# Router planing sled



## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Hi, I made a router planing sled out of 3/4" plywood for my makita 1/4" shank router. Since, the router bit can only protrude a certain distance below the base, it can't reach very deep since it also has to pass the 3/4" base of the sled.

Should I have made the sled base out of thinner plywood? E.g. 3/8"

Or, should I look for router bits with a longer shaft?

Is this a problem other people have with their sleds?

Thanks for any advice!


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## RClark (Jun 1, 2012)

I think the 1/4" shaft is the limiting factor for your situation. By design, the 1/4' shank bits are going to be smaller and shorter than available 1/2" router bits. A longer 1/4" shank will vibrate more when running.

You can try a thinner base, but the thinner the ply, the more the sled may sag as time goes on.

Are you getting any cut at all with the setup you are running now?

When I use my router to flatten slabs, I always take a light cut; 1/8" or less even with 1/2" shank bits. If I need to remove a lot of thickness, I can usually get several passes before I need to shim up the work piece to bring the surface up nearer to the sled so I can continue, if that makes sense.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I ran into the same thing on my router sled and used an extension chuck to resolve it. However, like RClark said, I think a 1/4" bit is too small to be ideal for use in a planing sled and if you used an extension (not even sure if there are extensions with 1/4" shanks) it would be even worse. So I don't think I would go that route in your case.

I would probably cut a hole in the 3/4" ply wood that your router base fits snugly in then laminate a piece of 1/4" hardboard or MDF to the face for the router to sit on.


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## northwoodsman (Feb 22, 2008)

I would upgrade to a router with a 1/2" collet. This is only the first of many times that your router will be a limiting factor. I use 1/4" bits in my cordless routers and trim routers but that's about it.


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

You definitely need 1/2" shank bits with a router sled. Will your router accept a 1/2" collet? 
And can you post a photo of your sled?


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

What HP? Anything under 2 1/4 you're over tasking it.

By definition the right router for the job will take 1/2" shanks and a planer bit.


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## DevinT (Mar 25, 2021)

I built a router planing sled that gets around this issue by using risers of different heights. Bit not long enough? Step down to the next smaller riser.


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Okay, thanks for the advice. I think I will do that.



> I would upgrade to a router with a 1/2" collet. This is only the first of many times that your router will be a limiting factor. I use 1/4" bits in my cordless routers and trim routers but that s about it.
> 
> - northwoodsman


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

I don't think it will accept a 1/2" collet…I will have to check on that. It is my first router so I am a little unfamiliar. Actually, I was getting the sled to work by installing the bit only part way into the collet, but slowly realized that was probably dangerous…





















> You definitely need 1/2" shank bits with a router sled. Will your router accept a 1/2" collet?
> And can you post a photo of your sled?
> 
> - bigJohninvegas


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Thanks for the response, I think I will get a 1/2" router. I was getting the sled to work by installing the bit only part way into the collet, which is probably dangerous. When it is installed at the recommended depth, the planer bit I have doesn't even cut through the base of the sled.



> I think the 1/4" shaft is the limiting factor for your situation. By design, the 1/4 shank bits are going to be smaller and shorter than available 1/2" router bits. A longer 1/4" shank will vibrate more when running.
> 
> You can try a thinner base, but the thinner the ply, the more the sled may sag as time goes on.
> 
> ...


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## EarlS (Dec 21, 2011)

You didn't mention the width of the bit. I ordered a Whiteside 6220, CNC Spoilboard Surfacing Router Bit, 1/2" Shank off Amazon to use with my Bosch 1617 router (2-1/4 HP), using the plunge base, to flatten the top of the work bench I'm building. It has a 2" cut diameter. I haven't got the sled built yet.


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## sunnybob (Oct 12, 2021)

That router sled is strong enough for you to stand on.
You could take off the 3/4 base and replace it with something as thin as a 1/4", because the side braces you have will not allow the base to buckle.
But a 1/2" router is really the answer to your problems (still with a thin base if you have that much edge bracing)


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Yeah, I think I will do both of those things. Thanks for the advice.

Do you have a recommendation on the router?

Also, do most people use the same router as their plunge type router and their table router? i.e. move it back and forth. Or is it common for people to own both a plunge router and a separate router which stays connected to a router table?



> That router sled is strong enough for you to stand on.
> You could take off the 3/4 base and replace it with something as thin as a 1/4", because the side braces you have will not allow the base to buckle.
> But a 1/2" router is really the answer to your problems (still with a thin base if you have that much edge bracing)
> 
> - sunnybob


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## Jimarco (May 15, 2015)

Good job on the sled. Plus 1 on a router that accepts a 1/2" collet, 2 1/4 hp or higher router and replace base of sled with thinner material.

What router? The best you can afford and have another use than just the sled.

I have a Router collet chuck extension. I don't like to use it.


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## JohnMcClure (Aug 24, 2016)

Once you put a router in a table, you won't want to take it out. Most people have 2 or more for that reason.


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Ahhhh, gotcha. I guess the router table should have a 1/2" router too, right?



> Once you put a router in a table, you won t want to take it out. Most people have 2 or more for that reason.
> 
> - JohnMcClure


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

> I don t think it will accept a 1/2" collet…I will have to check on that. It is my first router so I am a little unfamiliar. Actually, I was getting the sled to work by installing the bit only part way into the collet, but slowly realized that was probably dangerous…
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You definitely want the bit installed properly. Do you know the model number on your router? 
With that you can look it up to see if a 1/2" collet is offered. 
I have both for my Dewalt and Porter Cable routers.

So my sled is a little different design from yours. 
And not my idea, but just how I was tought to make one. 
While your sled move up and down the length, and then the router moves left and right on the sled. This gives you the potential for the router to tip.

I used 3/4" mdf, and my router base is fixed into a recess. Also the plastic plate is removed. 
With this style, you will notice that the sled has to be long enough to travel the full left/right distance. 
And with this set up, there is no chance of the router tipping. 


















Also, the recess is cut to about the same thickness as the plastic plate that comes on the base. 
My Dewalt 618 came with a plunge base, a pistol grip base, and the regular fixed base that stays mounted to the sled. But you can buy them individually.


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

So the base section of my sled is a little hard to dig out at the moment, so only the top piece was in my post above. 
But I found this old video I made. 
I took a class oh, maybe 8 years ago on router technics. Can't believe I still have it. 
Anyway, this is the night I learned about router sleds. 
And mine is a version of it. 
I think it was 1" plywood, and notice there are no rails to add strength.










https://youtu.be/EQegpIl8i_A!https://storage.googleapis.com/aws-s3-lumberjocks-com/r24s84j.jpg!


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## DevinT (Mar 25, 2021)

You can see me use my router sled in this video as well as this video

In the second video, first appearance is at 2m28s thru 3m15s. Second appearance is at 14m13s thru 14m21s.


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## sunnybob (Oct 12, 2021)

I started the other way to most folks with routers. My first was a 1/2" makita plunge router, but it was put into a table on day one and has never come out. Still my most used machine, after over 7 years.

Then I got a 1/2" plunge router purely to make a router sled.
I tried the slot version like yours, but found the router bounced around even on the lightest cuts (I suspect your 1/4" being much lighter would wobble even more), so made the wide board type with the router fixed and the board slides side to side. It needs a few more inches either side of the base for movement, but a far superior cut.
Then a couple years later I bought a job lot of tools which included 3×1/4" routers, so now I have five.


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Oh, that is cool. That was fast!

When I make my next sled, I will seriously consider that style.



> So the base section of my sled is a little hard to dig out at the moment, so only the top piece was in my post above.
> But I found this old video I made.
> I took a class oh, maybe 8 years ago on router technics. Can t believe I still have it.
> Anyway, this is the night I learned about router sleds.
> ...


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Nice work, actually I really like that style of jig, sans-rails.



> You can see me use my router sled in this video as well as this video
> 
> In the second video, first appearance is at 2m28s thru 3m15s. Second appearance is at 14m13s thru 14m21s.
> 
> - DevinT


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

It is only 1-1/4 HP Makita RT0701CX7

I am starting to regret that purchase.

Is it handy to have a 1/4 inch low powered router? or did I just buy something that I will never use after I get a 1/2 inch more powerful router?



> What HP? Anything under 2 1/4 you're over tasking it.
> 
> By definition the right router for the job will take 1/2" shanks and a planer bit.
> 
> - Robert


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

Most will agree, you can't have too many routers. Put a roundover bit or chamfer bit in there and keep it around so it's handy for quick use.

FWIW, I use my 2.25 hp router with my planing sled these days with a 2" bit and it does just fine. I used to pull my big boy out of the table but that's more trouble than it's worth. So you don't necessarily need a monster for this use depending on the bit you want to use and how heavy you want to be able to cut.


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## JohnMcClure (Aug 24, 2016)

I've been flattening some 20"-diameter sweetgum rounds recently. I could use your 2" bit, Kenny! 
I threw together a flattening jig in 15 minutes for the purpose - a box made of 1×6es to fit around the rounds, and fixed the router to another 1×6 with a hole for the bit. 
The router is an old workhorse of a porter cable that I use for rough jobs, like playhouse timber framing LOL.
As the slab gets thinner I put 1/2" plywood underneath it to bring it closer to the router.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

This one is a different brand than mine but mine is also a generic Chinese one. I bought it because I only intended to use it for a couple of end grain cookies and considered it disposable. But it's done several more projects with good results and still going so it ended up being a much better value than I anticipated


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## JohnMcClure (Aug 24, 2016)

I bought it, thanks Kenny. Four 20" cookies will be easier with this.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

What is the OP attempting to flatten with this sled?

I was building my first work bench out of 4" SYP laminated together. I went through a lot of anxiety over how to get flat. I explored making in two sections so I could run through my planner but I still would need to get that final glue up dead on, like that is ever going to happen. I bought a flattening bit for my router and was getting ready to build a sled and thought "I am just going to hit this with my Stanley No. 5 to see what happens" I got that bench flat as hell on both sides and haven't touched the router since (no table). On the plus side I have about 30 planes now, had only two when I did the top. I enjoyed the workout so much I was hooked.


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Hahaha, yeah, I get what you mean about planing, I am starting to get the bug.

I used it to flatten desk drawer fronts. It was from an old style desk which had all kinds of bevels and ridges, and I wanted to flatten it out so it looks more modern.


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