Affordable Router Sled - I finally got it right!

How to make an affordable linear rail router sled, by only cutting and drilling a $20 acrylic sheet.
Links to tools used or referenced in this video (*affiliate):
COMPLETE PARTS LIST FOR ROUTER SLED:
Side rails - amzn.to/40rIKYx
Cross rails - amzn.to/478twtx
.... double check cross rails part number "SC20UU+4Pcs" - or see note below
Acrylic sheet - amzn.to/3FxviIL
Screws - amzn.to/3Mi3GLH
Nuts - amzn.to/3s9AcJ2
End blocks - amzn.to/476yjvy
NOTE: if the cross-rails are temporarily sold out, then the amazon link wrongly directs to a different and incorrect set of rails. Please double check the cross rails are these specific description... "Linear Rail Slide 20mm x 1200mm Linear Bearing Slide Set with 4Pcs Block Bearings SC20UU+4Pcs"
Here is a link for an alternate equivalent cross rails if the Vevor ones in the link above are sold out...
Alternate cross rails - amzn.to/3SEX7oD
OTHER TOOLS REFERENCED OR USED IN VIDEO:
Router - amzn.to/3tHnUrw
Trim router - amzn.to/3QzNwzP
1" surfacing bit - amzn.to/3s6lMt0
2" surfacing bit - amzn.to/3Sh0PGE
Laser - amzn.to/4998RHq
Drill press - amzn.to/3QwyoC7
LIGHTBURN FILES FOR THE DRILL TEMPLATE
30x32 hole pattern - drive.google.com/file/d/10CA1...
40x40 hole pattern - drive.google.com/file/d/1V_Sz...
SVG FILES FOR THE DRILL TEMPLATE
30x32 hole pattern - drive.google.com/file/d/1u-rl...
40x40 hole pattern - drive.google.com/file/d/1wTQq...
*affiliate - As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

[@db0nn3r]

Thanks for making this and providing all of your materials and instructions for free. The router sled market has become an absurd over marketed money grab for guys with CNC machines. And KZbin has become another money grab with patreon and paid plans. Old school KZbin open source information sharing is sadly dying

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@liviofazi4017]

you just knew there was going to be a problem when they went after and shuttered Napster.

[@remcotissink]

Finally... somebody telling all the things that went wrong. I found three mistakes that I as about to make so you saved me that frustration. Thanx for an awesome vid !

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Glad I could help!

[@GallerWorks]

The rest of my rails show up tomorrow. Thanks for the walkthrough, and the explanation of errors. It’s nice to see someone explain the missteps instead of me yelling at my tools. 😁

[@jkmwoodworking]

Glad to hear it was helpful!

[@brucehansen7949]

​@@jkmwoodworkinghey bud you still got 1 mistake left you haven't realized... I have the exact same router and made a router sled like yours... well I was doing 1/8" passes over walnut with a 2" spoilboard bit, and I was going nice and slow... really smooth didn't wanna work my router too hard, 2 1/4 hp dewalt... well only 20 minutes and she was smoking. 3+ hp router should be the standard on a router sled. I'm currently looking into a few... Triton has a 3 1/2? I think like $300 vevor makes a 3 1/4 ,for real cheap like $90 but will it last long? Idk and can't find any good reviews, just unboxing reviews. Nobody does any real reviews anymore, just day 1 crap and it's annoying

[@MrPhilTX]

I read the warning on the DeWalt speed differently: it says at low and medium speeds it will act to keep the speed the same, but you might overheat if you push too hard. Because the motor won't slow, you won't know that you are pushing it too hard. They don't say how to know if you are pushing too hard, but probably at the depths of cut for surfacing, it isn't likely. And if you are moving by hand, you will feel when the cut rate bogs down.

[@astrophyz]

This would be the correct interpretation. I was thrown off by his explanation also. What the router does is increase amperage into the motor to maintain RPMs, this will add extra heat into the motor and if done too much, can cause it to fail. So lower speeds require slower feed rates.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks for the clarification, I guess I just misunderstood. Yeah I guess if you are just careful to not put too much load on the router, it would work fine. Thanks!

[@MrPhilTX]

@@jkmwoodworking I love the simplicity of this design. So I've spent a bit of time pricing out this design and trying to figure out how to make it work in my workshop. I was trying to decide if I needed the full length, and if I even had a place to put the full 2m length.

[@jotacalvo]

I came across these rails marketed on Amazon for a CNC and immediately imagined them for a sled. Excellent video and info for us new to the sled game. 👍👍👍 FWIW I realize in the grand scheme, $20 doesn’t amount to much. But for future reference stop by any countertop shop that does solid surface (Corian) and you likely will find a nearly unlimited supply of 1/2” acrylic in their dumpster. I did solid surface for decades and shudder to think of all the valuable stuff that we threw away that could have been repurposed for things other than cutting boards.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great info, thanks!

[@akquicksilver]

Be interesting to mount a dial indicator on the sled cross rails and see how much deflection (sag) you get in the center of the rails. Good looking design.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Interesting idea, I might try it! Thanks!

[@akquicksilver]

I would imagine with the weight of the router not counting for any down force applied by you,across that span would probably result in at lest .010" in the middle. Steel is way more flexible than most folks would think. Of course .010" would not be at all noticeable across a large cutting board or table top. @@jkmwoodworking

[@AlphaBobFloridaOverlord]

I’m not a woodworker, will probably never build this, LOVED the video! Very interesting - great way to start my day! Thanks!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much!

[@rodrigocristopherpelucchiv2970]

Your idea of putting an acrylic sheet instead a metal sheet is genius!!!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@mpogze8020]

I love this system. There ar so many others on YT that just don't seem to measure up to the simplicity of your system. Thank you!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much!

[@branchandfoundry560]

Picking nits...flat bottom is counter BORE, conical bottom is counter SINK. Great project & video, thank you!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Appreciate the terminology clarification

[@davidboettcher4367]

Thank you on creating this video depicting your build along with the issues you had building it. It is very well thought out and I believe that just about anyone can duplicate your build. The part on the acrylic square vs rectangle was awesome as well as the part about what type drill bits to use. I am sure this helped me save some money. I was able to create this and I love it and appreciate you for bringing this to anyone interested in building a router sled. I believe that router sleds are more universal or convenient vs having to plane everything. This is relatively cheap to make vs purchasing a small planer let alone a large planer, and can be made rather large to do larger pieces of wood. I know that there are kits out there as you mentioned in your video but this is the way to go. Thanks again - much appreciated! :)

[@jkmwoodworking]

That's awesome, happy to hear that it worked for you! Thanks for your kind words!

[@davidhabener5767]

I did the very same thing. all done in a half day.

[@hansangb]

Great practical advice! Thanks for putting the video together.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tatehogan5685]

Fantastic video! I've been wanting to build a nice setup for ages but was not able to decide on rails. Being on a budget means I can't experiment and your video helped immensely.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful!

[@chrisrudy1969]

Great project! Thanks for sharing.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@kyledorsey3795]

Great video. Very helpful and gets to the points!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thank you!

[@davidhabener5767]

Can I say Beautiful ? I love this. I just checked amazon for the cost of this build. This won't break the bank. This just might be in my future, in the spring.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Yes, it's very affordable for a really good router sled!

[@davidhabener5767]

@@jkmwoodworking I did go and buy the parts for this, yes it can be done under $200 (IF) you have a router already. (I have 2 routers) After watching this I did it. 1000MM x 1000MM, I didn't need anything bigger. The only change was the acrylic, I did 13mm thickness.

[@jkmwoodworking]

@@davidhabener5767 Awesome! I'm glad to hear it worked out!

[@grsoto]

Great build. The list of projects to make so I can make other projects is never ending :)

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@ricknightengale5339]

great design, thanks for sharing

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@sgreenwood4756]

Entertaining and yet you didn’t waste my time Got to the point Just said why and why not and moved on By far the simplest and sturdiest design … Period! All I had to do is cut plexi larger and add a vacuum port off to one side and skirt it Keep up the good work And Thanks Uncle Steve

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much for the kind words! Happy to here it was helpful!

[@roadking62]

Thanks for this video & the PARTS LIST! Nice build. Saving for later. 👍

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great, thanks!

[@dougnorthcote3420]

Saw this on Reddit and got here as fast as possible. AMAZING!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Wow! Thanks!

[@qodesmith520]

This was so good! Will use this video as a template to build my own. Thanks brother!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much!

[@billywigs]

This great . Thanks for explaining the process , and including mistakes is helpful to understand the process further . Good stuff

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much!

[@Daddystovepipe68]

Great video. Absolutely what I needed

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful!

[@bradleytuckwell4881]

Super honest tutorial much appreciated well worth a sub

[@jkmwoodworking]

Much appreciated!

[@kevineyesix2257]

Precisely!

[@jkmwoodworking]

@@kevineyesix2257 Thanks!

[@OneAmongBillions]

Wow! Thanks for sharing such a solid build design and doing so via a well-crafted video presentation.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thank you! Much appreciated!

[@richmiller540]

New subscriber from across the pond. Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Awesome, thank you!

[@prickerbush]

High quality video. Thank you very much.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thank you so much!

[@Thedestressguy]

easy, simple and effective ! thanks for putting this video out. It has helped me a lot!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful!

[@CliffCutts]

fantastic video. definitely going to add something like this as well

[@jkmwoodworking]

Awesome, thank you!

[@colinbrodie9849]

That was a really good explanation of whty you used those parts. Cheers!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Much appreciated!

[@whiteywhitestein]

Fantastic video! I just ordered the full list. Thank You for the R and D and making mistakes, that leaves room for my own mistakes.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much!

[@cameronwhite2227]

really well done video. The pacing, narration, and shots were all just... nice. with this quality, I was surprised to see this channel only has a few thousand subscribers. I could see it growing a lot

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much! My channel is less than a year old, and still growing. I appreciate your optimistic forecast for the future of the channel!

[@ZachStein]

I've been considering making one of these thanks for the detailed video with mistakes!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bobs4718]

I built this exact sled over the weekend and it went together great. I have my surfacing bit on order to attach to my Festool 1400 router so when that gets in I’ll be able to test it. But even now it’s very solid and smooth so I expect it to work just fine. Thanks for the great video, parts list and tips! Kudos to your design!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great, I'm glad it worked well for you! Thanks so much for the kind words!

[@user-py6ez5sb8u]

hi Bob how r u

[@jorisfouquaet7850]

Nice video, I will use your tips in my built!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful!

[@kevinclassen4624]

Thanks for this terrific video and sharing your lessons. I basically followed your guidance with just a few deviations. It's working great. Thank you.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Glad it helped!

[@weldabar]

I appreciate the insights.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@i679n5]

+1

[@markaveri-hc7oh]

Thanks! Great instructional video! You've given me the information and confidence to attempt this project

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great to hear! Thanks!

[@vqman]

You video was very helpful, did it in one attempt because I was looking out for all the problems you mentioned. :) thank you

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful!

[@tomwalters2529]

A great example of common sense DIY! Thank you...I will bookmark this video and use it as a reminder 👍

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@rickward7018]

Thank you! Awesome video. I have wanted to make a router sled for a few years. I ordered the parts last night. I'm looking forward to flattening a couple of large slabs I've had for a few years.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much! Glad it was helpful!

[@williammagee7514]

GREAT video, I'll be watching more and thinking, based on quality of video and content, your channel will grow. Good luck, keep up the great work!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! I like your prediction of growth on the channel!

[@timphillips142]

Thanks for the good information.

[@jkmwoodworking]

You bet!

[@grnsouth1204]

Awesome tutorial. You earned a subscriber sir.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Awesome, thank you!

[@kevinthomson6324]

Been thinking of building one of these for a bit now. I’ll be sure to save this video to save me some money and frustration when I decide to start ordering parts.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great, thanks!

[@ChefKevinRiese]

I thank you for you frankness. I made the same mistakes too but I used steel plates.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@marianslavescu46]

Simple comment and extremely useful documentary.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Many thanks!

[@ethanestrada-dm2wh]

What a great video. Thank You!!!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thank you so much!

[@radish747]

Very nice! Thank you so much for the detailed build plans 👍 Now just to figure out how to make the needed templates w/o a laser... :D

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! yeah, having the laser is nice for templates!

[@es47]

Awesome work thatks for the vid you earned a new sub.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@RorySeanWainer]

Very helpful, thank you

[@jkmwoodworking]

Glad to hear it!

[@trev2417]

Excellent video 👌😊

[@jkmwoodworking]

Many thanks!

[@michaelshelnutt3534]

Always like your videos

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much!

[@liviofazi4017]

Good Job.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@MG-vo7is]

Very cool, thank you.

[@jkmwoodworking]

thanks!

[@ErtsenPlayGames]

mounting brackets can be out of plywood or steel (plywood is more than enough...you can build cnc out of plywood easily) for X axis you could use supported rails like for Y axis ...but mount them to steel profile for stiffness then it should be rock solid and even allow you to use it like an CNC with some belts / screws, detachable nut (so you can still use it like router sled) and maybe Z axis like an accessory part to make it literally CNC router

[@linsen8890]

I started building a router sled using a similar design to yours, except I used some 3/4" plywood for the carriage for the router. I ran into a few issues very similar to the ones you had in getting the holes for the slides lined up correctly. Your idea of laser cutting a template is really good, so I'm going to re-do mine using a laser-cut template as well. My rails are the first kind you tried also, where the mounting holes on the slides are on top, and using those made my carriage way too high. I need to fix that problem, so I'm going to look into the type of rails you used where the mounting holes are on the bottom. Like you said, it should simplify the carriage quite a bit. My shop is really small, so I don't have nearly enough room to have a router sled inside, so I mounted my long rails to some 2x4's that I can drop into the slots of two Bora sawhorses, then drop a piece of plywood between them to support the workpiece that I want to flatten. That way I can quickly set it up outside my shop, then tear it down and store everything away, including folding up the sawhorses. Since I'm doing the flattening outside, I don't have to deal with all the chips inside my shop, either. Anyway, thanks for this great video; it's given me some inspiration and idea for my flattening sled so I can get it working well.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great info, thanks for sharing! Sounds like a similar experience as mine. Great idea with the 2x4's!

[@robertrichardson1973]

I recommend putting a dowel or something on the linier bearings when storing. They are notorious for the bearings to fall out. If it happens to get dropped it may cause a problem. Nice build though. I need to do the same thing.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great suggestion, thanks! I'm going to try it.

[@MrDazthaman]

Solid content pal

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@whitneyranchproductions4637]

Excellent video!!!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thank you very much!

[@dconkey1]

My only comment is I use my drill press to drill any and all holes that I can. Providing the table is square with the quill, it will insure all the holes are straight, and you can generate a lot more downforce then with a hand drill.

[@warrenwright6]

Great setup. Do the 20mm bars sag at all over that distance .

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! The bars don't sag at all, they are very stiff and solid.

[@michaeljohnson3913]

Inspired me to make my own. I ordered from the links shown, but for longevity I used 1/4” aluminum plate for the router are and adapter plates, rather than the plexiglass.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great to hear the video was helpful. The aluminum plate idea sounds good, I'm sure it will work great!

[@Hellboy831000]

Perfect

[@keastland]

Awesome video! This was almost exactly what I had started to design in my head. Just used your links and ordered the parts. I hope you get some kickback. Only change I’m going to make is to add a dust collection port and some dust shoe brush for chip/dust collection.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Awesome, thanks so much! I agree that having the dust collection would be better.

[@keastland]

You definitely saved me time and money, because I have no doubt I would’ve made the same mistakes with the acrylic. 👍🏼

[@jkmwoodworking]

@@keastland I'm happy to hear it was helpful!

[@dichodichov6045]

Hey , very nice video and explanation. I wish I watched the whole thing more carefully before committing the same mistakes you did 😹😹😹 , but overall great and very smart design. The thing is rock solid. Went with 20mm on both side and cross rails since my table is not perfectly flat... You saved me a lot of time figuring it out myself , as most of the other videos router slabs look terrible and would potentially lead to inconsistent performance. You have a new subscriber :) Cheers

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thank you so much! Glad it was helpful!

[@dichodichov6045]

​​@@jkmwoodworking Yeah , the only thing I would add to be helpful to someone attempting this is , when you drill the acrylic max the rpm at the end so it doesn't shatter. The acrylic likes to shatter if the drilling bit bites it , but with high rpm, it instead melts and doesn't shatter. I broke 2 pieces like that even with regular (for metal) drill bits.

[@stevemario9807]

Thank you so much you’re awesom!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Wow! Thank you!

[@asignman3889]

Nice Video Thank You

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@michaeljohnson3913]

Also, I can’t remember if you mentioned this in the video but I need a collect extension to get enough travel for my router bit.

[@jkmwoodworking]

I didn't mention it in the video. I actually didn't need a collet extension, maybe it depends on the router. Thanks for watching, and the great comments!

[@walterrider9600]

thank you

[@jkmwoodworking]

Welcome!

[@gjoy2011]

Awesome video. I wish I had seen this before I bought the more complex and more expensive rod+mount mechanism from Amazon instead of the straight rod mechanism that this video recommends. Now I have to decide whether to return and get the simpler mechanism or not. Also I chose a square router tray for my first attempt and will likely decide to go with the wider option for the reasons described here. I'm curious if plywood is a suitable option for the tray instead of acrylic.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks for the kind words! I haven't tried plywood as an alternative to acrylic, but believe it would work just fine.

[@mak4374]

I wonder if you can use the same rails with a different base for a panel saw, that way...two birds one stone...?

[@jkmwoodworking]

That’s a great idea, hadn’t thought about that possibility!

[@mark2talk2u]

Great video and commentary. By going over the mistakes, one can understand what works and why. Thank you.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@billguernsey6419]

Buy yourself a set of centering punches, they are fantastic marking holes when using a threaded plate as your guide since drilling ruins the threads. (Not in this video) I can appreciate your process since I just finished a plasma cutter sled of similar construction.

[@gregwilliams7227]

I love what you’ve done, warts and all. Thanks. I’m considering making one myself that’s wide enough (≈1.2m) for table tops and doors using the large Triton router. Do you think I would need to go to larger diameter cross rails (i.e. 25mm) to avoid deflection across such a broad span with a heavy router? Much appreciated

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks for the kind words! I also have the 1.2m cross rails, 20 mm diameter. They feel rock solid, and I believe that they could handle any size router without any deflection.

[@philmeadowcroft9637]

Interstate, this is a good design. However, you might consider using uninstall. Add your side rails a piece of 3/4. Inch plywood and quarter inch hardboard will snuggly fit inside the slot of a uni. Then you can make the box. End So you can make your flattening diggers. Long as you want up to the length of your unistrut, you can use warships and screws to attach it to a flat surface on your end pieces Holden an 8 inch. Above the bottom of the you destroyed and then. When you get it set up, you can piece of put a piece of quarter inch. Why would on the inside? What's a run along the top of the interstate? This works out very well and it pretty unexpensive give me a try

[@Youtuber396j]

Excellent video. Liked and subscribed. The 20mm cross rails seem out of stock in the 1000mm length (what I need). Will be checking daily to get these.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Awesome, thank you!

[@sharpsbattle]

This is brilliant! I always wanted a router sled, but didn’t want some large wooden contraption that I don’t often use. I will use your links. Thanks!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great, thank you!

[@hctran905]

thanks for the awesome video. i am having a tough time printing the svg files. for some reason its printing using the whole sheet of paper. how do i print the actual size?

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! I'm not sure about printing the files. I created the files in lightburn, with the intent that they are used as laser engraver files. I really hadn't thought to just print them out. Sorry, wish I could be more help.

[@mhardy006]

Love this! I plan to learn from your experience and basically duplicate your setup. Quick question on the router speed. What speed setting would you recommend for a 2" bit?

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks, glad it was helpful. I set my router at the slowest speed, which I believe is 14,000 rpm for the 2" bit.

[@harry87627]

Thanks!👍

[@jkmwoodworking]

You bet! Glad it was helpful!

[@vi683a]

Acrylic is prone to fracturing with all normal drill bits. You have to purchase specially design bits for Acrylic. I prefer polycarbonate. Can bet thinner, easier to cut and drill.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great info, thanks!

[@curlingdan]

I've watched your video numerous times, I wish other YT's would watch and use the voice over as you do. It's just so superior. Excellent work ! One question, how or did you level the side rails and cross rails ? I've built a jig using plywood and galvanized pipe to route the top of logs and make them flat. I had to make sure the side rails were level both ways with one another so the sled would be level. Then it didn't matter if the log was level, I just routed it till it was. Maybe I missed it but I didn't see if or how you leveled. If you could explain it's greatly appreciated. I've checked all the links and everything is available. This is just such great work on your part !

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much for your kind words! The plywood bed/base of the sled sits on top of my workbench, and essentially conforms to however level the workbench top is. I leveled my workbench using adjustable feet that it has. I was very meticulous in leveling the work bench to get it exactly right. I really should have included that in the video, because it is important to get a good result in leveling anything of significant size with the router sled. Great question, thanks!

[@JohnWhetzel-vz3xz]

Fantastic video! I learned quite a bit and it was a huge help. In part of the video(7:57), it shows you added some sort of lever-based stop to the side rail runner. Would you mind sharing what part you used?

[@jkmwoodworking]

Awesome, thank you! The lever comes with the side rails that I bought, I put a link in the description to the specific ones that come with the lever.

[@UrbanWoodWorks]

QUESTION: USING THE SVG FILES FOR THE TEMPLATE....HOW DO I RESIZE THE IMAGE WHEN PRINTING TO ENSURE THE SIZE MATCHES? OR WHEN I OPEN IT UP TO PRINT THE SIZE IS THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE HOLES FOR DRILLING?

[@jkmwoodworking]

I'm really not sure, I think it depends on what software you are using to open the file and print. The files work with lightburn software that I used with the laser, that's the only way I've used and tested the files.

[@danielzimmer2888]

Is there any deflection in the cross bars? I feel like if you had them set to their max length, there would be some.

[@jkmwoodworking]

I have 4 ft cross rails, and they seem really stiff with no defection. The slabs I've done with them extended the full 4 ft come out totally flat, so if there is any deflection it isn't noticable.

[@druckenthaner]

Great design. Have you ever checked whether the shafts on which the router runs are sagging and therefore the workpiece is thinner in the middle than on the sides

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks! I placed a straight edge across the table in all directions after using the router sled, and didn't notice any depression in the center, it was complexly flat. The cross-rails feel really solid, and no sense that they have any sag at all.

[@branchandfoundry560]

Helpful detail would be tally up the budget at the end. *Edit: ~$400 for 4x8ft nominal capacity.* All the best, Andrew Thiessen

[@jkmwoodworking]

Agreed! I should have included that

[@Steven-he1bc]

"Affordable" 😂

[@branchandfoundry560]

@@Steven-he1bc It's HALF the cost of a setup that costs TWICE as much 👈😉

[@Steven-he1bc]

@branchandfoundry560 Everything is half the cost of something that costs twice as much. That's just math.

[@branchandfoundry560]

@@Steven-he1bc Whaaat?!?

[@alanrichardson7244]

This one of the best demos I’ve seen. I hope you have the parts list readily available. What do you recommend if a person doesn’t have a laser to cut out a template?

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much! maybe try using one of the linear rail blocks as a guide to create the template, just being careful not the mess up the threads? Or could just measure super carefully, start the holes with a really small drill bit to get them exactly in the right spot, and drill the template from that?

[@dstewart8045]

What did you do about the rails being straight? I think I got the same linear rails as you, from Vevor, 20mm. So far one is pretty much dead on, but the other one is raised a little in the center. But overall, good. I got some 16mm Vevor rails but they weren't straight enough for me to even keep. I couldn't get the bow out by pushing on them with about 40-50lbs, so they were returned.

[@jkmwoodworking]

Oh no, that doesn't sound good. The rails that I got were pretty straight. To help them get perfect flat, I also screwed them down to the plywood worksurface, which rests on my flat workbench top, and the whole assembly seems to sit flat and true.

[@nbhawthorne]

I'm interested in building one of these, but I need to accommodate a 10 ft table. Any suggestions on rails that are long enough or how to handle joining the rails?

[@jkmwoodworking]

That's a pretty long workpiece. I really don't have any ideas on how to join the rails. I wonder if you could do it in 2 sections... after doing half of it, then just slide the workpiece down and do the other half.

[@ashutoshsrivastava303]

I am looking to do the same. bought the rails some time ago and seems like they are exactly what you are using. I was looking for a good tutorial on the mounting plate and thought of using a 3/4 in plywood. Is there any reason you opted for an acrylic sheet? also dont have a laser but was thinking of printing out the template and make the template on a mdf piece which could be used on the plywood. I also wanted to put dust collection but have the same setup (bucket and shop vac). I might have to empty it couple of time but it might be needed since I feel dust could get into bearing, reducing its efficiency. Did you face any such issues?

[@jkmwoodworking]

I chose to use acrylic instead of plywood because it is clear and I could see through it, but not sure if that is really too important or not. Also, I think that acrylic at 3/8" is maybe more rigid than plywood at 3/4", so thinner and more stiff (not necessarily stronger, I'm not sure, but more rigid). I didn't have any problems with dust clogging up the bearings. Maybe the more I use it will, but then I would think if that happens, I could just clean them out. Thanks for the great comments and questions!

[@bobs4718]

Great video and execution on this. After watching I’m going to build your design. QUESTION: For all the screw holes, did you size up on the bit at all or did you get them fairly tight?

[@jkmwoodworking]

Great, thanks! Yes, I did drill the holes very slightly larger than the screws. My drill bits are imperial sizes and the screws are metric, so I just went the size slightly larger. I think that is important to allow a little jiggle, then everything kind of self-aligns when you assemble it and tighten the screws.

[@bobs4718]

@@jkmwoodworking. Makes sense. That’s what I suspected, thank for the quick reply!

[@michaelthibault7930]

Doesn't acrylic require a sharper point angle on the drill i.e. lower than the typical ~118°? IIUC, that's how to avoid having the bit grab as it breaks through.

[@dalmathomas1943]

What about sagging on the cross rails when using a heavy router i,e 3 1/4hp Triton. Can you recommend a size that will not sag in the middle.

[@jkmwoodworking]

I believe the 20 mm rails that I used in this video would easily support even the heaviest of routers. The rails are very strong and stiff.

[@davidswanson5669]

How do you hold the position of the cross rail during each pass? Is there a lock?

[@jkmwoodworking]

There is a lock that comes with the rails. I find that if I'm doing shallow passes, I can just hold it with my hand. With deeper cuts, the lock is helpful.

[@franka5416]

Very nice project and explanation. Just curious, what was the model and hp of the largest router you used on the sled? I was wondering if the larger router may create flex in the cross-rails as the router moves over the piece to level. Thanks for sharing. BTW - subscribed:)

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks so much! I was using the dewalt 618 router, 2 1/4 hp. I didn’t notice any flex, the rails feel very solid even with the larger router

[@gilbertresto4060]

Love the video, would you consider sale the templates. If you do, how much you charge for them?

[@jkmwoodworking]

Thanks for the kind words! I've considered selling the templates, but not setup to do it at this time. I'll let you know if at some point in the future I get geared up to sell them. Thanks for watching the video!

[@nelsonbrutman7956]

Hi. Thank you the video. I´m trying to find the aluminum cross rods, do you have the link to it? Thanks!

[@jkmwoodworking]

Yes, the links are in the description of the video. Thanks for watching!

[@Bob_Adkins]

20mm bars seem very strong, but I assure you if you bear down on them (or the router pushes upward because it hits a hard spot or the bit begins to dull), the bars will flex. My question is, how much care do you have to take to avoid *significant* flexing?

[@jkmwoodworking]

I didn't notice any flexing, probably there might have been some, but it wasn't noticeable. I don't really take any care to avoid the bars flexing, just shallow passes. The router never really seems stress. I'm able to use just 1 hand with a light grip to push it across each pass.