Maybe the Best Table Saw Crosscut Sled Ever?

Get the step-by-step plans to build this Precision Crosscut Sled: here www.woodsmithp...
This crosscut table saw sled was featured on the Woodsmith Shop, Episode 403: Table Saw Jigs & Accessories. In this video, the guys walk us through the construction, features, and uses. The lightweight sled design makes cutting large workpieces on the table saw a snap. The rock-solid fence ensures square cuts every time - with easy to adjust controls to make setup quick and simple. The versatile design lets you add a variety of accessories, like a flip stop, ruler, and a box joint jig, and the adjustable, zero-clearance base means cleaner cuts with less chipout for standard kerfs or dadoes. We've also included plans for building an optional fence extension to help with extra-long boards.
**Note: For those with a keen eye, you may have noticed that the sled in this video and the photos from our plans are mirror images of each other. This sled was originally designed for a right-tilt table saw. If your blade tilts to the left, like the majority of newer saws and the table saw shown in the video, you’ll need to make a mirror image of the sled shown in the plans. This is so the sliding base can open up in the direction in which your dado blades will stack to accommodate for a wide range of dado blade widths.**
Project Materials and Sources:
IPG Double-Sided Tape: amzn.to/2xqCdE2 ;
Kreg Jig and Fixture Bar: amzn.to/2wBs8ny ;
Kreg Swing Stop Block: amzn.to/3c3U7vc;
Kreg Self-Adhesive Measuring Tape L-R: amzn.to/2y6j0rm ;
Kreg Self-Adhesive Measuring Tape R-L: amzn.to/2wuI8HM ;
Kreg Top Trak 48": amzn.to/3efx5mZ ;
Kreg Top Trak 24": amzn.to/3cfeFkz
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#woodsmith #tablesawsled #woodworkingplans #woodworking #crosscutsled #woodsmithshop #woodworkingtips #woodworkingprojects #woodsmithshoptvshow

[@weezerOU812]

I used a UHMW polyethylene bar that comes in 3/4" x 36" pieces for the runner. Very slick and not subject to humidity changes. I bought the on-line plans and they were very good. Keep up the great work Woodsmith Team.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Great to hear! Thanks for sharing.

[@clutions]

Made this years ago when it was first shown in WS. What I really love about is that I can even put my DADO in and still use this sled.

[@MBCIncorp]

I built this sled several months ago and use it constantly! A very good sled, versatile and so easy to adjust, set-up and use!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Good to hear!

[@joshthomas7999]

I've been watching sled videos the last couple days, and this was the first one where you could adjust the kerf. Pretty neat.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks!

[@Warkive]

Same. I agree that's a really neat feature. But it also limits you to using just the one runner in the left miter slot instead of both slots for better accuracy/stability. I think I'd rather use both and instead create swappable inserts similar to your zero-clearance inserts for your table saw. A woodworker on KZbin had this for their sled project but I can't recall who so I can't give proper credit, but you get the idea.

[@flamabl1]

@@Warkive Kings Fine Woodworking

[@chichidouglas5078]

@@Warkive it can be made using both runners, but they needed one more guy to come out explain how, and everyone knows that it only takes 3 guys to build a crosscut sled .

[@Myrkskog]

I"m 5:00 in to the video and my fingers are crossed there's at least another three guys with different colour shirts that make an appearance and take over presenting the video. Subbed.

[@Myrkskog]

What?! Salmon shirt was the last guy! There was definitely room for _at least_ another two chaps to take over. Very disappointed.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

@@Myrkskog - I literally LOL'ed at these comments! You win the internet! I know it's a little corny... gather all your friends put on matching shirts and build this Table Saw Sled. :)

[@Myrkskog]

@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine I'm glad to have made you laugh. Seems like most people take offence nowadays. Hopefully in another video you can have a full house - I'll keep watching!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

@@Myrkskog - We don't take ourselves too seriously, so it made for a good laugh here. This is an older video and we've ditched the matching shirts since but now I want to bring them back, so we look like the Wiggles of woodworking. :)

[@carlferdon6602]

Myrkskog woodsmithplans.com

[@jaredemery6338]

"Well Dan, it's a nice sled but with the addition of this vacuum pump, outrigger, tow hitch, roll cage, ground-to-air missile guidance system and CAT-6 port, it will work even better."

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

LOL... that sounds like a great design to me. :)

[@metamech7383]

I just want a cup holder like my computer has...one push of a button and it opens for business. Why can't I get one of those on a sled?!

[@vikassm]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@peterlamborn]

Jared Emery 🤣🤣🤪🤪🤣🤣🤪🤪❤️

[@mikespunchlist]

I was thinking a composting flush toilet would make it complete.

[@glenpaul3606]

I just finished building a crosscut sled very similar to this one. I included the adjustable opening base for the blade size from thin kerf to Dado set. I wanted the fence to be extendable but wasn't too keen on having to add on a second piece like in this one so I used Grin's idea and integrated two aluminum bars that could be pulled out a variable distance as needed to extend the fence. It turned out great...compact yet very flexible. I may still add a couple of T-Tracks to the base to do miters with hold-down clamps or other added capability. It was a fun build. Thanks for the ideas.

[@tntdynomite4166]

This has the kind of mid 90s Saturday morning how-to show feel that is oddly comforting and familiar. Up next, Trucks!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Coincidentally, enough.... it originally aired on the PBS Woodsmith Shop TV Show which aired on Saturday mornings. It was closer to 2010, but more of a 90's feel like you said. :)

[@danielhanawalt4998]

I may decide to build that sled, although it looks a bit more than I'd really need. Great features that would make the table saw much better and fun to use.

[@thesecilmiskisi]

I have done some woodworks in the past but this woodwork plan kzbin.infoUgkxZF0EMnrujZvqHhGkxiz559uIABJWR9TG helps me do much in a far lesser time than i used to do i have already built several projects with this plan and i intend to do many more soon. Thank you so much!

[@BossSpringsteen69]

By far, the best sled and sled ideas i've ever seen.

[@stanwest3529]

that workshop is too neat & tidy & clean to be genuine...so are the presenters

[@MarceneiroFDS]

BEST SLED!! VERY CLEVER AND EASY TO STORE. THANKS.

[@philackerly3174]

Bought the plans and made my first one, then I realized that I made it on the wrong side. So started all over again. Then my back fence became warped. So, hopefully I'll have it finished this week.

[@amos1678]

Great for finger joints with a simple addition

[@msgajhimelret9496]

Thank you for sharing this innovative jig.. and by modding the top end to unscrewed, place the extension in re screw , it'll accept larger pieces..( maybe dowels glued into the extension and accepting holes to keep it all aliened??)

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks for the input.

[@jeffdeluca1153]

The other problem is.. this is for a left tilt saw. Right tilts need the right side to be stationary. A removable insert would allow for various blades maintaining zero clearance regardless of tilt.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

The original plans show it for a right tilt saw, which you are correct that is would be a mirror image of this sled. We've added drawings to the plans to build it for a left-tilt saw, as well, since that is probably the more common configuration nowadays.

[@jeffdeluca1153]

@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine thank you

[@drobb4207]

What a great sled! I wish we could get it as a pre-sawn ready to assemble kit? Excellent video!!!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

You may not be too far off on that idea... we are looking at selling CNC-ed & flat-packed kits for some of our more popular jigs.

[@drobb4207]

I'll take the first one! Of course you all will have to sign, date and number it ;^)

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

@@drobb4207 - Signed, Limited Edition Woodsmith Branded tools have to be worth a lot more, right? ;)

[@David_K_pi]

@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine - Yeah, you already sell rulers, card scrapers, etc. (I should know; there are a few Woodsmith branded items in my workshop.) So, you have the system in place to sell the kits. 👍

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

@@David_K_pi - We are gearing up to roll out some kits & more tools this year.

[@lauramarshall6376]

Great sled and great video. And the comments are even better than the video. :)

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks 👍

[@FDMcKinney]

I'm currently building it from the plans ordered and look forward to using it. Being the novice I am, the plans could have had a little more detail.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Hey Frank, Do you have a right-tilt table saw or left-tilt table saw? I just spent the weekend re-drawing this sled in the mirrored version for a left-tilt table saw (which is a lot more common now) to add to the premium plans. I'll get those uploaded to the website this week, but if you need them I can just e-mail you the PDF. does your e-mail start with fdmckinney? Thanks, John

[@FDMcKinney]

@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine Yes, [e-mail], and thanks.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

@@FDMcKinney - Okay, e-mail sent. Let me know if you need anymore details or have further questions on the build. Always happy to help.

[@opensourcedev22]

This is it chief. Well thought out and can be changed to customize different lengths

[@WoodUCreate]

I love the small parts sled too. Very versatile. I miss Don on the show too. See if you can have him do some small projects.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

James Jacobsen - Thanks. I was just saying the other day it would be cool to have a reunion show or something.

[@nevermindthebull0cks]

Sleds are handy things. I have a few specific use shop made ones and an Incra sled. Even with a 4x8 cnc in the shop I still use the sleds to make 5 piece doors and solid drawers.

[@CindyL4261]

This is brilliant! Love the adjustable blade-width feature! Thank you.

[@anvilmanco]

Great video and I probably will make one. I have one I made years ago, and use the heck out of it. But, I love the versatility of this one. The only thing that bothers me, is the possibility of the saw / dado blade not being covered as it comes through the fence. On my old one, I added a couple of 2 x 4 blocks that the blade can come into, but only to a stop added on the side. Hope that makes sense, but I assure you I will design one for this Sled when I make it. Regards, Keith

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Yep, not a bad idea. You can never be too safe.

[@patrickarchuleta9594]

You should manufacture these and sell them awesome sled. God bless keep up the great work.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Maybe one day! :) Thanks for watching!

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Very nice sled ! The adjustment for different blades is a good touch especialy for the Dado Bades

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks!

[@DannyB-cs9vx]

Thick plastic used in cutting boards also make good runners. Often you can get them cheap at second hand stores.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Absolutely! I just shot a woodworking video tip on this very subject: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6DEdImOa8dkprs

[@ramaroodle]

I just keep slicing 3/4" wide pieces from my wife's cutting board. She hasn't noticed yet.

[@moves81]

@@ramaroodle hahaha

[@joeobrien196]

A simple but brilliant idea. Well done to all concerned.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks!

[@keto4life197]

Wonder if they ever do any woodworking in those shops so nice and clean they are.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Yes, we do a little woodworking there, but because we use it as our video studio we aren't allowed to make a huge mess because the dust doesn't cohabitate very well with the video equipment.

[@jschraubenzieher910]

Beautiful, elegant and versatile design, lightweight, easy to build. What else to say?

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thank you.

[@jimparsons6803]

Liked the clip. I watch the PBS show when I have the time. A lot of very useful tips on that show.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Jim Parsons - Thanks for watching! 👍

[@chrisgraham2904]

Note that as the viewer of your video, I'm in the position of standing behind your table saw. The adjustment of your sled allows the left side of the sled to move further left, but if i change from a single blade to a dado stack, the thickness of the blades increases to the right, not to the left. The single blade is already as far to the left as it can go since it's pressed against the arbor plate. The dado stack will also be pressed against the arbor plate and the stack thickness will increase to the right. The thickness of a dado stack will also blow out the slot in the front and rear rails making the slots to wide when you switch back to a single blade without causing end tear out. Please explain these problems to me.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

I'm not sure if I'm following your question correctly but I'll do my best to answer.... The sled you see in this video is built for a left-tilt saw so the dado stacks to the right (from users perspective) so the sled also expands to the right to accommodate this. If you have a right-tilt saw then you will have to mirror the construction and have it expand to the left. (photos seen here: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/precision-crosscut-sled/) As you switch back and forth between single blades and dado blades the back fence will begin to get chewed up which isn't a big deal because it will be on the waste side of the cut, but if it gets too chewed up you can either replace the back fence or as I suggested in some other replies you could make a replaceable hardboard insert in the center of the fence. (I plan on making a video to show this modification in the future.)

[@jimsharp6978]

Hi, thanks for the great Video & Sled design. I've been searching & looking at endless numbers of sled designs and yours is by far the best I've seen & love all the features! I'm a 70 yr old novice when it comes to table saws & recently bought a SawStop I absolutely love. Is there anywhere or possibly a way I could purchase the plans already reversed that would be drawn for my left tilting blade? Unfortunately I have a hard enough time concentrating on simple original drawn plans without making mistakes and would love to have your plans already converted for left tilt. Thanks, Jim

[@philackerly3174]

I've built this and it's great, but I have to remove Sawstop Dust Collection Blade Guard. I only wish this sled have vacuum port. It makes a mess at the front of the table edge.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

We have the Floating/Overarm dust collection for our SawStop and we have to swing it out the way when using a sled. It would definitely be interesting to add dust collection to the sled itself. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@n4mwd]

Fooled me for a second. I thought maybe Don came back, but I see its just an old episode. Its still a good tip, however I'm not keen on wooden shop made tools because they can warp over time.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

LOL... Yeah, It's fun reliving the good ol' days. :) We normally use baltic birch plywood which stays stable and flat over time.

[@Mikemillering1]

You can adjust the bottom panel for the dado but what about the fence? Once you use a dado, the fence gap will be permanently too wide to go back to a standard blade. Is there a solution to this problem that I am not seeing?

[@rce2553]

Good question, perhaps clamping a sacrificial board would protect the fence when running the dado blade.

[@woodworkingaspirations1720]

Great adjustable sled. Thank you

[@jeffoldham3466]

i ordered the plans and everything is turned around from this video,,

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

It mentions this in the plans a little, but the original sled was built for a right-tilt table saw. The one in this video is for a left-tilt table saw. On a left-tilt table saw the spindle is mounted on the left, thus the dado blade will stack towards the right. To make the opening portion of the sled you will want the base to open to the right, as well, so for a left-tilt saw you will want to mirror the construction of the sled from the original plans to look like what is shown in the video. The last couple of pages of the plan show what the left-tilt construction looks like. All of the parts will remain the same size they are just flipped. I also upgraded you to the Premium Shop Drawings. Just go to this page: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/precision-crosscut-sled/ , log in and there will be a "shop drawings" link right above the "Download" button. Those drawings should give a little more detail. Please let me know if you have any other questions or problems with the build. Thanks, John

[@bobbg9041]

This is one of the better lightweight small sled plans. But adding a perfect right and left 90 dgr setup that automatically sets in the zero spot with dowl pins would be an upgrade.

[@haenselundgretel654]

That's one of the best woodworking videos ever. By far you describe the advantages of your sled the best! Thanks for all the help and this great video. I'll sure be hanging around your site!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thank you! :)

[@JeffDeLamater]

I've seen several different sled designs that have the curved cut out on the base. Is there any particular reason for that? Save weight? Something else? Love the design, especially the extendable fence.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

You're right... the only real reason is to save weight. We've done other designs that have cutouts in the middle of the sled base for the same reason.

[@rogerdudra178]

I built my 5 piece oak Arts and Crafts tables with my version of this piece.

[@tonyj2216]

I thought I had seen the best crosscut sled....until I saw this one. Great job!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Tony J - Thanks!

[@williamhoward8319]

i have the plans for that sled in fact i have years of woodsmith and shop notes

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

William Howard - You’re good to go then 👍

[@MySpace662]

Wow! If I had the table saw you have, I wouldn't need any wooden cross cut sled.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

I'll have to admit that it is a pretty nice table saw... thanks, Powermatic!

[@JoeSolla]

true dat bro -- these guys are all about big bucks.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Joe Solla - Powermatic has been a wonderful and supportive sponsor of the Woodsmith Shop and woodworking community as a whole. They were kind enough to supply us with all of our power tools, so no apologies for that :)

[@agalligani]

I love the tenon part but what about the mortise?

[@Reliable1102Intel]

Im implementing this plan with a slight increase in size. Didn’t see much effort in squaring the fence to the saw?

[@jamcguiganjr]

This table saw sled video is similar to the one that was published in a magazine called Tips, Tricks, and Jigs by Woodsmith. It's dated 2020 or early 2021, pg 10 thru 13. I'm trying to decide which way to go with. I think the biggest difference is the amount of plywood required to make the two-sided sled. The two-sided sled in the video has an option to add the extension. The magazine used a longer plywood (4' or so) which is probably more stable than the extension??? Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

[@boballen4890]

I built one as good as that without buying extras like rails and hold-downs, i build my own

[@kanedNunable]

this sled is so good it needs 3 people to make ;)

[@huwdavies5264]

Nice Crosscut sled. I love the extension fence. Cheers, Huw

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks!

[@pf5658]

Pretty darn awesome jig.😊👍🏾 Honestly, one of the best I’ve seen so far.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks for the high praise!

[@natazer]

I don't do any wood work, and now I want one for reason.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

I guess it's time to get started. :)

[@lewisway6811]

I really like this sled, got my plans and picking up most materials tomorrow.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Awesome! Let us know how it goes.

[@glennroberts461]

The best crosscut sled ever is part of the Precision Woodcutting System by Ryobi. It was an 8 inch table saw that had a sled as it's miter gauge. No dicking around with homemade crap. Sears even had a Craftsman version. Funny thing was the pros poopoo'd it at the time because it was a cheap Ryobi. Now they all want sleds.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks for your input.

[@johntomasik1555]

LOL when you started showing the sliding front fence for a dado set, the rear fence only showed the thin slot pass through for a single blade. But, then the dado slot appeared in the rear fence later.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

It’s the magic of the sled! 😀 I know, those continuity errors get us every time.

[@johntomasik1555]

@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine You're the only ones struggling with that. (that's sarcasm, btw) Great vid!!!

[@TheDesertRat31]

Now wouldn't it make more sense to orient the sled extension to the right of the blade, where the extension table could help support any added length on the work piece?

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Yes, but the orientation of the sled is dependent on whether you have a left-tilt or right-tilt table saw. The sled needs to open up in the direction in which you stack the dado blades. The saw in this video is a left-tilt blade so the dado blades stack to the right. If you have a right-tilt saw the blades stack to the left and you would build the sled in the manner you mentioned.

[@contessa.adella]

Lots of blue aloooo min um. This was hilarious. The cadence of the scripted verbiage in the style of “Tool Time Tim” from Home Improvement.

[@rolfkostka3992]

WARNING! Careful, I badly broke my right index finger by crosscuting with a crosscut sled using a stop on the fence. Any movement of the wood against the stop on the piece your cutting could bind the workpiece between the the stop and blade causing a very violent kickback. I suggest hold down clamps as well to hold the workpiece firmly in place whilst keeping your hands away from the workpiece as well.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Ouch, that sounds really terrible. Kickback can be a real pain.

[@laurelrunlaurelrun]

Rolf, that's food for thought. do you think flipping the stop up after positioning the piece, but before beginning the cut would have helped?

[@LeoTheHuman]

@@laurelrunlaurelrun One should never make a full cut with the stop on the side they can't hold safely. If you need to cut a small piece that can't be held, stop should be removed after positioning the work.

[@scott98390]

The only issue I see is that your dado blade eats a huge chunk out of the rear fence... so when you go back to a smaller width blade, you're going to get tearout - but it IS on the waste side, so I guess it's a minor issue. I really like the adjustability, that's clever!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Yeah, I was having the same discussion about this with another commenter too, and even though it's on the waste side of the fence it might get kind of shabby looking if you do a lot of deeper dadoes. I think I might add on a replaceable hardboard insert in a small section of the fence like we did on this box joint jig: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/adjustable-box-joint-jig/

[@24revealer]

@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine That was the one thing I saw in this good design.

[@4rdzlla]

@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine so whats hthe finaly decision on how you solved the back fence once DADO is used. im looking to build this next weekend and order parts but wondering if i should build this exactly like this. or exact but no adjustment of blades. because once i use DADO once. its now done

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

mike gray - if you are worried about the back fence getting chewed up I would just add the replaceable hardboard insert as mentioned above (making it about an inch wider on either side of where your kerf and widest dado would be to have room to screw it in place)... You could always do this later or just replace the entire fence if it gets too bad.

[@4rdzlla]

@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine thanks. I'm a beginner getting into this. Starting with built in office cabinets. So cabinets are first project. I may just start with this design but not adjustable as the size of this jig dado3for Stiles would be great. But putting a groove in larger wider boards won't work especially length wise. But then again I'm learning on a small dewalt 7480. Not a large table saw with large tabletop.

[@veritasestveritas8646]

This is a neat sled, guys. The features you've built in to accomodate dado sets and the rail system really add to the versatility. I do have an observation/question. Many sleds I've seen feature front and rear fences that are higher in the middle (along the blade track), which I assume is to ensure the fences remain joined across the left and right of the sled when raising the blade for thicker stock. So: Q: What is the thickest stock you can cut with this sled before the integrity of the fence is compromised? Q: Could the fence design be safely modified so the center is higher? Obviously, you'd have to then modify the fence system. Maybe just make the entire fence higher? What are your thoughts? Love the show! Keep up the great work!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

With the current design of this sled I would say you can cut 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" thick stock without a problem. The main thing driving they height of the fence is using the kreg track for the flip stop... it needs to be at that specific height for the flip stop to function properly. You can make the front bridge taller without a problem and add a taller back bridge behind the fence to hold the base to together if you wanted to go thicker though. We also have a table sled design with the hump in the middle like you are talking about that solves this problem too. You can see that one here: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/ultimate-crosscut-sled/

[@veritasestveritas8646]

Interesting. Now I'm musing about a hybrid of the two. Thanks for sharing these plans.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

A hybrid would be pretty cool. We plan on shooting a video soon with the "Ultimate" crosscut sled too, so you'll get to see that one in action.

[@sandman2651]

Great vid,i live in the uk and cant find those miter bars they would make the process of making a sled so much better, having said that every time i have tried to make a sled it just never comes together for me i dont think im destined to own a table saw sled lol

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

LOL ... well don't give up. Keep trying. :)

[@KevinDurette]

Is the adjustable thickness challenging to get correct? Make it too tight just one time, and you've ruined your sled. Make it too loose, and you lose the clean finish of backing scrap.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

It adjusts really easily... while the table saw is off you just straddle the sled over the blade(s) and then just close the base until it just barely touches the teeth of the blade.

[@bobbg9041]

No the Bar won't expand and contract with Humidity, but it will with heat and cold but not as much as wood will. Keep that in mind when dialing it it for fit. one thou play should be fine two thou even better, that's not enough to make a bad cut but it is enough to let the guide bar slide smoothly year round. you could also go even more slop and add some slick type tape like a PTFE tape or UHMW tape. This stuff is great for wood to wood drawer runners or any tool you need a slick fence on or surface. Google it or just look for it on amazon.

[@BurninSven1]

there will be a problem, you got a very low max height for your blade which in in itself is good though cause it will reduce the kickback risk. Never remove the knife after the blade it´s there for a reason

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

I agree, a good riving knife can be the best accessory in preventing kickback.

[@dennisbasford1813]

like the adjustability but I have RH saw arbor therefore blade datum is RH flange, and wood is wasted to LH side with increase blade thickness and Dado blades. The adjuster needs to be on the LH side in my case.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Actually, if you look at the photos from the plans: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/precision-crosscut-sled/ We originally built this for a right-tilt saw. We mirrored the build for the saw in the video because it is a left-tilt. You just need to orient the sled based on the arbor on your saw.

[@dlk4318]

really brilliant

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks! :)

[@chrisgriffith1573]

If it came with a woodworker, then I wouldn't have to even go into the shop!

[@bijan4727]

Hello Sir. I love your presentation. I have a Dewalt table saw that the surface is 19 X 19 what do you suggest the available working space to be excluding the thickness of the fences ? I appreciate your input.

[@redscortgt93]

I liked the adjustable kerf idea until you cut through the back fence with a dado.

[@glumberty1]

Just add a disposable auxiliary fence to the front fence and your problem is solved.

[@MauriceCalis]

I love the extension idea; definitely want to incorporate that into my sleds. The problem with the dado option is that now the fence has a bigger cutout, so on common crosscuts, there will be splintering. Can't think of how to resolve that without having a separate sled.

[@Mikemillering1]

This is exactly what I was thinking. The first time you use this on a dad you won’t be able to prevent chip out on the fence portion when you go back to standard blade. I am in the process of making my cross cut and I can’t think of a solution other than having a separate sled.

[@MauriceCalis]

@@Mikemillering1 I've thought about it a little more since then. Only thing I can think of is to just make the fence travel with the base as well.

[@rickkyriakopoulos1103]

Did you ever think about putting a 3/4" piece of wood against the inside of the sled and your work piece in front of that ?! You won't be cutting a Dado through your sled, and you can keep it tight for no tear outs when Dado is not in use.

[@MauriceCalis]

@@rickkyriakopoulos1103 Sure, that works, but I would just use a different sled for regular cross-cuts; if I'm switching to a dado set, I'm taking the sled off anyway, might as well grab another sled. I'm talking about how to incorporate it into the design.

[@waydegardner7373]

As a (very) amateur wood builder, when the sled build is more complicated than just lining up my miter saw, I’m done. It looks great, probably works great but geez can we just make it simple?

[@stephenlucas6038]

I'm a newbie who just bought a jobsite saw as my first table saw. would the size of my sled need to be smaller to do something like this? Thanks for any help.

[@Mikehdy]

So as soon as you use the dado blade you bugger up the zero clearance on the fence. Not a good design. Have a separate sled for the dado blade. Why does nobody see this problem??

[@ashenpuddle]

Ha! You’re absolutely right! I didn’t notice that but it’s a point well-made. I’d like to see a response from the people who came up with this design.

[@jamiehageman6191]

If you bugger it up add a piece of 1/4 ply with a couple staples. Then you only have to replace that after time.

[@jopaul66]

Perfecto como siempre. Saludos desde Perú amigos.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Gracias!

[@robinyoung8312]

It looks like the fences are made from solid wood instead of plywood. I purchased the plans and, although they didn't say they were plywood, they also didn't say they weren't. If they are solid wood, what kind? Something quartersawn for stability?

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

We used hard maple, but plywood should work fine too. You’re right that it needs to be stable. You don’t want it warping over time, so if you choose hardwood, something straight-grained and kiln-dried wood be best.

[@zk_6312]

Looks great. Too bad I am unable to put it on my older skillsaw 3400 table saw because the miter slots are not standard.

[@1SCme]

I haven't checked, but I expect to encounter the same thing on my Craftsman. Can't you use different size rails in the slots spaced at different widths? The screw adjustments would work in wood as well, or might be able to buy and cut down aluminum rectangular tubing or solid stock.

[@Rudy32225]

@@1SCme Use PVC or Starboard, HDPE,etc, they are slick and will not bind. I too have an old Craftsman and will not part with it

[@Keithjmcc]

Nice job fellas

[@hj8607]

Nice design with the spread feature . This would allow for dado set ups , However, table saws are designed to have the blade pivot at table surface level on angle cuts . ON a surface that is ~ 3/4 " higher, as on a sled, this point moves from center off to left AND right by up to 3/4" . A Precision saw sled must be able to provide zero cut tolerance under all cut set ups . (most sleds use inserts to achieve this ) SO , it's back to the drawing board to expand this idea !!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Yeah, this sled isn't really designed to do mitered cuts, but this ULTIMATE Crosscut Sled with replaceable zero clearance insert is: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/ultimate-crosscut-sled/ (*both of these sleds have 1/2" plywood bases, btw)

[@blakedozier1131]

Why do you have the sled on the left side of the blade? Am I missing something? Is there something I don't know? (Pretty good chance on the latter.) BYW - Love the show and the magazine. I have learned a lot over the years.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

In this case the sled is built off to the left side because this table saw has a left-tilt blade. The tilt of blade isn't so much of a big deal as is the way the arbor is mounted in the saw. The arbor is mounted on the left side so as you stack dado blades and chippers the thickness will be added toward the right, so the base of this sled needs to open up to the right to accommodate the dado blade. If you had a right-tilt blade the sled would be a mirror image of what is shown in the video.

[@blakedozier1131]

Appreciate the quick reply with the obvious answer. Another of those slap-yourself-on-the-forehead moments. Another Woodsmith project to make my woodworking better and easier. Keep up the great work.

[@Honu425]

I've seen this before, and I'll probably build one like it one of these days. Problem for me is that my Jet TS is an older model: my blades stack in the opposite direction. I haven't figured out a way around that....yet.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Just flip the design so that you cut on the right side of the blade... actually the plans for this sled show it in that orientation. We just built it in this orientation for our saw.

[@Honu425]

@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine Believe it or not, I was sitting here watching another video with a guy using a sliding table saw and thinking exactly the same thing!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Honu425 -LOL 👍

[@MisterHedgeFund]

Why is it safe to crosscut with the wood pressed against the flip stop, but not pressed up against the fence? FYI, I've been doing this for about 4 days.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

This is a very good question... I think it’s safe to use a stop in conjunction with a sled or miter gauge and auxiliary fence because the entire workpiece is being supported while being pushed through the blade while it is static against the stop. If you’re pushing it through against the table saw’s fence the workpiece could catch and get wedged between the blade and fence and bad things happen.

[@aaudain1]

Wonderful keep it coming

[@VaracolacidVesci]

amazing design!!!

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thank you! 😊

[@cornishplanthunters4768]

you guys are so cool in the US

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Awww... thanks! 😊

[@joeagrette9606]

Great job will definitely build one. Thanks

[@steveharbour]

the sled is nice, I agree, but once you use the dado ability of the sled, you have then ruined the zero clearance on the rear fence. You make your cut through and the clearance is then widened out to the width of the dado you were using.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Yeah, I agree that the back fence will get chewed up (as mentioned in previous comments) it's not a huge deal because it is on the waste side of the cut but one solution would be to add a replaceable hardboard insert like this sled: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/table-saw-dovetail-jig/ I've been meaning to shoot a video on this subject, so I'll get on that. Thanks.

[@davidkolaga8489]

I have sleds I've made with wooden (poplar, beech, maple) runners more than forty years ago. They run perfectly; they've never developed any slop and never bind in the slot. Expansion/contraction cycles are negligible in such narrow pieces.

[@terrygossman5850]

I'm having difficulty understanding how the measuring tape works. Either the video was playing tricks on my eyes or yours seems to be way more than 1" away from the blade.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

On the Kreg Flip Stop there is a little plastic view finder with a crosshair that is offset a few inches from the edge of the flip stop. So when the flip stop is against the blade or at “zero” that means the tapes “zero” will register with the crosshair rather than being aligned with the blade.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

This section of video probably better explains what I'm talking about: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fH21nYJmechgabc

[@robertcornelius3514]

I am a little confused. I see pictures of this sled in the right-hand or left-hand configuration. What will the plans show me?

[@drs-Rigo-Reus]

why not use both mitre slots? Nylon runners are best, can be sawn, planed etc. It won't glue though so you need to screw them.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Yeah, nylon runners are pretty nice too. We should do a video on all the different types of sled runners - there are a lot of good manufactured runners out there of all different types of materials (nylon, phenolic, aluminum, steel, etc.) This is a pretty small sled, so one runner works just fine. Also, with the expanding feature on the base of this sled it would be difficult to incorporate two runners. Plus, I often find that trying to add two sled runners adds another layer of complexity that just doesn't seem to be necessary... Trying to locate them perfectly and keep them parallel so they don't bind seems like more hassle than it's worth.

[@OstseeStudio]

Yes, this is the best, and i have seen many. Greetings from Germany o/

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Wow, thanks!

[@tpopejr]

Were the plans for this sled in a Woodsmith magazine? If so, what's the issue / date?

[@chetnash5991]

Love the magazine, love the show, love this tip

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@FStewartIII]

can I ask why at 6:50 the tenon appears to have various levels from the dado blade?

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

I think what you are seeing there are 3 deeper lines that are scoring cuts... Most dado sets have outside scoring blades that are angled and create a line that is slightly deeper than the rest of the dado. Because Dave made multiple passes it left multiple scoring lines.

[@vincentmiceli2554]

And here I was thinking the Title was wishful thinking. Ha, you proved me wrong, I think this very well could be one of the best Crosscut Sled ideas ever. I like it.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks :) I really was trying to be over the top with the title, so I'll take that as a compliment!

[@darylculler8233]

Solid that is

[@mikecoughlin3222]

dado blades go in the other direction on delta table saw. it would not be practical to slide the whole left side unless the entire sled is reversed.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

The plans show assembly for both right and left-tilt table saws. The table saw in this video is a left-tilt saw. If you have a right-tilt saw and the dado blades stack in the other direction then the main part of the sled would be be built off to the right of the blade.

[@chicagohandyman]

Who would dislike this video?

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Tundra, Tools, and Tech - I know, right? 😀

[@JoeSolla]

me for one - these guys are just hawking plans. thumbs down

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Joe Solla - Well, I’ll just thumbs down your comment then if we’re being petty about it :) Plus, we have to pay for these expensive tools somehow. Seriously though, thanks for watching our free video content... we hope you at least liked that part of it.

[@bogus_not_me]

@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine that was rather harsh and unprofessional to " thumbs down" a comment. Especially when there are several others that share his opinion about your work.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Carl Anglin - Is the thumbs down just a form of disliking a comment? How is that harsh or unprofessional? Am I not allowed to disagree with another person’s opinion?