I decided I need a crosscut sled on my Delta table-top saw. I bought
a length of Lee Valley's UMHW plastic for the runners - my first problem
is that the table slots aren't plain 3/4" wide slots - they look
something like this (not to scale):
\ /
| |
_ _
| |
- -
|_____|
so at the widest place, they are 3/4" wide, but narrower at the top and
bottom.
There are two slots - one on each side of the blade, but different
distances from it.
I've made two runners - one for each slot. It seemed to me that this
would keep the sled better aligned than using only one slot. But many
old posts (DAGS) are about using only one slot. Is it a bad idea to
use both?
To make the plastic fit the slot, I routed a portion away at all four
corners. This provided me the experience of routing UMHW - it isn't all
that bad to work with, but it has a flexibility which sometimes leaves
chips partly attached.
As far as sanding to size - I tried and tried, with 60
grit in an orbital sander. I finally tried scraping, and it works.
The last insight I got was that after making two runners fit one slot,
I found that the two slots aren't exactly the same size! Not far
apart, but still somewhat frustrating. (At least part of it was bumps
in the aluminum, which caused irregularities in the slot bottom.)
--
--henry schaffer
[email protected]
In article <%3X%[email protected]>,
Bay Area Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>I used 2 Incra aluminum runners and recommend them highly. they have 3
>adjustments for a close fitting runner to prevent the sled from twisting
>(in relationship to the blade). There are other choices such as UHMW
>plastic, or even hardwood, but the adjustable Incras are the cat's meow.
I have UHMW plastic runners done for my (wierd) slots. I haven't seen
anything to fit the slots, so I had fun routing UHMW. The rest might be
easier.
> ...
--
--henry schaffer
[email protected]
I used maple runners for my sled ( 1/2 / 3/4 ) with slots verses
holes to hold the screws. I don't have the same saw as you have , but
would recommend using two runners. It took a lot of Johnson's paste
wax & some adjusting to get the runners 'worn in' but it cuts at a
nice 90 degree angle & there is no slop in the sled- I would think
that one runner would let the sled lean to one side while you pushed
the sled through the blade. For the base of the sled, I used 1/2 "
melamine.
Phil
One runner sleds work fine. Make the runner the right size and you don't
have to worry about it..
"Phil" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I used maple runners for my sled ( 1/2 / 3/4 ) with slots verses
> holes to hold the screws. I don't have the same saw as you have , but
> would recommend using two runners. It took a lot of Johnson's paste
> wax & some adjusting to get the runners 'worn in' but it cuts at a
> nice 90 degree angle & there is no slop in the sled- I would think
> that one runner would let the sled lean to one side while you pushed
> the sled through the blade. For the base of the sled, I used 1/2 "
> melamine.
> Phil
On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 01:25:56 +0000 (UTC), [email protected] (Henry E
Schaffer) wrote:
> I decided I need a crosscut sled on my Delta table-top saw. I bought
>a length of Lee Valley's UMHW plastic for the runners - my first problem
>is that the table slots aren't plain 3/4" wide slots - they look
>something like this (not to scale):
[snip>
>
> The last insight I got was that after making two runners fit one slot,
>I found that the two slots aren't exactly the same size! Not far
>apart, but still somewhat frustrating.
I hate when that happens. Empathies.
make the sled a bit bigger (front to back dimension) than the widest
board you expect to crosscut. no can decide that but you. sled sizes
varying, based on needs. the bigger you make the sled the heavier and
harder to store, so strike a happy medium
dave
Henry E Schaffer wrote:
> I decided I need a crosscut sled on my Delta table-top saw. I bought
> a length of Lee Valley's UMHW plastic for the runners - my first problem
> is that the table slots aren't plain 3/4" wide slots - they look
> something like this (not to scale):
>
> \ /
> | |
> _ _
> | |
> - -
> |_____|
>
> so at the widest place, they are 3/4" wide, but narrower at the top and
> bottom.
>
> There are two slots - one on each side of the blade, but different
> distances from it.
>
> I've made two runners - one for each slot. It seemed to me that this
> would keep the sled better aligned than using only one slot. But many
> old posts (DAGS) are about using only one slot. Is it a bad idea to
> use both?
>
> To make the plastic fit the slot, I routed a portion away at all four
> corners. This provided me the experience of routing UMHW - it isn't all
> that bad to work with, but it has a flexibility which sometimes leaves
> chips partly attached.
>
> As far as sanding to size - I tried and tried, with 60
> grit in an orbital sander. I finally tried scraping, and it works.
>
> The last insight I got was that after making two runners fit one slot,
> I found that the two slots aren't exactly the same size! Not far
> apart, but still somewhat frustrating. (At least part of it was bumps
> in the aluminum, which caused irregularities in the slot bottom.)