Replies

1. 
   John_D | Feb 09, 2006 09:17am | #1

   I assume by "front fence" you mean the one near you, the one you push and pull.

   The main thing is it has to be tall enough so that when you put your blade through it at full height, it's still tall enough to hold together.  You also want enough height to clamp a piece to, and substantial enough to mount an over-work piece of plastic to avoid kickback.  At least, that's what I did and it's working well.

   My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
2. 
   Ricks503 | Feb 09, 2006 07:40pm | #2

   imade the center part 5" tall ( have a 10" saw) and 6" wide then down to 3" high to the edge - low enough where I can hold it and maybe be able to have my fingers on the board.  for the fence on the side opposit to you, I made mine 5" tall and 12" wide.

   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
3. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Feb 10, 2006 06:58am | #3

   Hi Lou,

   Check out FWW #128,pg. 66-69.  Lon Schleining walks you through the entire process.  His fence is 4" tall in the center, but it should be taller than the raised height of your sawblade and still leave enough material to hold it together.

   Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   Use whatever tool needed to Git 'r Done!

1. 
   loucarabasi | Feb 11, 2006 02:58am | #4

   Just made the crosscut sled today. actually took the day off from customer work to make a few jigs that we have been wanting to remake. It was a good day.

   -Lou

4. 
   byhammerandhand | Feb 14, 2006 01:53am | #5

   Maybe too late, but in case anyone's listening in:

   I like to use a handscrew as a cutoff stop. This limits the height of the fence to whatever your handscrew will reach.

5. 
   Steinmetz | Feb 16, 2006 08:14am | #6

   Lou
   Higher than the highest apex of the blade plus more for 'beef'.
   ALSO should be thicker beyond the fence to totally enclose the full extended blade (So after slicing stock, you don't slice 'meat'!
   I also fit mine with an overhanging front edge stop, to physically stop the miter gauge from ever traversing enough to expose the whirring blade.

   After setting up the sled and slicing into the miter fence for right and left 90 deg cuts, set up and slice the RH and LH miter cuts intothe wood.
   In the spaces unsliced use contact cement and glue sections of heavy duty sanding belt material between the saw cuts .

   Before cutting these pieces, make cardboard templates of the shape of the area (LESS wide so as not to come in contact with the blade)

   Using the templates, mark their outlines (with a pencil) on the back side of the sanding belt, then cut them out with a sheet rock knife.

   Steinmetz

   
   

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   Edited 2/16/2006 12:17 am ET by Steinmetz