# Table Saw Sled - Can you do it the other way?



## Martin_S (20 Nov 2015)

I need to knock up a couple of sleds - one crosscut and one mitre for my old Axminster table saw.

There are lots of examples around but they all seem to fit around and in front of the blade, (so the slot for the blade runs from 'near back to front edge') which means the riving knife and guard need to be removed and then an alternate guard added as part of the sled.

I guess I am being dumb, but why can't I make a sled that sits around and behind the blade so the slot for the blade runs from 'near front to back edge' - that way I could position it around the RK and guard without the need to remove them?

Obviously with the mitre sled this could be a challenge (either ends up being a very big sled so there is enough 'unslotted' at the front to hold it all together or the mitre sits so far back it could be too short) but for the cross cut I can't see a problem?


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## monkeybiter (20 Nov 2015)

make sure the cross members are big [high] enough to have a deep slot that will allow for the blade and the RK to pass under and still support the whole, then you won't need to worry about any 'unslotted' area and it's size.


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## Martin_S (20 Nov 2015)

Mike, Thanks for that - understand your point but would still need to remove the guard and I think my way avoids the need for that, though if it worked why does everyone do it the other way? Guess I will find out when I try it....


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## MusicMan (28 Nov 2015)

Martin I am interested also but am having a problem understanding exactly what you mean. Do you mean that the saw slot is open all the way to the back and there is no back fence at all?

A diagram would help if you can sketch one.

Keith


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## Monkey Mark (28 Nov 2015)

I can understand the guard having to be removed, but not the riving knife unless you intend to cut longer pieces than the sled, in which case it kind of defeats the object.

Surely the sled coukd just be dropped over the blade and knife? And when using a sled, the guard just gets in the way unless you have a super duper one. 

Or am I missing something?


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## Bodgers (29 Nov 2015)

The slot side you would need to accommodate the guard would destabilise the sled, and you would also lose the 'Zero clearance' benefits of the sled. It would also make it useless for small increment cuts (something that I often do on a sled) as the small pieces would drop into the gap between you large slot and the blade - would probably end in tears. 

On my ts200 I remove the guard but keep the riving knife on for the sled. Put a quick release on your guard and it makes it much easier.


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## Martin_S (29 Nov 2015)

Guess - I am either going to have to find time to make it and find out or draw it so you guys understand what I have in mind - I will make time to do one or other this week!


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## Bluekingfisher (8 Dec 2015)

http://lumberjocks.com/assets/pictures/ ... /85501.jpg

or 


http://www.popularwoodworking.com/proje ... lesaw-jigs

Keep things simple and don't try to over engineer. The more you build in the more tolerance you will need to consider.

The top image will require you to remove the saw guard so you will need to plan your projects to save time changing the knife and guard out.

Good luck

David


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## asito (10 Dec 2015)

I built my first crosscut sled the other day and decided to cut enough of the back fence to accommodate for the knife and ended up seriously destabilising the whole thing. Bluekingfisher's links above are great (especially first one). Incidentally, what kind of wax do you guys use to make everything slide smoothly?
Cheers


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## Bodgers (11 Dec 2015)

asito":b62tin3m said:


> I built my first crosscut sled the other day and decided to cut enough of the back fence to accommodate for the knife and ended up seriously destabilising the whole thing. Bluekingfisher's links above are great (especially first one). Incidentally, what kind of wax do you guys use to make everything slide smoothly?
> Cheers


After several coats of water based finish, I use Lavender Silk wood wax (which is just a paste wax). Works well, and you have to love the smell of Grandma whilst crosscutting.

All this faff over the sledge builds really isn't worth it. I have a simple affair and it is fine when used sensibly - if you need to spend all the time and money over these kinds of complex setups, you may as well go out and buy a half decent sliding mitre saw for crosscutting.





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## andersonec (22 Dec 2015)

You seem to be missing the point, a crosscut sled is just that, for crosscutting. 
When ripping the release of tension in the timber could cause i to close onto the blade also when pushing the timber through the cut it could swivel into the rising teeth of the blade, this riving knife prevents this happening.
When crosscutting smaller widths of timber there is no release of 'tension' as such to clamp onto the blade and the sled 'carries' the timber through the cut thereby preventing any sideways motion.
If you wanted to use your sled with the riving knife fitted you will have to somehow make your slot high enough to allow the riving knife in, remember the slot is cut with a blade which is slightly lower than the height of the knife.
If you wanted to fit a guard then a 100 mm wide piece of thick perspex screwed onto you sled from front to back over the blade would suffice.
If the sled was not one single piece across the back with a slot wide enough for the guard then it would not be secure and I would expect it not to slide efficiently or even one side to rise slightly causing all sorts of inaccurate cuts.

Andy


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## whittler1507 (31 Dec 2015)

I seem to remember Norm using a very simplified crosscut sled which rode in only 1 mitre slot, buggered if I can find the episode atm but it meant that you could leave the RK and guard in place... 


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## Martin_S (31 Dec 2015)

That's an interesting thought - not sure if one slot would keep it true but I could use the 2 slots that my table has on one side of the blade.....

(Still not decided what to do yet - the guard and RK are off at the moment as I have been cutting tops from bottoms of some boxes I made and in many respects, would be easier to leave like that but the G&RK are there for a reason...)


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## JSW (31 Dec 2015)

whittler1507":lz0jxr5l said:


> I seem to remember Norm using a very simplified crosscut sled which rode in only 1 mitre slot, buggered if I can find the episode atm but it meant that you could leave the RK and guard in place...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Mine runs to the left of the blade as described above in just the L/H slot, the far left hand side of the sled has an additional runner that slides against the edge of the table, in effect it has two slides with no flexing.


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## Wizard9999 (31 Dec 2015)

Bluekingfisher":3ey2kjg1 said:


> http://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/4-handy-tablesaw-jigs



That's a great link, thanks or sharing!

Terry.


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## MusicMan (31 Dec 2015)

One runner is quite enough for precision; in fact if you have more than one they 'fight' for control of the direction. Ideal would be a single runner for location, with nylon grub screws to push it against one side of the mitre slot. That side then defines the direction precisely,

The only advantages of a wide sled board are (1) to support the work on both sides of the cut, (2) to give a zero-clearance insert on both sides for a clean cut. 

It seems to me that a one-sided jig with a means of clamping the work to the fence will satisfy (1), and also keep fingers well away from the blade. As for (2), a completely separate board running in the right hand slot (assuming the main sled is on the LH side), which is also previously trimmed by the blade, should do fine. It doesn't even need a fence, though one could be added so that you could have a sled of either hand. The system would then not interfere with riving knives or guards. This is a theoretical design and I've not tried it - has anyone? I am planning to try it though, having a Wadkin saw with the fixed riving knife (splitter), for which the usual sled is not ideal.

It also means that there is less temptation to stand in line with the blade, which I instinctively avoid.


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