I just bought a preowned one and it seems to have been used very little. I am having trouble dialing it in, however. When I set it on 90′, there is still some play out on the end of the rail. I can flex it a couple degrees back and forth. I have everything locked down as tight as I can, but the rail still flexes. This flex stops when I lock the end using their little angle part with screws.
The instructions say you simply have to get the 90′ dialed in, then all the other angles are easy. Given the flex in the rail, there is no way this is true. And if you change the angle and then move it back to 90′, will it return to dead on 90′? I doubt it. I’ve tried the 5-cut method and simply cannot get it dialed in. I have better luck with my Woodhaven miter gauge.
I’ve looked for videos and tips, but am not having much luck. This certainly does not appear to me to be the magic jig that the advertisements promise.
What do you think of this sled? Is anyone using this sled for complex work? Any links so I can learn how to amp up the performance?
Replies
I have Incra gauges but, I believe the sled uses a different slot adjustment method. The miter gauges have discs that you expand by tightening the screw. Does the sled use the adjustable wedges? If so, you tighten the wedges to the point that the sled slides easily but, is snug in the slot. It is a balancing act between too tight and too loose.
If you cannot get a setting that is reliable through the full length of the slot, your slot is irregular and a spring-loaded ball type glide (although I do not find then satisfactory) may be the answer.
Fixed adjustable glides (wedges, discs, whatever) are very adjustable but, they do not dynamically make up for slot irregularities along the path of movement. Spring-loaded ball types give the "feel" of a continuous good fit but, may or may not provide one depending on the type and degree of irregularity.
I have it and it works great. You stated already that the support angle takes out the flex. I guess I don't see the problem.
I guess I was not clear in my description. My sled is snug in the slot with no play. I can't find any wedges but I adjusted the plastic guide rings so it would slide well, but not wiggle. the base of the sled is solid with no flex. It is the fence that seems to flex. I had this idea that the fence would lock in at 90', then I could adjust to 30 degrees and cut perfect miters for a 6-side pattern, then quickly move it back to a perfect 90'. No so. I've adjusted it to a workable 90', locked in with the angle bracket, and will use that. For something selling for $500+ I just expected a better product than a sled I can make out of MDF and scrap wood.
Are you setting the indicator solidly into the notch on the gauge and tightening both the nut holding the indicator and the upright handle? which miter gauge are you using? The HE or the SD? Also, have you checked all the allen screw on the fence to make sure they are tight?
I get that you are talking about flex in fence but it seems you have twice now mentioned the bracket that locks down the end of the fence so I don't see how that's a problem.
Beasly - Yes, the indicator is solidly in the slot and the screws are tight. I don't know the difference between the HE or SD. I could not find any indication regarding this on the label.
user-72...I'll try again. When I lock it at 90' and secure the fence with the angle bracket, it does not cut 90 degrees. I've checked it with a 12" piece of plywood. So, the only way to get to 90 degrees is to loosen the angle bracket, nudge the fence in the right direction and tighten it down again. Then do another test cut, check it, and hope it is close enough. This is not a quick process. I don't have a good way to verify other angles if I move the fence. Incra is selling a $500+ sled that they claim allows you to make accurate cuts at various angles and change angles quickly and easily. This is not my experience at all. My Woodhaven miter gauge works great and is very accurate. It lacks the sled and the moveable stop features, though.
It sounds like you're saying it's just the fence that flexes? Is that correct? And it sounds like the end of the rail that is away from the blade on the far end?
Do you have the 24" fence? There will be some flex in pretty much all of those aluminium style fences, including a rip fence. All you have to do is push on it with enough force and it's going to flex a bit. Unless I'm misunderstanding, it sounds like you may not even have a problem at all.
Get out a GOOD square that you know is 90 and adjust til you get it bang on. Make some test cuts at 90 and switch to different angles and then back. Check the 90 again with the same square. If it's still bang on, your other angles should be correct and you now know that it's reliably holding square at 90. It also sounds like you're not measuring for 90 other than trying the 5 cut method? You really need to use a good, reliable square (starrett, lee valley/veritas, etc - something that is guaranteed to be true). A good combo will also give you a reliable 45 as well. That is absolutely crucial and the importance of a reliable accurate square cannot be overstated. A cross cut sled is 90% of the time making 90 degree cuts. Without taking the time and using the proper tools you're just setting up a very accurate jig to make consistently inaccurate cuts.
Incra has a sterling reputation in the woodworking world and honestly it doesn't sound like this one is defective. You even state that you can get rid of the flex by using the angle piece. Take the time to set that 90 up WITH A SQUARE and make some test cuts to ensure that it stays 90. That will tell you a lot about your set up before you go trying other methods.
Also, using a piece of plywood to check for square is likely to lead you on a wild goose chase. There is no guarantee that the plywood was straight to begin with. Don't just assume that because it came from the factory that it is true. Unless it was a high end piece of ply it is more likely that it is out of square than the Incra is. The only way to know for sure is with a good square.
Sorry, I did misinterpret your complaint. The extrusion is flexing then. I too have felt that Incra's extrusions could be of heavier martial like the old JDS Accu-Miter or the pre-Steel City Orions.
I have a sacrificial fence attached which stiffens the fence extrusion significantly. You may want to give that a try. I also added sandpaper to the face to give me a better grip either with hand or clamps.
I run a couple of pretty old V-27's. I trust the laser cut notches implicitly and use them without issue. It is great to have something you can just swing to 45 degrees and cut perfect miters for a picture frame. When done I can swing it back to 90 degrees and cut perfectly square lengths.
When you nudge the fence to 90 and lock the angle bracket are you keeping the protractor locked at 90 and loosening the protractor attachment screws to allow it to move or are you simply unlocking the protractor? The stops are very robust and repeatable. It's hard for me to picture how you are having trouble returning it to position if it is set square initially. The one thing I can think of is the angle bracket has to be tightened to the fence before it's tightened to the sled platform or you could pull the fence out of position.
Have you contacted Incra customer service or product support?
In my experience when set-up or calibration does not go well, just "walk away" for a day or two then have another attempt and more often than not, it goes together correctly.
Mark Mueller is the head of Incra Customer Service, and has been for many years... he a stellar guy, and will work with you to resolve the problem.
I have this sled - it is a precision beast, but even INCRA makes clear in their instructions it may need adjustment. Since you indicate that your woodhaven works great, let's keep with assumption that its the sled...although I am guessing you may have had to tune the woodhaven(?). First, a bit of context on my experience: I got this sled when I was still using an older model Delta contractor saw....I never got it dialed in "perfect" but it was close enough that I got nice results. My table and extensions were not perfectly flat and there was some run-out, but still the sled worked quite nice. I upgraded to a cabinet saw and now I can get dead square 12 inch cross cuts (haven't cut anything wider than that). I will say I replaced the panel for use with the new saw in order to have zero clearance. You said you got this used - is the sled panel zero clearance on the gauge side of the blade? I would not think some gap would make difference to square (it might to other aspects of the cut), but sometimes things don't work out like I think they should. Let's set that aside too.
You are saying everything is tight, so good on that front. So, then I may be misunderstanding, but if you are in fact saying the sled doesn't cut true to 90 when you lock down the angle bracket on the fence, then I believe you need to adjust the miter gauge alignment with the fence until you get dead on accuracy. This assumes the fence is true, which I would expect it would be...although I guess you could check that with a (true) straight edge if this alignment step doesn't work. I had to make adjustments to this alignment when I set mine up. To do so, you need to loosen the miter gauge from fence and insert a piece of paper (or two, etc) between the fence and an "end" (e.g. either far right or far left) of the miter gauge to correct for the error (insert the paper on which ever side of the miter gauge is warranted to tweak it to square). You are trying to correct to true 90 by bending the fence....I believe what you want is to correct by aligning BOTH the gauge and the fence to 90, which this step does. Then when you do angle cuts and you return to 90, you will be back to true 90 (and your angle cuts will be true as well....that error "in the gauge" exists. Hopefully this is useful.....trying to help.
2nd to last sentence, meant to say ......"that error "in the gauge" exists in the angle cuts as well).
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