Time to make a sled?

[moose]

We see the light just fine. You see the light Dusty?

[dusty]

Lets see!

The topic is how to cut 5" off one side/end of a 40 x 15 workpiece.

The discussion went into sleds.

Sleds are not the topic.(in spite of the 'title')

Count suggestions what saw to use to cut that workpiece.

Count the posts babbling about sleds.(worthy info, but not relevant IMHO)

We be easily diverted from the task at hand(we includes me).

I still think the bandsaw is the tool of choice for this task - no sleds needed.

And FWIW me did make a sled for use on the bandsaw a while back and posted it.

Think about this entire thread. You may then 'see the light'.

I missed that, JPG. Would you please post a link.

Yes, I see the light. I really do.

[dusty]

BTW, I believe we were led right into the discussion on sleds.

rejent, "Would a sled be the method of choice?"

[JPG]

BTW, I believe we were led right into the discussion on sleds.

rejent, "Would a sled be the method of choice?"

Total agreement there! Thread title also.

FWIW bandsaw sled aka jig

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/viewt ... IG#p160620

[rjent]

OK, hope some of youse are still keeping your eye bowls on this ....

I made the sled, actually a piece of cake, just took me all day ....

It works great, what a dream it will be cutting these panels. I glued up a half inch thick panel out of scrap to simulate my real ones. Works slick.

My question is this though. How accurate should it be? I am at about a degree off of square. Can a sled do better than that? I am going to make the "fence" on the operator side adjustable so you can compensate for changes in the future, but I just need to know what kind of accuracy I can expect. I used two framing square setting back to back on either side of the blade when I aligned the "fence". Seemed like a good idea at the time ...

Pictures coming, but I need to make the safety box first.

Anyway, what say you..... accurate enough? I was hoping for square .....

[JPG]

OK, hope some of youse are still keeping your eye bowls on this ....

I made the sled, actually a piece of cake, just took me all day ....

It works great, what a dream it will be cutting these panels. I glued up a half inch thick panel out of scrap to simulate my real ones. Works slick.

My question is this though. How accurate should it be? I am at about a degree off of square. Can a sled do better than that? I am going to make the "fence" on the operator side adjustable so you can compensate for changes in the future, but I just need to know what kind of accuracy I can expect. I used two framing square setting back to back on either side of the blade when I aligned the "fence". Seemed like a good idea at the time ...

Pictures coming, but I need to make the safety box first.

Anyway, what say you..... accurate enough? I was hoping for square .....

I would consider 1° excessive for a sled.

Read up on the 5 cut method for aligning sleds.

[rjent]

OK, hope some of youse are still keeping your eye bowls on this ....

I made the sled, actually a piece of cake, just took me all day ....

It works great, what a dream it will be cutting these panels. I glued up a half inch thick panel out of scrap to simulate my real ones. Works slick.

My question is this though. How accurate should it be? I am at about a degree off of square. Can a sled do better than that? I am going to make the "fence" on the operator side adjustable so you can compensate for changes in the future, but I just need to know what kind of accuracy I can expect. I used two framing square setting back to back on either side of the blade when I aligned the "fence". Seemed like a good idea at the time ...

Pictures coming, but I need to make the safety box first.

Anyway, what say you..... accurate enough? I was hoping for square .....

I would consider 1° excessive for a sled.

Read up on the 5 cut method for aligning sleds.

I did, I am still trying to recover from that

OK, I thought so. I can , and want to, get it closer, but I didn't want to waste my time if that I all you can expect.

thanks for the feedback, I will prevail...

[jsburger]

I agree JPG. Mine is almost dead on. Since mine is so wide I was able to clamp the rear fence on and make test cuts. Then adjust until it was square and then screw it in place. I removed the screws and added glue and then screwed it back on.

[rjent]

I agree JPG. Mine is almost dead on. Since mine is so wide I was able to clamp the rear fence on and make test cuts. Then adjust until it was square and then screw it in place. I removed the screws and added glue and then screwed it back on.

Your sled inspired me John, in many ways. Your adjustment method is what I have planed except I will attempt to keep the fence adjustable, at least for a while. I am using the floating tables emulating your idea about the "outrigger" slides that you have, because I wanted to use the Shopsmith "system". I may regret it, but there it is ....

I am pretty sure, my fence can be dialed in to perfect, but I just wanted to make sure it was a realistic goal.

Didn't want to chase my tail

[jsburger]

DSCF0929 (640x480).jpg (238.67 KiB) Viewed 6971 times

I agree JPG. Mine is almost dead on. Since mine is so wide I was able to clamp the rear fence on and make test cuts. Then adjust until it was square and then screw it in place. I removed the screws and added glue and then screwed it back on.

Your sled inspired me John, in many ways. Your adjustment method is what I have planed except I will attempt to keep the fence adjustable, at least for a while. I am using the floating tables emulating your idea about the "outrigger" slides that you have, because I wanted to use the Shopsmith "system". I may regret it, but there it is ....

I am pretty sure, my fence can be dialed in to perfect, but I just wanted to make sure it was a realistic goal.

Didn't want to chase my tail

OK, by outrigger slides I guess you mean this.

With floating tables you can do this. Just slide the floating tables up against the main table. In this case I would make the sled 4" wider than the main table.