Plans: 45 degree sled for router table
webdesigner
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Please tell me where I can find plans for a 45 degree sled, for use on a router table.
I need one for cutting slots into mitered corners, in other words, a spline cut. With a slot cutter of course.
I’ve seen a couple different designs out there, but not sure which one is best.
I guess I can wing it, but hey discussing issues such as these with other passionate woodworkers is what it’s all about!!! Right? Keeps us out of trouble.
Thanks!
Gary
Replies
Gary, Here's a pic of my sled for milling crown mold at a 45 degree angle.
I personally think you would be better off using a table saw with a dado blade tilted at a 45 degree with your stock laid flat on the table.
With the router table setup the thin edge of the miter could easily slip under the fence causing inaccurate cuts or injury. With the table saw method the thin edge is always against a solid secure surface.
The crown molding in the pic, when running, I always make sure there is a solid area riding the fence before and after the cut. Hope this helps.
Bill
Ricky's usggestion is good and you can use a tenoning jig on your router table, assuming you have a track, to hold the material at the desired angle and micro-adjust for the spline cut. This eliminates the need for a fense or extra jig. You can also use the tenoning jig to cut the spline slots on the TS using wither a dado blade or saw kerf.
If you're using a slot cutter, I guess you have your work piece lying flat on the table. May I suggest orienting the work vertically? That way you can use just straight bits instead of slot cutters. Since there are more sizes of straight bits available than slot cutters, the variety of options is increased. You can also use dovetail bits to run dovetail splines in this orientation. Another advantage is a greater range of travel. A slot cutter can only go so high up from the surface of the router table, so one could only spline flat items like picture frames. A vertically-oriented jig allows splining of not only picture frames but also mitered boxes and the like. The only limitation is the travel range of the router table fence.
As far as the jig goes, cut two identical 45-45-90 triangles and one rectangle out of plywood or mdf. The width of the rectangle should equal to the short side of the triangle. The length of the rectangle should equal to twice its width. Glue and nail or screw the triangles onto the rectangle, orienting the triangles so that their sides are flush with the widths and one length of the rectangle. The hypotenuses of the triangles should form a 90 degree "V" in the middle of the rectangle. The work is held in the "V" as the bit cuts for the spline. The jig can be used in either the vertical or horizontal orientation. For splining mitered boxes, make a series of triangles and stack them up, thus enlarging the cradle to support the work. For doing non-90 degree work, adjust the triangles (but keeping them identical) for the appropriate miter angle.
Hi Gary,
Maybe it's just me, but I have done this task on the tablesaw with a dado blade. The TS arbor was tilted 45' and the piece to be sloted clamped in the miter gauge, the back of the piece to be sloted was flat against the TS table, the good side faced up towards you.
Best of luck
but not sure which one is best..
Nice flat base (EDIT; and one side) and 45 degree uprights glued together..
Make it simple and ACCURATE! All you need...
OH. and a straight bit to cut the slot... It is just a 'V' with a back (and/or base/both) that slides on your router table..
If no router table then the BASE is really needed..... LOL
Hard to put a router on the tip of the 'V'...
Edited 8/12/2005 12:43 pm ET by WillGeorge
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