Replies

1. 
   Buster2000 | Nov 02, 2005 02:28am | #1

   It's one solid base at the begining.

   (Assuming you have the peices ready)  If I remember correctly...

   1.  Size the base (one solid piece).

   2.  Put the runners into the mitre slots, and place the base overetop.  Line it up agains the edge of your tablesaw.  Attach the base to the slides from the top. (Countersink the screws)

   3.  Attach the forward fence.

   4.  Now cut a kerf into the sled about half way.

   5.  Attach one side of the back fence, square it to the kerf, attach the other side.

   6.  Saw fully through the base.

   7.  Attach a guard.

1. 
   dannyboy | Nov 02, 2005 04:38pm | #2

   THANKS BUSTER, I APPRECIATE YOU REPLY. DANNY

2. 
   Ricks503 | Nov 02, 2005 04:56pm | #3

   I think the issue is that the sled he wants to make has a replaceable 3inch wide bottom piece where the sawblade would cut down the middle - when the area gets a bit mangled from beveled cuts or wanting to use a zero base for a thin kerf blade you remove the old one and screw in a new one.

    

   I made one like that where I cut the 3" section from the same piece I was using for the base, then aligned all 3 pieces up and lightly clamped them back in place and hot glued 2 1x2 strips to the top to keep every thing aligned, then I put on the front piece and rear, and screwed the insert to front and rear and removed the hot glued strips. I then put the runners on and squared up the rear fince with trial and error before screwing everything down solid.

    

   If anyone has a better process I would like to know also, as I need to make a new one. 1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go        4 - get a new board and go back to step 1

1. 
   Buster2000 | Nov 02, 2005 07:41pm | #4

   Woops...  You're right.  I got interupted in the middle of reading the initial post, add to that I was thinking of the wrong book.

   I hope my advice was worth something...

2. 
   seb | Nov 03, 2005 01:53am | #5

   Forget about the insert, When the slot/kerf gets ragged, bondo the whole thing up and recut it....Much easier...

   Bud

3. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Nov 03, 2005 03:12am | #6

   Hi Danny,

   I have several crosscut sleds in various configurations that I use regularly.  For crosscutting, the rear fence, (the one closest to you) is the most critical part of making the sled.  It HAS to be square to the sawblade!  The rest of its construction is rather straightforward, i.e. the runners must match the size of your mitre guage slots, etc.

   Cut the base & runners first.  For the base, the easiest way is to make one sized the same as your cast iron sawtable top (so it also serves as protection for the tablesaw when I'm not using it). 

   For runners, I would suggest maple runners sized to fit the mitre guage slots (usually 3/8" x 3/4").  Attach the forward fence, (furthest away from you) however you want to, just keep screws/nails away from where the sawkerf will be, obviously.  This fence only serves to hold the front of the sled together.  Place the runners in the mitre guage slots and place the base on top, aligning it with the sawtable top. 

   Tack the runners to the base, from the top.  Use only 2 or 3 nails to temporarily attach the runners as you may need to "tweak" them later.  Attach the rear fence with just 2 screws at each end of the rear fence, as close to square of the sawblade as you can.  If the base is square to the tabletop, you should be very close.  I make these screwholes slightly larger than the screws so I can "coax" the rear fence into alignment later.  A carpenters square works great for this.

   Next, slide the sled off the saw, start the saw, place the sled on the saw, with the runners in the mitre guage slots, and cut a little more than halfway through the sled, and shut the saw off.  

   Slide the sled back just far enough, so you can get a clamp applied to each end of the rear fence and base.  Using your carpenters square, check the squareness of the sawblade against the rear fence, and adjust accordingly.  On this step, make sure your square is flat against the blade and isn't resting on the teeth of the blade (VERY IMPORTANT!).  If it's not exactly square, you'll need to adjust it by tapping one end of the rear fence to square it up (remember the ovesized screw holes earlier.

   Make your adjustments for the rear fence, apply the clamps, and place another screw in a new place along the rear fence, to hold your adjustments in place.  Once you have done this, place a squared test scrap on the sled against the rear fence and make a test cut.  Take the 2 pieces and abutt them along your carpenters square and check the squareness of the cut, adjust accordingly.

   Once square, add more screws to the rear fence, and happy crosscut sledding!

    

   Bob @Kidderville Acres

1. 
   dannyboy | Nov 03, 2005 04:40pm | #7

   THANKS BOB, YOUR INFO WILL REALLY HELP. DAN

1. 
   scooter1 | Nov 04, 2005 03:19am | #8

   It will always be square if you put some quick set epoxy on the runners, put them in the slot, and drop the panel on top. Instant square. Once its set, the only thing to worry about is setting the fence square to the blade, which I again do with epoxy and a framing square.It is really really easy.Regards, Scooter"I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934

2. 
   DennisS | Nov 04, 2005 05:33am | #10

   Bob -An even better test for the squareness of the sled fence is to cut a wide piece of lumber, one whose opposite edges are straight an parallel, then flip one over and stand them on edge on top of the saw table. Bring the ends together and any out of squarness will be magnified to twice it's error making it easier to see.My tired old eyes just can't seem to get it right with a framing square these days.

4. 
   Manny | Nov 04, 2005 04:50am | #9

   You know, I had the same question, so I asked Mr. Toplin himself, here is his explanation on the subject:

   Sorry it wasn't clear about how to make the replaceable inserts. In later

   > editons of this book this is further explained. Basically, you make a groove

   > along each edge of the plywood in the sled table and make a matching groove in

   > the edges of the insert. Glue in a strip of wood--which becomes a spline--in

   > the grooves in the insert. Make a bunch of these inserts and splines while you

   > are at it. I make the splines from teak--an naturally oily wood.

   >

   > Hope this helps.

   >

   > Jim Tolpin

    

   Good luck ( and to be honest, still not clear to me :-)
1. 
   CraigC | Nov 04, 2005 01:49pm | #11

   The only thing I would add to the above is put a good coat of paste wax on the bottom, and then it really becomes a sled. I also use paste wax on all my cast iron working surfaces: saw, jointer, planer, etc. It really makes ####difference.

2. 
   dannyboy | Nov 04, 2005 07:08pm | #12

   thanks manny, clear as mud to me also, dan