"Sled" Type Jigs

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  • ssmith1627
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2005
    • 704
    • Corryton, TN, USA.
    • Ryobi BT3100

    "Sled" Type Jigs

    Hey guys. I started thinking last week about getting a 2nd miter slot table to mount right of the blade. This would allow me to build some sled type jigs. Part of the learning process but it seemed like this would be a way to get some nice accurate cuts and was just something I wanted to experiment with.

    Are a lot of you guys using that type of thing ? I had no problems at all using the MST and the box joint jig I put together. No blade guard there and since I was using a 1/2" dado blade setup, I wasn't all that worried about kickback. Should I be ?

    Something I read yesterday about sleds made me a little more afraid of this setup. I'd like to keep some type of splitter in place but with no kickback protection, am I asking for trouble ? The warning in the article I read yesterday was to be very careful when pulling the sled back after making the cut.

    Just wanted to hear some other people's thoughts on the issue, how many are using sleds now and what steps they take to be safe in doing it.

    Thanks,
    Steve
  • jnesmith
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2003
    • 892
    • Tallahassee, FL, USA.

    #2
    I have the MST to the left, and a shop made miter slot to the right. I use them all the time with my 2 sleds. One is a cross cut sled, and the other a miter sled that I use primarily for making boxes. My miter sled does not use the slot to the right of the blade. (Pics below)

    I use both with a cut down splitter. Both are extremely safe and very accurate.




    John

    Comment

    • bigsteel15
      Veteran Member
      • Feb 2006
      • 1079
      • Edmonton, AB
      • Ryobi BT3100

      #3
      Originally posted by jnesmith
      I have the MST to the left, and a shop made miter slot to the right. I use them all the time with my 2 sleds. One is a cross cut sled, and the other a miter sled that I use primarily for making boxes. My miter sled does not use the slot to the right of the blade. (Pics below)

      I use both with a cut down splitter. Both are extremely safe and very accurate.
      Jon,
      How is your miter sled attached to the SMT? The picture looks like the CC sled is running in the BT miter slot accessory?
      Brian

      Welcome to the school of life
      Where corporal punishment is alive and well.

      Comment

      • jnesmith
        Senior Member
        • Jan 2003
        • 892
        • Tallahassee, FL, USA.

        #4
        Originally posted by bigsteel15
        Jon,
        How is your miter sled attached to the SMT? The picture looks like the CC sled is running in the BT miter slot accessory?
        My miter sled does not attach to the SMT. (Sliding miter table) It has 2 runners that ride in the duel slots of the MST. (Miter slot table). The pic may be deceiving, since the sled is resting on the SMT rather in the slots of the MST. I just set it there to snap a photo of it.

        My CC sled also has 2 runners, but it has 1 to the left of the blade and 1 to the right. The one to the left rides in one of the MST slots, and the one to the right rides in my shop made miter slot that is installed to the right of the main table.

        I don't use the SMT much at all.
        John

        Comment

        • scorrpio
          Veteran Member
          • Dec 2005
          • 1566
          • Wayne, NJ, USA.

          #5
          Before you go to buy another SMT or a miter slot accessory, go to ebay, and do a search for '8020'. They sell aluminum extrusions, mounting blocks, join plates, bearing and other stuff. You could easily come up with an aluminum rail system that clamps to saw rails and provides a rock-solid base for whatever sleds you might have - and it'll cost you less to build.

          Comment

          • victorm385
            Forum Newbie
            • Mar 2004
            • 33
            • Sandy, Utah, USA.

            #6
            I have two runners on the left side running in the miter slot table.

            Sled runs very accurate.

            Comment

            • Pappy
              The Full Monte
              • Dec 2002
              • 10453
              • San Marcos, TX, USA.
              • BT3000 (x2)

              #7
              Ditto...dual runners to the left.

              Click image for larger version

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              and a Mini version...

              Click image for larger version

Name:	Mini Miter Sled.jpg
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              Don, aka Pappy,

              Wise men talk because they have something to say,
              Fools because they have to say something.
              Plato

              Comment

              • drumpriest
                Veteran Member
                • Feb 2004
                • 3338
                • Pittsburgh, Pa, USA.
                • Powermatic PM 2000

                #8
                One thing to add. Get yourself a shark guard. You can then easily remove the guard and clamp, while leaving the riving knife (splitter that goes up and down with the blade) in place. Usually there is little kickback worry when cross cutting materials, as kickback tends to happen when the cut closes behind the saw blade. With a shark, you can leave that riving knife in place for making really wide cross cuts, such as in plywood panels.

                One of the best investments I made for my saw.
                Keith Z. Leonard
                Go Steelers!

                Comment

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