Panel Sled

[JR]

So... if y'all are building panel sleds and x-cut sleds and miter sleds... I take it that means the SMT is *NOT* working to your expectations?

I've just finished building a couple of crosscut sleds, so I can share my veiwpoint (and keep an old thread alive while I'm at it!)

I have miter slot tables on both sides of the saw, a configuration which sort of begs for a cross-cut sled. It also makes the throw from the SMT to blade kind of long. The part of the SMT that sticks out in front of the saw just is not convenient in my small shop, so I have taken to removing the SMT frequently. This means it would have to be checked for square nearly every time I installed it.

And there you have it.

JR

[poolhound]

I realize this is an old thread... but I'll pile on anyways

So... if y'all are building panel sleds and x-cut sleds and miter sleds... I take it that means the SMT is *NOT* working to your expectations?

Just curious if I'm the only one who can never get the blasted thing adjusted right and to stay that way?

I do use mine occasionally but after building my sleds I use them all the time. Last weekend I used the panel and x-cut sleds and its a joy to just put them on the table and cut away knowing that everything will automatically be dead square

I am actually building my BT mobile base and table extensions right now and have been angsting about getting rid of my SMT all together.

[cgallery]

So... if y'all are building panel sleds and x-cut sleds and miter sleds... I take it that means the SMT is *NOT* working to your expectations?

The SMT was a big selling point for me.

I was able to adjust it square, but did have problems getting it square.

But the straw that broke the camel's back (in my case) was the clamping mechanism for the SMT fence. I was able to nudge the fence out of alignment too easily. Not a problem with small pieces, but certainly an issue with larger panels.

So I built my own miter slot extension that extends to the front of the rails just like the SMT does. And I built two sleds, a smaller one that I use for cross-cuts up to approx. 16", and another I use for panels up to 25".

I'm pretty happy with the configuration.

[jhart]

When I first got my 3100, the SMT was what I thought a great benefit. Can't seem to keep it squared up and have finally given up and built both panel and X cut sleds. They work great, even if it takes a couple of minutes to put them on the saw. A lot less time than screwing around with the SMT to get it squared up each time.

[RyFitz13]

I'm a little confused... It looks like the sled the OP built has the stop at the front of the sled, while the one that someone posted from Nahm has the stop at the back. What are the pros/cons of either configuration? It seems like Nahm's would be more limited in panel size, while the OP's might be easier to get out of alignment (since the stop isn't pushing the panel, there's seemingly more chance of the panel not staying flush to the stop, thus being cut out-of-square).

I'm about to embark on some cabinetry work, and a sled like this looks like something that could prove almost infinitely useful!

[poolhound]

I'm a little confused... It looks like the sled the OP built has the stop at the front of the sled, while the one that someone posted from Nahm has the stop at the back. What are the pros/cons of either configuration? It seems like Nahm's would be more limited in panel size, while the OP's might be easier to get out of alignment (since the stop isn't pushing the panel, there's seemingly more chance of the panel not staying flush to the stop, thus being cut out-of-square).

I'm about to embark on some cabinetry work, and a sled like this looks like something that could prove almost infinitely useful!

You pretty much got the pros/cons. As far as my sled was concerned I didnt want to limit my depth hence the fence on the leading edge. I do have skateboard grip adhered to the face which helps to stop the workpiece moving. As I use this mainly with panels the weight plus the grip and technique keeps things pretty solid. I havent had any issues with slippage even with long panel (I used it last weekend to true up some 5' ones).

For general cross cutting I also have a regular x-cut sled which can be used with panels but with limited depth. More in this thread.


http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=41689

[LarryG]

I'm a little confused... It looks like the sled the OP built has the stop at the front of the sled, while the one that someone posted from Nahm has the stop at the back. What are the pros/cons of either configuration?

It's exactly the same configuration. Note than in the video, the sled is rotated 180deg and is riding in the miter slot on the RIGHT side of the blade. Nahm does this on his Unisaw, and I do it on my PM2000. The left and right miter slots are the same distance from the blade, so the sled orientation is chosen to best suit the size of the workpiece.

[kirkroy]

It's exactly the same configuration. Note than in the video, the sled is rotated 180deg and is riding in the miter slot on the RIGHT side of the blade. Nahm does this on his Unisaw, and I do it on my PM2000. The left and right miter slots are the same distance from the blade, so the sled orientation is chosen to best suit the size of the workpiece.

Interesting, so your blade width and miter slot distance from the blade allows you to have just one sled for both functions? I'm pretty sure I can't do that. I never even thought of running my sled through 'backwards'... That would allow for some honking big cuts. I'll have to make a 2nd sled for that. I had a fairly big cut to make with my current sled and I managed to pull it back too far and dropped it and the workpiece on my leg.

[milanuk]

The SMT was a big selling point for me.

Same here. The big selling points for me were:

1) Riving knife i.e. safety - since upgraded to a Sharkguard
2) Sliding miter table - past experience w/ a contractor saw and miter slots that were slightly wider at different points along the length - so any sled I had shifted slightly as I pushed it through the cut.
3) Dust collection - the under-table blade shroud was leaps and bounds better than most contractor (or cabinet) saws on the market when I bought my 3100 5-6 years ago (was it that long?!?)

The riving knife, as mentioned, finally got changed because the stock one was annoying (specifically the pawls) in its way. I never really did 'master' the SMT, and as I've been working towards making better (I'd hesitate to call it 'fine') furniture, I've been using a guided circ saw system more rather than fight with trying to get a square x-cut on the SMT.

Anybody have any quick tips on the best way to align the miter slots with the blade? I imagine I'll be digging through the archives here shortly but if anybody has an updated and proven method they want to share, I'm all ears

Monte

[drumpriest]

I also thought the sliding miter table was a great idea until I used to have to tune it up more than use it, got frustrating. I was usually cross cutting on my SCMS until I upgraded my table saw. Now I have a nice cross cut sled that I use for all of my cross cutting, it stays square! There are a lot of cuts that I think would be more dangerous any other way. When cutting loose tenons, for instance, the zero clearance nature of the cross cut sled makes them clean and not explode when they are small. I used to cut them on the band saw, not I use the TS.

I love my cross cut sled, and I recently was considering springing for the jess'em master slide, but decided I didn't really need it, and it would take up too much room, I can always make a bigger sled, and hang it on the wall out of the way.

I have not made a panel sled yet though, it looks awesome for bigger cuts, I think I'll make one, thanks for the tip Larry, about being able to use it in both configurations.

[cgallery]

I have not made a panel sled yet though, it looks awesome for bigger cuts, I think I'll make one, thanks for the tip Larry, about being able to use it in both configurations.

One of the recent magazines had a tip where the writer had bolted a piece of wood (or was it steel or aluminum, I can't remember) flush to the left edge of their cabinet saw's top. The piece extended a foot or two in front of and in back of the saw. It provided additional support when cross-cutting large panels.

It was kinda neat because it was so easy to remove/replace, and it can be easily stored in a corner when not needed.

When I made my miter slot extension (shop-made) on my BT3K I had it extend in front of the rails by the same amount as the SMT. So this last summer when I was cross-cutting 24" panels with my sled it worked like a dream. If I get a cabinet saw some day I'm going to use the tip in that magazine if I ever need to cross-cut large panels.

[jon_ramp]

[QUOTE=cgallery;400853]
When I made my miter slot extension (shop-made) on my BT3K I had it extend in front of the rails by the same amount as the SMT. QUOTE]

Does your shop made miter slot extension table then prevent you from positioning the fence to the left of the blade?