A couple sleds

[Bill in Buena Park]

I've been chipping away at building a few of the sleds I wanted for some projects (boxes & frames) over the last week, finished them today.

My crosscut sled is an adaptation of the adjustable one from ShopNotes - the two pictures show it zero clearance to blade kerf, and open for possible dado apps.

I also made a box-corner/frame corner spline-kerfing sled, and a fixed 45dg miter sled.

Except for the MDF purchased for the bases ($7 sheet from HD), all other materials were from scraps. Star knobs w/bolts & washers from Woodcraft for $7, and T-track from Woodcraft for $9.

Thanks for looking.

[crokett]

Very nice work. I made the bomber sled and the spline jig some years ago myself to do picture frame work. Does the spline jig ride in the miter slot table? When I did mine I also did an attachment to my rip fence that would let me attach one of several jigs - the spline jig being the first one I built. I did this so I would not have to worry about squaring a miter slot table to the blade. Is the miter slot table to the right of the blade table homemade? If so, it is very nice work.

[thrytis]

Very nice! It is an interesting way to doing the zero clearance. I did it with a screw down insert, but each size requires its own insert and takes time to switch. You will get a lot of use out of them!

[unknown poster]

Nice sleds.

I've been very frustrated with the lack of accuracy from my SMT. I can't decide if I should add a t slot miter track or spend more time playing with the SMT. I think you just convinced me to buy some t track and switch to conventional miter cutting techniques.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Thanks for the comments.

David, the spline jig does ride the MST, and it's shop-made and aligned to the blade. I wanted to ensure repeatable alignment, which I didn't think I could achieve with a fence-riding version.

Eric - I was thinking along the same lines (sled with various TPs) until I saw this design in ShopNotes some time ago. Their version has an additional sled piece that attaches to the right side, also with T-track, to allow use of stops for longer stock.

UP, for stock of managable length, I really like the accuracy of the SMT for straight 90dg crosscuts, but as I frequently store the saw on its collapsible stand (for which the SMT must come off), I have to reset it every time it set up the saw. I don't mind that for non-90 and non-45 degree miters, as I feel it's pretty accurate - but to allow use of sleds, especially for some box/finger jointing jigs I want to try, felt the MST was necessary.

[crokett]

Thanks for the comments.

David, the spline jig does ride the MST, and it's shop-made and aligned to the blade. I wanted to ensure repeatable alignment, which I didn't think I could achieve with a fence-riding version.

Well as long as the rip fence is aligned to the blade, then whatever rides on it has to be aligned as well. Otherwise, any rip cuts you make come out tapered.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Well as long as the rip fence is aligned to the blade, then whatever rides on it has to be aligned as well. Otherwise, any rip cuts you make come out tapered.

Right - and no problem there, just about putting the fence in the exact same spot every time so the jig's ZC kerf didn't keep growing. I'm sure I could get it close enough, but... Hence the MST and miter-barred sled.