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Author Topic: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge  (Read 1517 times)

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Offline miclee15

  • Posts: 60
Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« on: July 18, 2019, 09:42 PM »
I’ve never had anything better then a portable table saw and now I’m upgrading to a cabinet saw.   I’m trying to understand the pros and cons of a sled verse a miter gauge.  I purchased a Incra Miter gauge and now wondering if I need to make or buy a sled.
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Offline ChuckM

  • Posts: 1397
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2019, 10:00 PM »
A cross-cut sled allows to you to make cross cuts on pieces that may be too small for a mitre gauge. In addition, better dust collection can be had using the cross-cut sled with a dust shroud like this: https://1uscx04b9e331agpck24eteh-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/Crossclut-Sled-Dust-Shroud-Lead.jpg
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Offline TSO Products

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Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2019, 10:25 PM »
- add another vote for the Cross-cut Sled !
make one yourself - a great item to develop new shop skills especially with unfamiliar new-to-you tools.

You'll never look back  [smile]

Hans
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Offline Peter_C

  • Posts: 779
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2019, 11:05 PM »
A good miter gauge and a table saw sled are in order. Just as much so with a portable saw. Attaching something to the front of the miter gauge on a portable saw is a HUGE improvement. Small parts are almost always best cut on a sled.
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Offline Bob D.

  • Posts: 1453
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2019, 05:30 AM »
For me I'd say you need both, as they both have advantages in certain situations. So for me it's not a choice of which do I need but when do I use one over the other.

Bill Ng has an excellent YT video showing how to build his sled. No doubt many here have viewed it, but for those who haven't here it is. He recently came out with a miter attachment for this sled so look for that video too.

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Offline miclee15

  • Posts: 60
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2019, 08:39 AM »
Quote from: Bob D. on July 19, 2019, 05:30 AM
For me I'd say you need both, as they both have advantages in certain situations. So for me it's not a choice of which do I need but when do I use one over the other.

Bill Ng has an excellent YT video showing how to build his sled. No doubt many here have viewed it, but for those who haven't here it is. He recently came out with a miter attachment for this sled so look for that video too.

Bob D - thanks for the video.   Other than "small parts", I haven't seen/read any accepted practice or what advantages are provided with each. 

I'm taking delivery of the new saw on the 30th and once it's set up  I'll be moving forward to build a small one.
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Offline ChiknNutz

  • Posts: 84
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2019, 09:16 AM »
Another use I have for a sled is to accurately shave off minute amounts.  This can also be done on the miter saw provided it has enough capacity for the cut.  The sled I made is a one sided affair and by the nature of how it's made, is a zero clearance on the one side (in my case the sled rides to the left of the blade).  This allows you to place the item to cut right on the edge of the sled and know with certainty that the cut will be precisely where you want it.
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Offline Dick Mahany

  • Posts: 551
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2019, 09:28 AM »
I use an Incra miter gauge which I really like, however I prefer using a crosscut sled when ever I can.  I echo the earlier comments that you should have both if you can as well as the usefulness for small parts.

I built this one for my Unisaw from 3/4" MDO plywood.  It was super useful, but it weighed too much.



I have since downsized and have a portable saw and built a much simpler sled from 1/2" plywood. I use it often for small or precision parts.





Even though the Incra miter gauge is excellent, the sled is just so stable due to the dual runners.
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Offline B33tl3

  • Posts: 8
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #8 on: July 19, 2019, 09:46 AM »
Having both are nice. I already had an Incra Miter gauge so I replaced my big heavy sled with the Incra Miter Express.  It works great and my miter gauge stays in there 97% of the time but I can take it out if I need to do something where I don't want the sled. The Incra Miter 5000 is a bigger version that still uses the Incra Miter gauge

Incra Miter Express
Incra Miter 5000
« Last Edit: July 19, 2019, 09:51 AM by B33tl3 »
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Offline miclee15

  • Posts: 60
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #9 on: July 19, 2019, 10:09 AM »
Thank you to all.  Love this forum, even when Festool is not the topic.

Quote from: B33tl3 on July 19, 2019, 09:46 AM
Having both are nice. I already had an Incra Miter gauge so I replaced my big heavy sled with the Incra Miter Express.

I was looking that that given I purchased the Incra Miter gauge.


Quote from: Dick Mahany on July 19, 2019, 09:28 AM
I built this one for my Unisaw from 3/4" MDO plywood.  It was super useful, but it weighed too much.
Even though the Incra miter gauge is excellent, the sled is just so stable due to the dual runners.

Thank you for the pictures.  Nice sled  [big grin]
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Offline B33tl3

  • Posts: 8
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #10 on: July 19, 2019, 10:18 AM »
miclee15
The Incra sleds are great given the precision of the miter gauge. It has always been dead on.
Lots of good videos out there about it.


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Offline miclee15

  • Posts: 60
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 2019, 01:37 PM »
B33tl3 - thanks for the videos.  My head is still spinning from Bill Ng's math class on angles, lol

I think I'm leaning towards the Incra Express, while building my own is a fun project, DIY sleds seem bulky and I have a small shop.  The Incra gets great reviews, and I guess we're all used to paying for expensive tools here, hahaha
« Last Edit: July 19, 2019, 02:20 PM by miclee15 »
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Offline ben_r_

  • Posts: 1242
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #12 on: August 03, 2019, 07:58 PM »
Inrca sled fan here! Love em!
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Offline Michael Kellough

  • Posts: 4473
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #13 on: August 03, 2019, 10:48 PM »
The Dubby sled has been popular for years.
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Offline Jiggy Joiner

  • Posts: 857
Re: Crosscut sled verse miter gauge
« Reply #14 on: August 04, 2019, 03:37 AM »
I always have both a sled and mitre gauge/fence for use with a table, or cabinet saw, and router table.
As said, both have their uses and make what can be a tricky task, very easy.

The only time you probably wouldn’t need either, is if you own a CS-50, CS-70 or Mafell Erika, or any other push/pull saw. Even with those, a sliding table is a welcome addition.
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