# Cross-cut Sled Matchfit Clamps



## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Hi,

I am mostly finished with this cross-cut sled with clamps.

I have a couple of questions.

1. I tried doing the 5-cut method for squaring it up. It went something like this…

After the 5 cuts the width difference between each end of the 5th strip was -0.0265, I divided that by 4 and then divided by the length of the strip (8.75" long) then multiplied by the distance between pivot point of sled fence to end of sled fence (20") and came up with a value of -0.01514

After doing the appropriate adjustment, I repeated the 5-cuts and the result was roughly the same…

So, is that value -0.01514 a fairly insignificant amount? I am confused as to what that number represents.

2. I need to put some kind of safety guard at the back of the sled, so I don't accidentally put my thumbs where the blade comes out.

Can you please share what you did on your sleds, if you are particularly happy with it? or any slick ideas you have for it?

Thanks in advance!


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## memilanuk (Apr 15, 2008)

Did you watch the video by William Ng on the 5-cut method? He details the process pretty thoroughly, and I think he added some guards to the fence as well.

How did you do the adjustment? If the results were the same after as before, it doesn't sound like you actually made an effective adjustment.


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## OlaC (12 mo ago)

Don't you have the routed clamp tracks in the wrong direction? On a crosscut sled you usually want to clamp pieces for crosscutting them, that clamping set up is more for a ripping sled if such exists.

Regarding stop I have a stop in the outfeed table so the runners never can go to far. That + a blade cover box on the back is bullet proof since the blade never can come out at the back.


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## brtech (May 26, 2010)

You are well within the accuracy of a wooden jig. Don't mess with it, it will probably get worse.
Yes, you need a safety guard on the back. Don't overthink it. A solid piece or a U shape that's 3 or 4" deep is good enough.

I would have made all the slots for the Match Fit clamps stop short of the blade slot. I can just see myself not remembering I can't put a clamp there and running the blade through the clamp.

You definitely need some slots for clamps going the other way to do cross cuts.


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Yeah, I watched that video, and tried to replicate it.

I feel like the inaccuracy could be coming from a some side to side wobble on the runners.



> Did you watch the video by William Ng on the 5-cut method? He details the process pretty thoroughly, and I think he added some guards to the fence as well.
> 
> How did you do the adjustment? If the results were the same after as before, it doesn t sound like you actually made an effective adjustment.
> 
> - Monte Milanuk


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Doom it! you are right, the tracks would be better going the other way…face palm!

Good idea with the outfeed table block. I could see myself sawing right through a guard and through my thumbs.



> Don t you have the routed clamp tracks in the wrong direction? On a crosscut sled you usually want to clamp pieces for crosscutting them, that clamping set up is more for a ripping sled if such exists.
> 
> Regarding stop I have a stop in the outfeed table so the runners never can go to far. That + a blade cover box on the back is bullet proof since the blade never can come out at the back.
> 
> - OlaC


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

Thanks for the feedback.



> You are well within the accuracy of a wooden jig. Don t mess with it, it will probably get worse.
> Yes, you need a safety guard on the back. Don t overthink it. A solid piece or a U shape that s 3 or 4" deep is good enough.
> 
> I would have made all the slots for the Match Fit clamps stop short of the blade slot. I can just see myself not remembering I can t put a clamp there and running the blade through the clamp.
> ...


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

I attached two 2×4s, 4 inches long to the back side. And painted them red as a reminder for safety.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

Old School way to see if your saw is giving you dead 90's is using a miter gauge, or a sled. Cut a piece of stock 4" WIDE x 10" LONG.

Make your cut right at 5" mark. Keep one side of the cut pieces where it lays after the cut, and turn the other half so it's old top, is now down. Approximate both pieces of stock, and if there is no GAP where you cut, you are good to go.

Going forward from there it's up to you to decide if your gap is problematic, or not. I make sure all mine match tightly. Going from that point if something doesn't go together you know it's not the saw.


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## Woodforbrains (Nov 4, 2021)

I'm going to try that. Thanks!


> Old School way to see if your saw is giving you dead 90 s is using a miter gauge, or a sled. Cut a piece of stock 4" WIDE x 10" LONG.
> 
> Make your cut right at 5" mark. Keep one side of the cut pieces where it lays after the cut, and turn the other half so it s old top, is now down. Approximate both pieces of stock, and if there is no GAP where you cut, you are good to go.
> 
> ...


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

Here's how I do it.

When you figure out which way the fence needs to adjust-

1. If the fence need to move forward, clamp a block offset a few thou away from fence. Loosen the screw and move til it hits block, retry.

2. If the fence needs to move rearward, clamp a block against fence, loosen screw, insert feeler gauge and re try.

Watch the Ng video. But don't get anal over dialing it in. 20 thou over 12" is more than accurate enough.

On the adjustable screw, if you drill a 1"flat bottom hole deep enough for the screw head, then make a slightly oblong hole and use a washer head screw, you don't end up with 13 holes in the bottom. DAMHIKT.

Funny in 40 years of ww'ing I've never felt the need for hood down clamps. If I needed to, I would just screw a toggle clamp to the bed.


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## OlaC (12 mo ago)

> Funny in 40 years of ww'ing I've never felt the need for hood down clamps. If I needed to, I would just screw a toggle clamp to the bed.
> 
> - Robert


Even if you never found a need for routed in clamps I can promise you they are very useful. In seconds you can clamp any item with any thickness and shape anywhere on the sled, you can clamp temporary fences other than 90 degrees for instance when cutting an angle at an apron matching a splayed table leg. You can clamp temporary stops close up front to the saw blade when cutting miters. You can clamp very odd shapes as I did a few years ago a where I clamped down a v-shaped template holding a round stock of odd shape, or the bent laminate back for a seating bench that also had an odd shape.

For normal crosscutting you might not need the clamps that often, mainly when cutting small parts, but having the clamps open up many new possibilities.

Toggle clamps are not even close in set up speed and versatility if we are talking cross cut sleds. And as usual, they create a torque on the parts risking to bend the base if tightened down more than semi hard.

Just a few samples of what I'm talking about.














































I also touch this subject in my old (prior to the later more worked through videos) youtubefilm.


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## squazo (Nov 23, 2013)

i put a stop so the blade cant come to far.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

> Funny in 40 years of ww'ing I've never felt the need for hood down clamps. If I needed to, I would just screw a toggle clamp to the bed.
> 
> - Robert
> 
> ...


To each his own……


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