I have a long drive home every day,
which gets me to thinking. Tonight I was
thinking about how much of a pain my
tablesaw sled is. It's made of 3/4" ply
and mounted on an old 8" saw.
I won't be replacing that saw soon,
because I'd rather replace it with
something that's a bit out of my budget
at the time. But that sled stops me from
making through cuts on thicker wood. I
have to take one cut and then flip to
complete.
I was thinking that if the sled was of
thinner material, it would give me more
cutting depth, but thinner wood is
asking for trouble. So I thought of
aluminum. And immediately wondered why
I'd never heard of an aluminum sled.
Which makes me think that someone has
thought of it and rejected it for some
really good reason that I couldn't come
up with.
Is there a reason that a TS sled can't
be made out of 1/4" aluminum plate?
Tanus
--
This is not really a sig.
http://users.compzone.ca/george/shop/
On Mar 22, 10:02 pm, Tanus <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have a long drive home every day,
> which gets me to thinking. Tonight I was
> thinking about how much of a pain my
> tablesaw sled is. It's made of 3/4" ply
> and mounted on an old 8" saw.
>
> I won't be replacing that saw soon,
> because I'd rather replace it with
> something that's a bit out of my budget
> at the time. But that sled stops me from
> making through cuts on thicker wood. I
> have to take one cut and then flip to
> complete.
>
> I was thinking that if the sled was of
> thinner material, it would give me more
> cutting depth, but thinner wood is
> asking for trouble. So I thought of
> aluminum. And immediately wondered why
> I'd never heard of an aluminum sled.
> Which makes me think that someone has
> thought of it and rejected it for some
> really good reason that I couldn't come
> up with.
>
> Is there a reason that a TS sled can't
> be made out of 1/4" aluminum plate?
Sure, if serviceability's not a problem should the bed be damaged.
Otherwise, I use 3/8" birch ply on a 10" saw. Can't see any
reason why 1/4" ply wouldn't work. You could also build a
"flying Dutchman" type sled, which has an overbuilt fence
straddling two runners and no bed.
In article <bt%[email protected]>, Max <
ain'[email protected]> wrote:
> "Tanus" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Tanus wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Is there a reason that a TS sled can't be made out of 1/4" aluminum
> >> plate?
> >>
> >> Tanus
> >
> > Thank you all for your responses. I have to admit that I hadn't, and still
> > haven't, checked out the price of a slab of aluminum. I may not bother
> > either. The idea of 1/4" hardboard appeals to me. I wouldn't have thought
> > that something that thin that wasn't metal would work but I'm willing to
> > try that first.
> >
> > If not, I'll call the guys who might have Al pieces and price it out.
> >
> > Tanus
> >
> > --
> > This is not really a sig.
> >
> > http://users.compzone.ca/george/shop/
>
> Have you considered polycarbonate or phenolic?
> My TS sled is made of 1/2" Baltic Birch ply but I would think that 1/4"
> phenolic would work well.
Mt sled is 3/8 ply, a piece of 2x4 and a piece of 2x6. Works great.
--
You can't PLAN sincerity. You have to make it up on the spot! -- Denny Crane
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Doug Schultz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:AsJMh.52656$DN.11144@pd7urf2no...
> > 2$ a pound up here at the scrap dealer.
>
> Scrap is the key word there. Try manufacturing a sled with a perfectly
flat
> and smooth surface and see what that would cost you.
>
>
The scrap part may indeed be the key, but the flatness is irrelevant. How
many chunks of plywood that most sleds are made out of are any much flatter
than a piece of aluminum? Perfectly flat?
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
Tanus wrote:
>
> Is there a reason that a TS sled can't be made out of 1/4" aluminum plate?
>
> Tanus
Thank you all for your responses. I have
to admit that I hadn't, and still
haven't, checked out the price of a slab
of aluminum. I may not bother either.
The idea of 1/4" hardboard appeals to
me. I wouldn't have thought that
something that thin that wasn't metal
would work but I'm willing to try that
first.
If not, I'll call the guys who might
have Al pieces and price it out.
Tanus
--
This is not really a sig.
http://users.compzone.ca/george/shop/
2$ a pound up here at the scrap dealer.
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Tanus wrote:
>
> > Is there a reason that a TS sled can't be made out of 1/4" aluminum
> plate?
>
> Check the price of a piece of 1/4" aluminum and get back to me.
>
> There are other reasons, but initial cost will be a biggie.
>
> Lew
In article <AsJMh.52656$DN.11144@pd7urf2no>, "Doug Schultz" <[email protected]> wrote:
>2$ a pound up here at the scrap dealer.
If your scrap dealer has a piece of 1/4" plate aluminum that's large enough,
and flat enough, to make a table saw sled, then you should get right on that.
>
>
>"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Tanus wrote:
>>
>> > Is there a reason that a TS sled can't be made out of 1/4" aluminum
>> plate?
>>
>> Check the price of a piece of 1/4" aluminum and get back to me.
>>
>> There are other reasons, but initial cost will be a biggie.
>>
>> Lew
>
>
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.
"Say What?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Ken wrote:
>> Tanus wrote:
>>
>>> Is there a reason that a TS sled can't
>>> be made out of 1/4" aluminum plate?
>>>
>>> Tanus
>>
>> David Marks uses an Aluminum miter sled.
>> http://www.djmarks.com/woodworks/mitersled.asp
>
> And Incra makes one with two halves that move independently thus making a
> nifty cross cut sled as well as a miter sled with Incra's legendary
> accuracy.
It is not aluminum.
>
> It will just great with that new Unisaw or whatever you're longing for,
> Tanus!
>
> http://www.incra.biz/Products/MiterExpress.html
>
"Mike Marlow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> The scrap part may indeed be the key, but the flatness is irrelevant. How
> many chunks of plywood that most sleds are made out of are any much
> flatter
> than a piece of aluminum? Perfectly flat?
Compared to most scrap metal I have seen, the plywood is very flat.
Scrap doesn't necessarily mean bent and twisted. Around here, you can buy
aluminum "scrap" in all shapes and sizes, including 4'x8' sheets. If a
manufacturer has excess that they don't need, it is sold as scrap. As there
are lots of aircraft manufacturers around here, scrap is anything that is
undocumented. All aircraft materials have to have documentation going back
to the manufacturer. If it doesn't, it can't be used.
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Doug Schultz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:AsJMh.52656$DN.11144@pd7urf2no...
> > 2$ a pound up here at the scrap dealer.
>
> Scrap is the key word there. Try manufacturing a sled with a perfectly
flat
> and smooth surface and see what that would cost you.
>
>
The only downside that I can think of would be metal chips in your
workpieces but as long as you're always using a carbide tipped blade
that will cut aluminum I don't see why it could not work. I assume
you'll use AL runners too, that will keep the baseplate 1/16 or 1/32
above the tabletop to reduce friction.
J.
Tanus wrote:
> I have a long drive home every day, which gets me to thinking. Tonight I
> was thinking about how much of a pain my tablesaw sled is. It's made of
> 3/4" ply and mounted on an old 8" saw.
>
> I won't be replacing that saw soon, because I'd rather replace it with
> something that's a bit out of my budget at the time. But that sled stops
> me from making through cuts on thicker wood. I have to take one cut and
> then flip to complete.
>
> I was thinking that if the sled was of thinner material, it would give
> me more cutting depth, but thinner wood is asking for trouble. So I
> thought of aluminum. And immediately wondered why I'd never heard of an
> aluminum sled. Which makes me think that someone has thought of it and
> rejected it for some really good reason that I couldn't come up with.
>
> Is there a reason that a TS sled can't be made out of 1/4" aluminum plate?
>
> Tanus
"Tanus" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Tanus wrote:
>
>>
>> Is there a reason that a TS sled can't be made out of 1/4" aluminum
>> plate?
>>
>> Tanus
>
> Thank you all for your responses. I have to admit that I hadn't, and still
> haven't, checked out the price of a slab of aluminum. I may not bother
> either. The idea of 1/4" hardboard appeals to me. I wouldn't have thought
> that something that thin that wasn't metal would work but I'm willing to
> try that first.
>
> If not, I'll call the guys who might have Al pieces and price it out.
>
> Tanus
>
> --
> This is not really a sig.
>
> http://users.compzone.ca/george/shop/
Have you considered polycarbonate or phenolic?
My TS sled is made of 1/2" Baltic Birch ply but I would think that 1/4"
phenolic would work well.
Max
"Doug Schultz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:AsJMh.52656$DN.11144@pd7urf2no...
> 2$ a pound up here at the scrap dealer.
Scrap is the key word there. Try manufacturing a sled with a perfectly flat
and smooth surface and see what that would cost you.
Hi,
One minor problem is that if you slide the wood around on the aluminum
you might get some dark smudges. Often the better quality Al parts are
hard anodized.
My sled is 1/4" hardboard and it woks fine. Actually I have a panel
cutting sled and a cutoff sled which extends about 18" beyond both sides
of the blade.
Thanks
Roger Haar
*****************************************
Tanus wrote:
> I have a long drive home every day, which gets me to thinking. Tonight I
> was thinking about how much of a pain my tablesaw sled is. It's made of
> 3/4" ply and mounted on an old 8" saw.
>
> I won't be replacing that saw soon, because I'd rather replace it with
> something that's a bit out of my budget at the time. But that sled stops
> me from making through cuts on thicker wood. I have to take one cut and
> then flip to complete.
>
> I was thinking that if the sled was of thinner material, it would give
> me more cutting depth, but thinner wood is asking for trouble. So I
> thought of aluminum. And immediately wondered why I'd never heard of an
> aluminum sled. Which makes me think that someone has thought of it and
> rejected it for some really good reason that I couldn't come up with.
>
> Is there a reason that a TS sled can't be made out of 1/4" aluminum plate?
>
> Tanus
"Tanus" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> So I thought of aluminum. And immediately wondered why I'd never heard of
> an aluminum sled. Which makes me think that someone has thought of it and
> rejected it for some really good reason that I couldn't come up with.
The reason aluminum is not used is because most of us are thinking ahead. If
you buy a new SawStop model, you'll have to go into bypass mode to safely
use the aluminum sled. We don't want to have to make a new sled for the new
saw.
Glad I could help :)
Ken wrote:
> Tanus wrote:
>
>> Is there a reason that a TS sled can't
>> be made out of 1/4" aluminum plate?
>>
>> Tanus
>
> David Marks uses an Aluminum miter sled.
> http://www.djmarks.com/woodworks/mitersled.asp
And Incra makes one with two halves that move independently thus making
a nifty cross cut sled as well as a miter sled with Incra's legendary
accuracy.
It will just great with that new Unisaw or whatever you're longing for,
Tanus!
http://www.incra.biz/Products/MiterExpress.html
If you're continually cutting your sled, you're doing something wrong.
"J." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The only downside that I can think of would be metal chips in your
> workpieces but as long as you're always using a carbide tipped blade
> that will cut aluminum I don't see why it could not work. I assume
> you'll use AL runners too, that will keep the baseplate 1/16 or 1/32
> above the tabletop to reduce friction.
>
> J.
>
>
> Tanus wrote:
> > I have a long drive home every day, which gets me to thinking. Tonight I
> > was thinking about how much of a pain my tablesaw sled is. It's made of
> > 3/4" ply and mounted on an old 8" saw.
> >
> > I won't be replacing that saw soon, because I'd rather replace it with
> > something that's a bit out of my budget at the time. But that sled stops
> > me from making through cuts on thicker wood. I have to take one cut and
> > then flip to complete.
> >
> > I was thinking that if the sled was of thinner material, it would give
> > me more cutting depth, but thinner wood is asking for trouble. So I
> > thought of aluminum. And immediately wondered why I'd never heard of an
> > aluminum sled. Which makes me think that someone has thought of it and
> > rejected it for some really good reason that I couldn't come up with.
> >
> > Is there a reason that a TS sled can't be made out of 1/4" aluminum
plate?
> >
> > Tanus