to hit a bolt I put through the BT3 case. It stops the sled before it can go through the blade guard.
SteveI would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong. Bertrand RussellComment
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I ran a tape measure over my BT last night, after having seen your question just as I was leaving the office. Depending on the material thickness, it looks like my recollection of being able to crosscut somewhere around 22"-23" is about right. So I think I'd make the sled not more than 24" deep, measured inside between the front and rear fences.***
Width is a little trickier. I have miter slots on my BT (the factory DMST between the main table and SMT on the left of the blade, a homemade slot on the right). From the center of the blade to the left edge of the SMT is right at 17". Since I'd not be using the SMT to move the sled, I'd probably make the sled about 36" wide, with the blade centered.
For you, assuming no miter slots and the SMT placed immediately to the left of the main table, I think I'd narrow this down to about 16" left of the blade and probably not more than 12" or so to the right. Since the sled will be supported by and sliding with the SMT, it might not be a good idea to have too much width cantilevered out over the main table, right of the blade. So call it 28" wide, with the blade slot offset 2" from center toward the right.
Size will also depend on what you build the sled out of, how heavy it is, how big a unit you're willing/able to wrestle around, etc.
*** My measurements indicated that it might BARELY be possible to crosscut a full 24" if the material was thin enough. Since materials like hardboard/pegboard and 1/4" plywood and 1/4" MDF are available in 2' x 4' "handy panels," a sled that would crosscut one of these would be wonderful. It'd be worth exploring, to see if it's possible.
And BTW, not cheeky at all.
LarryComment
....but thanks for the good points. I'm thinking I need to make me one of these. Any thoughts on a good practical size (lengthXwidth)? 
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