Best white plastic for TS sled runners?
JKristian | Posted in General Discussion on
I use about a dozen speciallized sleds for two saws and am fed up with the swelling that the runners experience during the summer. I read in one of the hobby-type mags at Home Depot about a slick use of some white, millable plastic that a guy used to make runners for a mortise jig. Problem is I can’t remember the type of plastic beyond it having a four-character abreviation: “MDO[?]”, 3 characters of which I can remember. Anyone remember out there or have a suggestion?
Thanks very much,
JK
Replies
UHMW which stands for Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene.
UHMW plastic is kinda floppy, and it cold-flows. I tried it for a while as a rip fence, and found it wouldn't stay straight. If you really want to use plastic, you might try stiffer plastics like phenolic.
You also might want to check out pre-made runners. Outfits like Woodhaven and Incra make them. They're generally metal, and have adjustment schemes to make it exactly fit your saw's slot.
You can use Acetal (Dupont trade named Delrin). It is harder and slicker than UHMW. You can get it from McMaster Carr. Acetal is used to line wear surfaces like the sides of escalators.
Joe Phillips
Plastics pay the bills, Woodworking keeps me sane!
John,
I bought the Incra runners for my crosscut sled after experiencing just what you experienced with wooden runners. I love them and wouldn't change them for anything. I think I bought these at Woodcraft although you can just do a Google search to see where else you can buy them.
Regards,
Buzzsaw
The UHMW can be bought through catalogues, pricey. I found that HD carries large white plastic cutting boards, made of the same or similar product. Tough - to stand up to knife edges, and millable, and very low friction which is the object. The earlier poster is right about this stuff not staying flat when used as a fence face, but I've used it for runners, epoxied to the bottom of the sled, and it has held up fine. I cut the strips, place them in the slot(s) with spacers under to raise them a little above the saw surface, apply epoxy, and set the sled right on top with a little weight while it sets up. Guaranties alignment, provided that if you are using both slots, they are parallel. You can countersink screws later if it makes you feel better, but I doubt it is necessary. Cannot wear it out, and it will not change size. Also can be milled thin and used as a drawer runner to reduce friction if needed.
Good luck -
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