A common task at the router table is profiling the edges of long, narrow pieces, such as face frames. If the workpiece is wide enough, the operator's fingers are kept a safe distance from the spinning bit, but as the workpiece becomes very narrow there is a correspondingly smaller margin for error. One slip, one slight grab of the workpiece by the bit, and it could be Bye-Bye Fingertips.
This long-grain sled solves that problem by securely holding the workpiece as it travels past the bit, with the operator's hands well clear. The base is 1/2" Baltic birch plywood; the fence is red oak, jointed straight.
To load the workpiece into the sled, the fence is slid into position such that the edge to be profiled will overhang the sled's base by an appropriate amount (the overhang I used here is a bit large; I didn't notice this until after I'd taken the photo). The fence adjustment knobs are tightened and the workpiece is secured with the toggle clamps.
At the router table, the edge of the workpiece rides against the fence, just as it would if the sled were not being used. Since it is the workpiece itself and not the sled that is guiding the cut, no special care is required in setting the fence ... just lock it down anywhere close, parallel to the sled's base or not, and call it good.
Since I built this sled I feel a lot more comfortable while working on long skinny, pieces since it keeps my fingers a safe distance from a bit spinning at 20,000 RPM. It also eliminates the need for featherboards for most routing operations. Incidentally, this sled can double as a straight-line ripping jig for the table saw, as long as the workpiece isn't too long.
This long-grain sled solves that problem by securely holding the workpiece as it travels past the bit, with the operator's hands well clear. The base is 1/2" Baltic birch plywood; the fence is red oak, jointed straight.
To load the workpiece into the sled, the fence is slid into position such that the edge to be profiled will overhang the sled's base by an appropriate amount (the overhang I used here is a bit large; I didn't notice this until after I'd taken the photo). The fence adjustment knobs are tightened and the workpiece is secured with the toggle clamps.
At the router table, the edge of the workpiece rides against the fence, just as it would if the sled were not being used. Since it is the workpiece itself and not the sled that is guiding the cut, no special care is required in setting the fence ... just lock it down anywhere close, parallel to the sled's base or not, and call it good.
Since I built this sled I feel a lot more comfortable while working on long skinny, pieces since it keeps my fingers a safe distance from a bit spinning at 20,000 RPM. It also eliminates the need for featherboards for most routing operations. Incidentally, this sled can double as a straight-line ripping jig for the table saw, as long as the workpiece isn't too long.
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