Between all my distractions, I have managed to make a mini xcut sled. I'm hoping to make some small jewelry, and keepsake boxes here in the future. Made with 1/2" Baltic Birch ply, and 1/4" hardboard for the blade insert for straight cuts and angle cuts. The miter tracks are from a plastic/phenolic cutting board that can be found at Walmarts, Meijer, etc., even some Harbor Freights: here: http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-cutting-board-set-69459.html. Hope the pics tell the story:
thnx guys.
Joe: It can be made with any dimensions, but this one is about 13 1/4" id, and 31" long. The front and back fence are about 2" tall. The big block where the blade comes through is just laminated plywood scraps and I attached it to the fence above the "1/4" hardboard insert/s. I have an insert for straight cuts, and one for 45degree cuts. Brass screws hold the inserts in place.
The sliders are just from those plastic/phenolic cutting boards that you can buy at Walmart, Meijer, or even Harbor Freight has them…. here @ HF: http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-cutting-board-set-69459.html
I am really happy that the 45 degree angle on the saw is right on.
The "test" box is just a scrap piece of 3/4" ply that's about 5" high, 11"long, and 6" wide. I wanted to be sure the angle cuts were going to be good, and they are. Thank you Grizzly. LOL…......although, it wouldn't take much to dial it in.
I like the angle cutting options/inserts. Wish I would have done that on mine.
Everyone knows how frugal (spelled cheap) I am. I get my cutting board plastic from a local restaurant when they throw out their stained boards. The make great gluing surfaces, too.
Great looking sled, Roger. I use one myself, so I understand how handy they are. Of course yours looks like a work of art compared to mine. I like that idea of using the cutting board material instead of hardwood I used.
Phenolic is a much different plastic (same stuff as Formica) than polyethylene or polypropylene. They are softer and more easily deformed. I mention this because I tried using some HDPE for runners on an X-Y table for my mortiser, and had trouble with the plastic deforming when the flat head machine screws were tightened. Had to go another direction altogether.
That should work just fine but you could save some setup time by making sliding panels which will make it easier to adjust for different blade width , even a dado head and different blade tilt angles .
I have made a couple sleds with sliding panels now and they work great and are very simple to build .
Here is a video demo link to my sled if you like to take a look .
Like the insert idea. I have a few sleds, but not one for 45 deg.
For miter bars, I use 3/4" wide, 1/8" thick aluminum flat and 1/8" hardboard in a sandwich glued with CA. Then use CA to glue to the sled. You can skip the screws entirely on small sled or miter gauge. I placed screws in addition for my super sled because of the amount of use and weight of the sled. Haven't tried the plastic route yet, but I have read a number of posts about it.
I like Kiefer's sliding panel sled idea and will keep it in mind for the next sled in a row…............
Thnx everybody. I luv the pages of LJ's. We all can learn from each other, and it is always changing for the betterment of woodworkers and woodworking. Thnx for all the looks and tips/suggestions/remarks/jokes/etc. I have corrected a "boo-boo" up above in my description of this sled. The bottom is also 1/2" Baltic Birch, NOT 3/4"....there was a 61 year old brain cramp… lol
that's a good tip, i always have trouble using wood for the tracks, for it varies with the humidity, here its common to be in the 90s.
now i know what to use for them now. thanks for that Roger
Very well made Roger. Should we call you 'One Cut Roger' from now on?
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