Incra Mitre Express

[Ed in Tampa]

I have two questions.
First since the t-rail on the express holds the SS Mitre will a OEM mitre also fit?. For instance if I wanted to use the express on both a SS and say a Delta saw could I use each's mitre guage?

Second question does any one know if SS or Incra sells replacement boards for the Express? Again if I wanted to use it both on the a SS and a on a Delta saw and since the boards are cut to fit can I get two sets one for the SS and one for the Delta?

Has anyone used the Mitre express? How is it.
Ed

[dusty]

I used the miter express and was favorable impressed but I was using it on a large stand alone tilt-left table saw. I have not used one on a Shopsmith but there is no reason to believe it would perform any less favorably.

You mention moving one back and forth between a SS and another table. I recommend some serious research and thought there. Are the miter bars (miter slots) the same depth and width?

Also, the miter express employs both miter slots. The tables are tailored for zero clearance. Once tailored for something other than a SS table will it perform satisfactorily on the SS.

My brief experience tells me one would work just fine on the SS but the Shopsmith works just fine as it is. The only thing that I give the miter express extra points for is the very accurate (very repeatable) miter gauge.

[Ed in Tampa]

I used the miter express and was favorable impressed but I was using it on a large stand alone tilt-left table saw. I have not used one on a Shopsmith but there is no reason to believe it would perform any less favorably.

You mention moving one back and forth between a SS and another table. I recommend some serious research and thought there. Are the miter bars (miter slots) the same depth and width?

Also, the miter express employs both miter slots. The tables are tailored for zero clearance. Once tailored for something other than a SS table will it perform satisfactorily on the SS.

My brief experience tells me one would work just fine on the SS but the Shopsmith works just fine as it is. The only thing that I give the miter express extra points for is the very accurate (very repeatable) miter gauge.

Dusty
Your concerns are the exact reason for my questions.

I agree the SS works find just as it is, but I'm quickly becoming a believer in crosscut sleds and such (probably watch too much of David Marks). However since I have started using a crosscut sled my accuracy has improved exponentially. Plus it think it easier to control cut offs and I really believe it is easier to handle wide lumber with a sled.

I have the SS slidding mitre table but setting angles on it is frustrating so I was thinking of moving to the Express, thus my questions.

My plan if I do go with the express is to get some aluminum stock and tie both pieces of the my SS Crosscut slidding table together with a replaceble zero clearance insert making the ultimate cross cut sled. However that plan is still very much in the planing stages.
Ed

[ldh]

Ed,
This is my first post of any kind on a computer so here is my two cents worth. I have the SS cross-cut sled and it works great, but I wanted a bit more so I constructed my own using the SS miter bar (555895), zero clearance blade insert and a Wixey Digital Angle Gauge. The Wixey helps set the angle to 0.1 degree. If you or others are interested I will try to post a picture of the sled.
ldh

[paulmcohen]

What confuses me on this whole topic is what is the advantage of any crosscut sled over a sliding compound miter saw or Radial Arm saw.

I see Norm and David Marks use both and I can never tell which one they will use. I have both and find myself selecting the miter saw all the time.

I understand if someone only has a Shopsmith then the question is what is the best sled but I would like to widen the discussion.

[charlese]

What confuses me on this whole topic is what is the advantage of any crosscut sled over a sliding compound miter saw or Radial Arm saw.

I'll try to tell you, Paul. A Sliding, Compound Miter Saw is a great tool. Can't discount that! Don't know the cutting width of the biggest of them, but hazard a guess of about 10 to 12 inches. Another consideration is the price. To me they are pretty spendy.

On the other hand my home made sled cost about 10 to 12 bucks. It is used, not only to crosscut boards, but also larger panels. My sled has a bar (made of oak) that is 20 inches long. I can use it to cut or rip 24" wide or long work pieces. For example with the sled, I can safely and easily saw out a plywood panel 24" by 36" (or longer) and it comes out square every time. I use the rip fence to saw the 24" width and the sled to trim the piece to size.

The sled is very stable on the saw table - all I have to do is put a small pencil mark on a piece - place that mark at the edge of the table and push the sled across the saw table. The cut is always right on the mark. No need to adjust the workpiece, no placing a mark beneath a laser.

Alao the sled hangs on the wall when not in use and does not take up shop space.

[dusty]

ldh, Please do post your pictures. Speaking for myself, I am always interested and I believe the rest of this forum is also. They wouldn't log on if they weren't.

Cutoff Sled versus Sliding Compound Miter....I don't know just how the compound miter got into this discussion but I believe they both have their place in a shop (that has both).

I have the cutoff sled and I believe it is the only tool to use on a table saw to do repetitive cutoffs until you begin talking about a number of different angle cutoffs (where accuracy is important). In comes the Incra tools.

If compound cuts are required, I don't know how one can beat a good compound miter. Until size becomes the issue. Once the stock exceeds the capability of the compound miter, then we have to look elsewhere. Now I think we are looking for special jigs/fixtures.

Bottom line: You can only use what you have. Learn how to produce all you can with what you have and when that becomes insufficient to meet your personal needs... look elsewhere. Go get whatever it is that allows you to do what you want/need to do. This, after all, is why some of us have compound miters, sleds, Shopsmiths, stand alones, jointers, planers, sanders, and whatever. Then again, some people do it all with hand tools.

[Ed in Tampa]

What confuses me on this whole topic is what is the advantage of any crosscut sled over a sliding compound miter saw or Radial Arm saw.

I see Norm and David Marks use both and I can never tell which one they will use. I have both and find myself selecting the miter saw all the time.

I understand if someone only has a Shopsmith then the question is what is the best sled but I would like to widen the discussion.

Paul
I have a RAS and CMS but I still use a sliding crosscut sled.
My RAS was my first saw and I love it. But it has it's problems also. While I have spent a lot of time aligning it I know it is has some flaws in accuracy. Also it is hard to used backups to prevent tear out when cutting on the radial arm saw.
I have CMS and I use it. It is not a slidding CMS as they are real pricey. Again I really like my CMS but again it has it's own set of problems and traits. Hard to use a back up wood to prevent tear outs.

If I want a super smooth accurate cut I usually use the SS and a crosscut table. The table gives me a zero clearance table insert, an dead on accurate mark for where the cut will take place, I can clamp down the parts so there is absolutely no movement, little danger in kick back, climb cutting or any other problem, my hands are well away from the blade, and crosscut table fence gives me tear out prevention. For me cutting precious wood for detail work there is simply no other way.
Ed

[paulmcohen]

OK, what I got so far is Sliding Crosscut saws are expensive (but I happen to own one). They are limited to ~16" and you may not be able to backup the wood (mine has a plastic backup plate). What I am still missing is within the rules above if you have a choice why pick one. In the case of Norm he has three choices and sometimes on a project he uses all three and I can never guess which one or why.

[dusty]

I don't know why he picks one over another but I'd bet it has something to do with what he gets paid for. He is there as a marketing tool; if Shopsmith would pay him enough he would be using a Mark V as often as he uses Porter Cable, Delta or any of the others.