The simplest table saw crosscut sled on YouTube. Essential woodworking shop project.

ESSENTIAL jigs and accessories every woodworker needs. Free plans ► myshopjigs.com
I've made crosscut sleds before, but this time I wanted to strip out any frills and make this simple version that anyone can make in a couple hours in their workshop.
One of the most common cuts to make on a table saw is a crosscut. Unfortunately, the only tool for making crosscuts that comes with a tablesaw is a miter gauge. You can usually get by with these and make cross cuts that are good enough for most projects. But there are some problems miter gauges.
The biggest issue with miter gauges is accuracy. Since they are designed to be rotated at various angles, they might not always lock back in at a perfect 90 degrees for a crosscut.
An improvement would be an aftermarket miter gauge like the one I use from Incra.(amzn.to/3vEdmGa) It has a built in extendable fence and a pretty good system for locking it into place. But you can only support one side of your cut.
And finally, your cuts can be affected by any play that might be in the miter slot since it only uses one of your saw’s slots.
A crosscut sled addresses all of these concerns and is one of the most useful woodworking jigs you can make for your saw. With a well calibrated crosscut sled, you can be assured of perfect 90 degree cuts every time without having to adjust anything.
It has two runners, one for each miter slot to assure that there’s no wiggle. Both sides of your workpiece are supported, and its zero clearance kerf gives you much cleaner cuts with less tearout. You can safely cut small pieces without them dropping into your saw. And the best part is that you can clamp a stop block anywhere along the fence on either side of the blade for making repeated cuts.
Thanks for watching this series on woodshop accessories and jigs. Please see them all, and download free plans over at myshopjigs.com
Chapters:
0:00 Why you need a crosscut sled
3:27 Making the runners
5:00 Attaching the runners
8:27 Making and attaching the fences
14:30 Making the blade guards
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PATREON ►► / wwmm
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WWMM
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Woodworking for Mere Mortals® is a registered trademark of ZRAM Media, LLC.
#woodworking #shopproject #tablesaw

[@dtwistrewind7361]

That screw near the end that jumped to its death into the saw well, so brave🤣 Great tips, and love your no bs approach.

[@forresterickson6225]

I came to the comments to see if anyone else was gong to remark. So thanks.

[@fda182]

@@forresterickson6225 Same!

[@slickrooster]

@@forresterickson6225 I did the same thing. That is exactly the type of thing that happens to me. Murphy's Woodshop. 😋

[@Jack37771488]

This guy is the man . No bells, no whistles and no gimmicks. You want to learn how to do something the right way ? The safe way ? The best way ? Watch his video’s and you will learn how to do it no problem. I’ve watched his videos for stuff I already knew and still picked up a thing or two . hands down my go to guy for anything wood related. Keep up the good work my friend

[@craigwatson4413]

bourbon moth is far better imo

[@Twinsfan1299]

@@craigwatson4413 Bourbon Moth is also great, but I'm just starting out and I think Steve is a little better for people just getting into woodworking

[@KevinSenter]

@@craigwatson4413 then go follow Bourbon Moth. Why are you here?

[@dwightschrute4560]

@@craigwatson4413 Thanks for the introduction!

[@jayrobert4886]

You prolly dont care at all but does anybody know of a method to get back into an instagram account..? I was dumb lost my login password. I would appreciate any assistance you can give me.

[@RickWolfff]

This is the best answer to the question "Why do I need a crosscut saw?" on KZbin. Thanks!

[@MrKen-wy5dk]

Thank you for not putting in too loud, repetitive, royalty free background music that blasts my speakers off my desk when your videos start.

[@ziomalZparafii]

I know I repeat myself but thanks for the metric subtitles. They are really helpful!

[@jriis2010]

As a Dane i fully agree :-)

[@jeffreyhill1011]

As a member of the AFM (Americans for Metric) organization that I totally didn't just make up. I also agree, creators that have mostly American viewers should be working to normalize the system as the schools are obviously not doing enough... but that's a whole ass other can of worms

[@GustavoSoares06]

loved the metric subtitles too. always annoying to do the conversions all the time. so thank you!

[@RichardStevens81]

+1 for the metric subtitles. Thank you from the UK, and I guess every single other country in the entire world that's not he USA.

[@Taurabirdy]

Here is your well earned comment for not mentioning the wandering screw. I just had to look to see if it had been mentioned here, lol

[@flamewave000]

10:30 If you make a sled that is off center to give better support to one side, squaring up both the front and back fences allows you to reverse the sled. So if you need more support on the other side, just flip it around and you'll still have a good, square fence.

[@secretweaponevan]

I just thought this same thing. If your slots are not equidistant to the blade, you'll have two kerf cuts in your sled, but barring buckling of the, now three pieces, of the bottom of the sled, I can't yet forsee an issue.

[@tuckertoden]

I had a similar thought - if both fences were square, you could reverse it and use that for angled cuts, keeping your original crosscut table zero-clearance.

[@wangusmaximus]

complete noob here but whats the point of having the front fence (the one further away from you) if you don't plan on flipping it?

[@flamewave000]

@@wangusmaximus holds the plywood together since it will technically get cut in half

[@wanderlostNW]

@@wangusmaximus besides keeping the sled square, both fences will hold your sled together and stable, otherwise it will be wobbly and fell apart

[@Belizzle]

Quick tip that might be helpful for someone else making this: When you glue up the front fence, clamp it to something straight like a level or a piece of angle iron. I made Steve's most recent crosscut sled (prior to this version) and the front fence is just slightly bowed, which means I can never actually square it up. It took a LOT of adjusting and frustration before I realized it was the fence and not my adjustment. But if you clamp it to something straight while the glue sets, you're pretty much guaranteed the final result will be perfectly straight as well.

[@pirakoXX]

Great idea (y) I've also seen Tamar (3x3 Custom) use a level when she glues boards together that aren't straight, but will be after the glue is dry!

[@ewout2211]

Was about to propose the same! Learned that from Heisz. Another suggestion: use the 5 edge method to check squareness! Great instructional video, not only the how but also the why.

[@howler5000]

Great point! If you watch Tamar's video on 3x3 Custom she uses this method in her video.

[@howler5000]

Just noticed that someone already mentioned her channel lol. Great minds!

[@justanotherdave7117]

So refreshing to see a professional make a great functioning sled for us regular folks. No it doesn’t need to be accurate to the billionth of an inch and no it doesn’t need dado cut t tracks with laser guided stop block depth gauge sonar measuring. Thank you Steve for always keeping the everyman in mind when you make your videos.

[@troywalker8078]

I don't know..... Sonar measuring IS essential.

[@swolf2004]

By "the everyman", do you mean "Mere Mortals"? 🤔😁

[@pirakoXX]

Agree 100 percent, Dave (y) In (some?) European countries, like Denmark, we can't buy table saws prepared for Dado blades. (Don't know why, as it's said they're among the safest cut from almost all kinds of power tool saws!) And other wood workers just don't have dado blades, and thankfully some fine channels, like this one, show us how to make the same cuts with a single blade. Stay safe, kind and creative (y)

[@versatileduplicity9313]

🤣

[@louisvictor3473]

@@pirakoXX probably has to do less with dados as it has to do with other safety regulations like how long the saw can take to stop after shut down. Making it compliant with that and dado blades might not be practical or economic, so tge company just choses to let dado blades go, even though they themselves are legal.

[@RiganoBuilding]

Thank you so much Steve. I follow you from 2009 from Sicily and you’re my Master Now I have a little son and all togheter are remaking your project to teach him a lot of things. See you on KZbin for me is a warranty! Today we’re doing for a chees board as your! Have a good life Steve. Hallo from Taormina Carlo and Nòah!

[@nickw7235]

You’re the man. I need to quit watching this when the wife and kids are sleeping though. All I want to do is woodwork now

[@Maxid1]

7:55 The laugh was WAY funnier than the joke!

[@taylormcintyre5759]

Thanks Steve! Hot tip: while you have your rip fence set to the perfect width for the runners, cut a whole bunch so you don’t have to fuss with it again when you make another sled of some sort.

[@lawlworthy9805]

I wish I would have read this. It was a nightmare getting those to the correct size 😮‍💨

[@lincolndickerson1293]

I use the mitre bar to set the fence for width and depth. The depth I tapped about a 16th closer.

[@jllaine]

@@lawlworthy9805 If you cut the runners a tiny bit too narrow, you can take up the slack by applying gaffer tape (or painter's tape) to the side of the runner. It's also a useful way to tune them up after years of wear.

[@Bob_Adkins]

Make extra-extra while you're at it. They make great shims and paint/epoxy stirrers.

[@brandondowdle6390]

Genius

[@ClevesBackyardWoodworking]

So ignoring that screw that fell in is going to be your new controversy, lol. Great simple sled.

[@SteveRamsey]

Definitely. People always find one thing to obsess over, so I thought I'd leave that in to help the KZbin algorithm! Lol. Whatever gets people talking.

[@ansteyb]

@@SteveRamsey HAHA I knew you left that in on purpose!

[@lisanathan8764]

Thanks for the video. I have a new table saw I haven’t even used yet. I’m a little Intimidated by it. But when do finally use it I want a crosscut sled like that.

[@ReverendTed]

His next video is just 10 minutes of random shop detritus falling into the throat.

[@scottmb024]

Too many good videos with Steve and first couple successful projects got me hooked. Borrowed a buddies table saw for a couple things but I’m all in now. Just made the plunge and bought my own table saw. Looking for advice if you had to purchase ONE of the below: I have most other tools that is needed/can be used for most woodworking except for: 1. router table, 2. impact (just have normal drill), 3. nail gun (purchased with 6 gallon air compressor which I also don’t have). Or 4. Planer (most likely a handheld version. I got about $200 left on that store credit and the rest I should prob wait for the bday which isn’t too far away. With that list what is everybodies go to - like it would hugely benifit me to purchase that first? Any help/guidance much appreciated.

[@watermouse9296]

Everyone keeps claiming the simplest cross-cut sled but then shows what looks to be confusing/advances steps for a total beginner. Finally, this one actually DOES look like a simple easy enough way for me to do it. Thanks.

[@morrisonsusan]

Love, love, love that you are not using a SAW STOP table saw in this video; makes you more relatable. Thanks.

[@wildbill23c]

Although, they're great saws, they also have a ridiculous price tag on them. Don't get me wrong, but I just cannot afford one that would match the saw I have already....Sawstop wants about $4400 for a comparable saw to my cabinet saw. For that price I'd have 4 table saws like the one I already have LOL.

[@askme2469]

@@wildbill23c I paid about 600 more for the CTS than a comparable non-CTS, but for me, thats the cheapest insurance Ive ever bought. Maybe I will never trigger it with flesh, but if I ever did, that 600 pays for itself in one trip to the ER vs not having it. I get it, Sawstop is more expensive, but the ER cost will be even more if you ever have flesh meet blade.

[@kevinsorensen367]

How did you know I JUST bought a table saw and was looking for a good version of a sled? Crazy timing!

[@charlieodom9107]

One tip...you don't need the whole sled to be the whole depth as he has his. Mine is only the full depth from runner to runner, and necks down thinner at each end to save weight and sliding friction. In fact, mine only has one runner, and I have cut some pretty heavy stuff with it without any problems.

[@andreb2019]

You've actually made me INFINITELY more comfortable doing woodworking. Thank you for this channel and these videos.

[@boxyguy3681]

14:21 - My favorite part of this video is that rogue screw making it's getaway

[@64maxpower]

New wood workers,Hell, Old wood workers like me want simple and easy

[@craigs7678]

So many comments from non-mere mortals on chamferering the near side fence and testing using the 4 or 5 cut method. I subbed this channel for Steve's personality and random cat clips. I've got a combo of Tamar, William, and Izzy's jigs for my saws but I still watched this video.

[@stanmcman1]

So far I've watched about a hundred crosscut sled videos - and this one is the best! Thanks for keeping it simple! We can choose to "spice it up" on our own if we choose, but you start us on the very basics! Love it! Thank you!

[@mikenco]

Yeah, I liked his no-nonsense approach.

[@andrewwheeler6989]

Finally got round to making this. I'm using it a lot and it has transformed my crosscuts on the table saw. Many thanks.

[@MrRolsen83]

KISS = keep it simple stupid. You my friend just did that. Thanks for this tutorial, super easy and not ever engineered like most YT videos I've watched.

[@jeezusjr]

My favorite thing about this channel is how humble and well thought out the designs are. No need to get super fancy. Thanks so much!

[@MrBillSt]

Great video, great sled, but a warning after having just made it. After getting the bulk of it assembled (bottom runners and front and back edges/guides glued/screwed onto the base), I decided to go with the worst case scenario and raise my blade to its maximum height to be able to handle any future cuts. I didn't realize it at the time, but my blade raises to about 3-1/4" above the surface of the table. With a 3/4" base and 2-1/2" front/rear edges, that's a total height of 3-1/4". Fortunately, before cutting all the way through, I noticed this so I added another 3/4" piece on top of the front/rear edges to avoid cutting the sled in half! Suggestion: BEFORE cutting the front/back edges at 2-1/2", measure the maximum height your blade rises above the table surface and make the height of the front/back edges sufficiently tall to accommodate.

[@CarcPazu]

Thank you!

[@user-xe5sx3dm1n]

Thanks for your videos. They are straightforward and not overly complicated. I'm 65, but have recently came back to woodworking. I made one of your crosscut sleds today. Thanks for your instruction.

[@Atol1000]

Love the ideas of simple safety features and squaring procedure.

[@DARSFoG]

Here is a tip: put a small chamfer edge on the front fence that meets the plywood. It will help with dust build up.

[@jamesparsons9437]

Great tip, can be used for stop blocks too

[@tdiddy432]

@@jamesparsons9437 ttttttttttttttttt I just got home from the park and I got it on my pop

[@Bob_Adkins]

@@jamesparsons9437 Good tip, but you see how fast a simple sled becomes complex? What? No cup holder?

[@jamesparsons9437]

@@Bob_Adkins Ooh, you might be on to something with the cup holder. But yes, I take your point that simplicity can be very important.

[@jeanine6492]

Thanks. This is going to be the first jig I make when I can afford a table saw.

[@jereniafoster1811]

Holy Cow ..after MONTHS of watching video's, FINALLY a sled that is really and truly simple enough that I, an actual newbie, can make. THANKYOU! Now can you tell me how to fix my router table LOL !

[@kkehoe5]

I think this is the only cross cut sled build video I have seen where they don’t use the 5 cut method to verify the squareness of the sled.

[@FrankC76]

For most projects, the degree of extreme accuracy that the 5 cut method gives you is not really necessary.

[@charlieodom9107]

You can literally eyeball it close enough for most projects! Those 5 cut geniuses have got WAY too much time on their hands!

[@supernat1978]

Just created one of these for my small portable Dewalt jobsite saw. Works like a charm. Maybe one day I'll afford a real table saw 😆

[@krisbuist2143]

Just bought a small Dewalt job site saw as well. Mind telling what what size sled you found worked for that saw?

[@stevesfascinations1516]

Once you sell your jobsite saw and buy a contractor or cabinet saw, you will wish you had the jobsite back. Do not underestimate how much space a table saw takes out of your garage. For me, I will be downsizing back to the worksite, and free up some space.

[@jimmygiannakis3638]

A old fart, me, finally used the video to make a small sled for my new table saw. Used 1/2" plywood and it works just fine and dead accurate.. Thanks Steve 😊

[@timf5963]

7:52 made me laugh out loud. I'll grow up one of these decades.

[@cbmoore23]

Couple things different about mine: 45 degree chamfer on the inside of the front rail so the sawdust has somewhere to go, and I left the runners about 2 inches longer sticking out the very front so it's easier to line it up with the rails. I also used melamine, since it's already super flat and doesn't bend, and slides beautifully with the paste wax

[@stephenmoore2561]

I am especially interested in your comments because I am building this sled and I had some left over melamine that I am using. Glad to know there are advantages or at the very least that is ok to use it. For me, it was just a fortuitous circumstance.

[@darodes]

@@stephenmoore2561 being more cost effective and very stable and flat, I opted to make mine out of melamine also…. I didn’t drill my pilot holes large enough and it split 😫 hopefully this didn’t/ doesn’t happen to you!

[@lennytheleopard]

I remember your first sled video. I still have the one I made after viewing it. Interesting to see how the years have softened your approach - you seem a bit more relaxed now. Much Thanks

[@pakde8002]

Went immediately to the jig website and registered. Pleased to see it's still available and the website is very nice. Thanks. New subscriber.

[@brunofonseca9686]

Please keep the metric conversions. I really appreciate it, as well as the rest of the world.

[@jaymadeyt]

Great video, finally a simple crosscut sled anyone can make without all the bells and whistles! Thank you!

[@philb2056]

Thanks for the metric conversions. They are much appreciated.

[@sw4yt00th]

Very straightforward and informative. Thank you.

[@KeithBodian]

Steve, I made this sled in about 4 hours, including the time it took the glue to dry. Thank you for making this so easy to understand and to make. I left your video up on my computer as I went from step to step, as a reference. I made this for my 40 year old SKIL table saw. I offset it to the left so I could use my rip fence as a guide, as I don't have table extensions. I can't believe I waited this long to make a sled, but once I watched this video I realized I had to make one. Thanks again for showing how to make things easier to do. I am pretty sure I will end up making one for my son as well.

[@ronbishop4057]

Nice video and well explained - thanks

[@thomaslinville2979]

I thought this was a vlog channel... what is this woodworking stuff!?!

[@echopaff]

He didn't even open a single piece of mail. Guess I'm back to watching whatever the Kardashians are putting out.

[@michaelmuntzenberg7887]

Danke für die Millimeter-Angaben!

[@michaelbradford4444]

Been putting off building a sled due to uncertainty....your video has changed that so it's off to the lumber yard I go....TY

[@JimService]

Great and simple design! I would bevel the inside bottom edge of the front of the sled as place for sawdust to go - especially needed when you're making repeated cuts with a stop blobck.

[@swishercustom]

Essential for accuracy!

[@charlieodom9107]

Yes. Making a chamfer on the inside of the front fence is essential or you'll be blowing dust off every single pass. I also have a stop block that the reference edge doesn't touch the base to eliminate dust from skewing the measurement. A simple screw in the reference end of the block works as well.

[@JusFig]

Can you please elaborate, if I'm facing my table saw are you referring to the edge of the sled that's farthest away from me (hits the blade first) or closest to me (the side I'm clamping stop blocks to) which one should I bevel?

[@charlieodom9107]

@@JusFig sorry, but it couldn't be any more clear! Where is dust going to build up? Where do you align your work piece? Chamfer that edge to create a pocket for extra dust to fall into so it doesn't obstruct your alignment.

[@JimService]

@@JusFig As Charlie Odom said the bottom of the fence closest to the saw and to you where you would clamp your stop blocks.

[@bullitproofarmadillo]

Just built my first sled. I didn’t even know I needed one until I watched this. Thank you for amazing instructions and the super chill delivery manner!

[@mickcollins2911]

At 14:20 any one else notice the screw drop into the blades bed ? Excellent video well explained

[@DukeForeigner]

No bells and whistles. Just safety features. Thank you.

[@bobd.]

Don't forget to check your fence and blade are parallel to the miter slot at the start. Not necessary I know but end result will be better and it doesn't hurt to give it a check now and then.

[@rtgray7]

This is easily the best video on a SIMPLE jig. Bravo Steve!

[@joepearson9704]

Thanks for this Steve. For the whole site, but especially this one right now. I have been looking to build a crosscut sled and many of the videos I have seen are trying to make a much more detailed and complicated sled than I need at this point.

[@bigg2904]

I love the 'safety rails' on top.

[@itscrikey]

Plans in Metric...YOU SIR ARE A BLOODY LEGEND! Not all heroes wear capes!

[@jjjrican3544]

One of the most simplest ways to get the sled square that I've seen so far. Thanks for sharing.

[@michaels3972]

Polyethylene is my material of choice for runners: It's lubricious, hydrophobic and very durable. The down side of PE is it's inability to be glued.

[@JP-kx6kr]

My first table saw will arrive in a couple of days. 52 years old but feel like I’m 7 and it’s Xmas. Your cross cut sled will be my first project. Thank you.

[@JaimeFelipeMunera]

I find myself coming back to this video to share with friends after conversations about common sense for the novice woodworker .. thanks so much for years of quality content.

[@Xray2j]

I know that screw scene was added on purpose. And since I’m placing a comment about it, I guess it worked.

[@massacmongo995]

One of the simplest and best crosscut sled designs I have seen . Too many how-to sites make projects too complicated for beginners . So glad I found your Channel . Thanks

[@CarcPazu]

Thanks Steve, this crosscut sled is on my todo list!

[@carlodomingo5504]

Probably the easiest no nonsense tutorial for this new newbie in making my first sled on my new DW7485 table saw. There are plenty of these on KZbin but man you made it so simple without the fanfare, music, and boring monologues. Thank goodness.

[@creiij]

Making my first sled now, started yesterday and I will hopefully finish it tomorrow =)

[@kennyc388]

Even the 1/4 plywood is a pain in the ass. Using my sled is dependent on the weather !

[@Lord9Genesis]

Steve getting jiggy with it...nananananana. Great job!

[@davidfenton9516]

Thanks for the metric subtitles. That, and your no-nonsense approach encouraged me to subscribe to your channel and not others. If 99% of the world is metric, the other channels are missing out. Thanks again.

[@terrynelson5655]

OMG. I’m an absolute newbie to woodworking. I saw this, bought the wood and made it the same day,,,, and it works perfectly!! FYI, I am a 67 year old lady, and if I can do it, then Steve must be one heck of a teacher.

[@halloweenspecialist133]

I am new to your channel and new to Table saw working " maybe one year " but years on Internet but never found anyone as helpful you !!!! THANK YOU.

[@michaelbradford4444]

9 months ago I made my first sled after watching this. Since then I've made different sleds that do miters , spines, bevels due to the fact that I'm a much improved woodworker . Thank you Steve for the motivation to do something that had intimidated me for the longest by showing that it's not that hard to do !

[@DanDickgrafe]

What a great first project for my first table saw. It’s small, and the mitre gauge is plastic, so this will be an immediate improvement. Thank you!

[@wernherpramschufer1148]

I just built a version - thank you, Steve!

[@locofire1981]

Simple clean design. Appreciate how Mr Steve adds safety feature

[@Andrew-ih2gz]

You answered the question I had within 4 minutes. "Can you use masonite for the sled's runners?" I have a full sheet of masonite just itching to get used.

[@charlieodom9107]

You can also use those white plastic cutting boards that are dirt cheap at Wally World!

[@jellyg.8961]

@@charlieodom9107 I read about that and how resistant they are to prolonged use when sliding the sled for a long time. Some even recommend those for making a small crosscut sled too.

[@charlieodom9107]

@@jellyg.8961 the only issue is mounting them to the wood. Super glue won't hold long, so screws are a must. You can buy UHMW material in sheets instead of cutting boards, but it costs more. The cutting boards are thinner than most miter slots, but if you get the thickest one you can find, you can make quite a few sleds with a single board.

[@jellyg.8961]

@@charlieodom9107 yes, those are the ones I think of. My mother owns a restaurant and sometimes those cutting boards are replaced because of use (they get ugly) but part of the board still its functional. Some of them are half inch thick or more, I think that would be great for making either the sliders or a small sled.

[@whomadethatsaltysoup]

Great tutorial, thanks for sharing. It is so refreshing to see a jig that is both useful, and simple to make for newbie woodworkers. The veritable plethora of tutorials on constructing all singing sleds with T slots, routers, thickness/planers and hours of slog...Ahhh! Not that we don't enjoy making things, but, as you said: this is for individuals starting out in woodworking. Perfect. 👍

[@guv1842]

Just wanted to let you know I’ve finished your sled for my new Dewalt table saw and I could not be happier! Built all my workshop gear from your plans and courses and just wanted to say thanks mate I really appreciate your teachings. Guv, from down under.

[@patrick_jouno]

I'm a beginner and had no idea how to make a sled thanks to your video I do, you made it simple to understand, thank you sir.

[@paulpysher11]

If you square up the front and rear fences, couldn't you make an offset sled reversible? Use just one sled to cut longer pieces on the left side or spin it around to cut longer pieces on the right side.

[@jellyg.8961]

I think it can be done but I haven't seen one like that made.

[@Eff917]

I was just thinking the same thing. Make it symmetrical front and back, and then you can offset it one side, and just rotate 180 to have the longer support on the other side

[@xxxxMaddnesSxxxx]

Only if both miter slots are the exact same distance from the blade. Which I think is usually true, but not positive on that.

[@JRS986]

That front and rear fence definition can be a problem. To better understand, apply the church rule. If you are outside the church and somebody says, "I will meet you in front of the church in 10 minutes," you know immediately where to go. If you are inside the church and somebody says, "meet the choir group at the back of the church in 5 minutes," you know where to go. The sled is similar, are you talking about the user relative to the front or back when you are pushing on the "front" of it, and the "back" when you place your workpiece against the "rear" fence for cutting.

[@robg6984]

I'm thinking if you square both fences you could use one side as a 90 degree crosscut then flip it and set it up for bevel/miter cuts

[@David.M.]

I love this new series!

[@beepboop8184]

Great thanks for adding sizes in mm, that even made me to subscribe to your channel.

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

So essential! Thanks for putting this series together

[@thesquinty1]

Thank you, Steve. I signed up for your first set of builds online and really appreciate how thorough you are. I built the BMW, and recently bought a table saw and am planning to build the mobile tablesaw cart and this basic sled. Thanks for making things so much more accessible for newbies like me. You’re a legend. - Anas

[@joeyaldente8858]

He definitely takes the intimidation away from a lot of these things and that is one of my favourite parts of watching.

[@alans1816]

I find that leaving the runners an inch or so long lets me see where they are as I place the sled in the slots. You are quick without that, but I'm not.

[@ewout2211]

That is a good suggestion, never heard that one before. Cheers

[@charlieodom9107]

I just slide mine across the table till it drops into place. I also only use one runner. One is plenty, and I cut some pretty healthy lumber on mine! I cut a 2" thick hickory tabletop that was over 4' long with one runner on mine.

[@realrebelli0n]

For me it works fine if I just align the middle slit with the blade of the saw, but I don't see why you can't have the runners a bit longer if it helps you :)

[@stevec2513]

I have a basic portable table saw. As it has those funky 'notched' miter slots I've found it pretty much impossible to manufacture rails that will work for a crosscut sled. After numerous attempts and failures, it finally dawned on me, instead of rails in the table, put guide rails outside of the table. After making sure that the sides of my saw were parallel and straight, I cut a piece of 3/4" plywood that matched the width of my table saw. I positioned that piece on top of the saw and carefully aligned the edges. From there it was just a matter of attaching a guide rail to each end of the plywood and making sure they hugged the table top snugly but not too snugly. Then I just followed Steve's plans and video for the rest of the sled. I now have a crosscut sled that slides smoothly and makes beautiful right angle cuts. Thank you Steve Ramsey for inspiring this 69 year old woodworking amateur!

[@joemcteer2897]

Great video and excellent simple sled design. The highlight of the video being an Englishmen was the “removing your nuts” quip. Typical British humour. Bravo.

[@jayyjay5113]

My good Sir.. I thank you for this simple and easy cross sled. I been trying to find a easy way to make one since im still new to woodworking.

[@MrBillSt]

Looks good and practical. With the price of lumber so high, and noticing there seemed to be a lot of excess from your cutout for a 4 x 4 section of plywood, I made a different cutout using a 2 x 4 section of plywood, still with some excess! Thanks! (Note: not enough to make 2 30" pieces for the back/far edge, but with a 30" and 24" glued together, I think that's a good tradeoff to be able to use a 2 x 4 section of plywood.)

[@pambenziger7220]

Thank you for this suggestion! I was just trying to figure out how I could get by with using a 24x48" piece of plywood to build this sled. And now, I know!

[@ronswoodshack3855]

Awesome!!! Definitely trying this!! Thank you for the content

[@The_Eldest_Millenial]

I don't plan on ever working with wood... But I enjoy knowing I my way around a shop and having the knowledge to do basic stuff, if I ever need to. Thanks for that.

[@JolienBrebels]

Great sled Steve! Maybe I need to make one, but I only have one slot on my tablesaw because it's part of a combinationmachine, so I don't know if it would work actually

[@JuanRivera-wm2um]

Steve, you are still master at educating us novice woodworkers. I started with you three years ago and I continue to learn to this day.

[@markgillett1472]

Hello Steve, you are the MAN! I don't know how many times I have watched this, and other videos of yours...you inspired me to take up woodworking 'seriously' ha ha. I now have a super duper Hisimen China made 3HP table saw, and it's superb to work with a great tool. I think of myself as something a little more than a beginner woodworker, and it was you that gave me the confidence to move up and make things. So many thanks to you for your no-nonsense approached which demystified woodworking somewhat, and created common sense woodworking. I'm sure you have inspired many many people with your builds and tips and tricks...we all thank you enormously.

[@eraupilot89]

Thank you for all these videos! I’ve been watching for a while and finally am about to start up my shed build. Every one of your videos does a great job getting the creative juices flowing!

[@David-hm9ic]

Steve, this is a great design. I have a huge sled; looking for a more medium sized one like this. One detail: Having the fence square to the blade is irrelevant UNLESS the blade is known to be parallel to the miter slots. The fence MUST be square to the miter slots even if the blade isn't parallel to them. If the blade is off a little and the fence is square to the miter slots, it will only make the kerf a little wider and cuts will be square. If the fence isn't square to the miter slots, the cuts will never be square.

[@agentrapper]

I was thinking the same, but how do you square it to the miter slots?😅

[@vidpromjm]

@@agentrapper There's usually adjustments in the saw undercarriage that can fine tune it. You'd need to check your saw owners guide or service manual as this will vary

[@agentrapper]

@@vidpromjm Ye, but I've checked it several times, and I can't find anything about the subject 😅

[@vidpromjm]

@@agentrapper What model is your saw? I've got dewalt 7491 and google returns quite a few hits on how to align. Otherwise Id try and hit up the manufacturer or retailer?

[@agentrapper]

@@vidpromjm Thanks for your suggestions, but I tried googling it before looking in the manual. It's a Scheppach, don't remember the model right now.

[@matthelton6637]

Great sled! However, wouldn't you want a slight bevel on the inside of the front fence to prevent sawdust build-up?

[@MatthewMakesAU]

Yes, that's an important detail

[@SeanChYT]

I agree. I know this sled was supposed to be a very basic and easy one to build, but even for that type of sled I would really recommend a bevel like you described.

[@DonHutchins]

I agree. It's easy enough to do, and can't hurt. But that said, my experience (I don't have dust collection on top) is that even still enough dust and particles accumulate there that I must be careful to occasionally brush or blow it out to avoid buildup.

[@SeanChYT]

@@DonHutchins Yes, but then the cleaning operation is extremely quick and easy. Same as with stop blocks, a quick brushing off might not remove 100% of the sawdust, but with the bevel it just doesn't matter.

[@ironwood1621]

Exactly. I also do that on stop blocks.

[@soujrnr]

I just made my new sled today, but I only did a one-sided sled. I'll probably make a two-sided sled later. My next project is a mobile mitre saw table and an outfeed table for the table saw. What I DIDN'T do is put wax on my sled. I'm glad I saw you do that because I had intended to do that, but I forgot to. Fun stuff!

[@mikegrier2829]

This is a great design. I made mine several weeks ago and it works great. I did have a “scare” using it today, though. Totally my fault. I typically work with 1/4” to 3/4” material, but today I was trimming the ends off of a 2-1/4” thick piece so the blade on my Dewalt 10” job site saw was raised up really high. The “extra” thick material meant that I had to push the sled further towards the saw than normal to complete the cut. The blade cut all the way through the back of the sled and was exposed while the saw was still running. Fortunately, my habit is to hold the work piece against the fence and then push the sled using one of the top safety rails. I should have anticipated this happening, but I didn’t. As I stated - my fault! I’ll add some more material to that back piece to account for thicker materials. Just wanted to share the story. Edit: to be clear, my Dewalt saw is smaller than Steve’s saw so my sled dimensions are different. I think that’s a contributing factor.

[@AndrewHelgeCox]

If any machine can lose a couple screws without problems, it can probably gain one too.

[@garya3056]

@@bee-u-tifuladventures4771 Hi- ironically, I believe the word you’re actually looking for is “saw” rather than “seen”. 😬

[@garya3056]

@Bee-u-tiful Adventures sorry if my comment made you delete yours. Hope you’re having fun and bee-hiving yourself. 😬

[@banzaiib]

in my experience, more problems arise from gaining a few screws than losing them... maybe mine are all just loose...

[@Nick-qn5nf]

Using a sled, is it safe to move your wood backwards through the table saw blade, while it's on? For example, at 15:37, you move it forward to cut through the piece, then pull the sled back before moving the wood out of the way. Is the expectation that the sled is square enough, meaning you'll only be pulling back through the kerf? Would it matter if the wood shifted slightly & you instead caught the blade into the wood moving backwards?

[@dankcoyote]

It's plenty safe. I pull lumber back through on the jobsite all the time with no sled. Just understand the type of wood you're working with, its propensity to bind, how close your hands are to the saw blade, what the saw sounds like when its working against itself etc. If you don't have a good feel for the saw and wood yet then I would say no but as you get experienced you'll feel safe doing it. The ones who lose their fingers are the people who have their fingers too close to the blade, hold onto material instead of letting it go when it wants to go, keep going when the saw is fighting itself, etc. For example, my guys always seem to wonder how I know when to come over from across the jobsite and ask if they're doing okay. It's because I can hear the difference in a saw or drill when its cutting correctly and when its not.

[@firearch]

Great sled Steve. Simple and cheap to make. Thanks 😊

[@michaeldequatro1012]

I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend. Thank you for the video and plans.