# Cross Cut Sleds: How thick is your base



## jmwhosh (Feb 15, 2010)

I'm working on finally building a crosscut sled and since I don't have hardly any 'spare' wood lying around I figure I'm gonna have to go buy some sort of sheet good to use as the bottom of the sled. So my question is, in your opinion, how thick should the bottom of the sled be so that it isn't 'flimsy' but also so that is doesn't make it so I can only cut through an 1" of material?

Does the question make sense? Do you usually go 1/2"? I do have some 1/8" hardboard lying around, what if double that up and use it for a base, or would it be better to try and triple it? Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

I use decent quality 1/2" plywood for sleds and most other jigs I make, Anything thinner than that might work okay, but too flimsy for my taste.


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## supervato (May 19, 2010)

I made my cross cut sled with 1/2 inch mdf for the base and douglas fur for the fence.


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## MadBeaver (Jan 21, 2010)

I think a "sled" can be any size, depending on what you project/wood is.


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## spaids (Apr 15, 2008)

Mine is 3/4 ply but I don't feel like its necessary. After using it for a little while I found the important piece is a very stiff and sturdy fence. I have a runner on mine for each slot in my TS so if the bottom was much thinner it wouldn't effect the accuracy. In fact the unit would be lighter and with a deeper cut capacity. Hmm now I'm thinking about steel runners, a heavy duty thick fence and then just 1/4 hardboard for the bottom. Cheap, light, solid. I might try that.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I have several but the largest two have 3/4 ply .


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## TheWoodsmith (May 28, 2010)

mine is 3/4'' mdf, it was spare from a project, i took a piece of tslider off of my junky miter guage that came with my little saw. when i upgraded to the new fence and stand and so on i realized a sled would be better and just used that slider for my sled, It is a little on the tall side though I am considering a nicer melamine surfaced one from 1/2 inch


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## thatwoodworkingguy (May 19, 2010)

I have 3/4 ply.
And my fences and whatnot on the sled are all 1 inch thick. I took no chances.


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## hallamjeff (Jun 3, 2010)

3/4" baltic birch for mine, but if I was making a lighter version I think 1/2" would work fine.


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## stevenmadden (Dec 10, 2009)

1/2" birch plywood for the bottom, 3/4" birch plywood for the front/rear fences, blade guard and the stop block, and 3/4" MDF for a replaceable zero clearance fence. This crosscut sled is based on the one by John White from Fine Woodworking, with a few modifications.










Keep us posted, I would like to see what you come up with.

Steve


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## Eagle1 (Jan 4, 2010)

I would use 3/4 plywood. Especially with how much humidty that you might have in your shop.


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## Porosky (Mar 10, 2009)

3/4 MDF no problems at all.


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## croessler (Jun 22, 2007)

I used "3/4" birch ply"


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## jmwhosh (Feb 15, 2010)

Hey, thanks everyone for your input. It looks like 1/2" to 3/4" is the way to go. We'll see if I can put something together here soon.


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## Kindlingmaker (Sep 29, 2008)

The following one was made by MickeyD, http://lumberjocks.com/projects/21053


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