For many people, the table saw is the tool their shop is built around. It can do the roughest of rough to the finest of finish carpentry. It rips, crosscuts, rabbits, miters, bevels, and dadoes. Heck, real experts at using the tablesaw can do some pretty complex joinery. I’m not an expert like that, but I do know that one way you can step up your game at the table saw is to build a simple crosscut sled.
What is a cross cut sled? Come on. If you do work with a table saw and you are reading this, you at least have an idea. And its name is actually what it is. A sled that helps you cross cut wood. And it will help you do that with a greater degree of safety than the miter guide that came with the saw. It is a piece of plywood with some dimensional lumber running perpendicular to the blade at the front and back and some guides underneath that ride in the slots on the table.
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Before beginning, make sure the blade of the saw is lowered beneath the surface of the table and the saw is unplugged.
The Surface
The piece of plywood you use should be at least 18″ deep and 36″ wide. That should allow you to crosscut panels that are up to 15″ wide. That tends to be wide than your typical cabinet door and is an easy size to work with. I would even consider making the surface as deep as 24″ and as wide as 42″ – 48″ for even more versatility. However, the sled gets heavier and a little more difficult to work with the larger you make it.
The piece of lumber you select is important. Standard AC or CD ply is no good. While they are structural, they also are almost never flat. I suggest using at least 3/4″ luan as the minimum quality of wood for this project. Be warned, it does generate a lot of splinters. If you have the means, cabinet grade sheet goods will work even better.
The Guides/Runners
The first items to attached to the surface are the runners. Making these can be a little tricky. You need to cut them to match the depth of your surface piece, 18 – 24 inches. But before you do, you need to make sure the stock you are cutting the runners from will fit into the slots of your saw. Measure the slots. Most of them seem like they are about 3/4″ wide but there may be some minor variation between brands and/or the lumber you are using for the runners.
If after you mill you runners and they are a little too wide, take some sandpaper and glue it to a flat surface. That means no tables with glue or paint residue on them. Try and fit the runners and mark where they are wide. Make a pass or two over the sand paper and repeat trying to fit them again. Take this step very slowly. The runners should fit snugly but loosely enough that they will slide back and forth. If you make too many passes on the sandpaper at once, you wind up with runners that are too narrow (which I did with my first set).
Another option is to purchase ready made runners. This bar is my favorite. It has adjustable plungers/bearings to make it fit perfectly in your table saw’s miter slots. And it is great for other jigs as well. I suggest buying two and taking all the worries out of your sled build.
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Predrill your runners and add a countersink to the holes. Don’t skip this step. The runners can easily split if you do not do this. You want to next attach one of the runners at a 90 degree angle to the long edge. Place the surface piece on the table saw (with a lowered blade) where the blade would pop up in the middle of the surface piece. Mark the placement of your runner, flip the surface over and secure the first runner with wood screws that are less than the thickness of your surface.
Once secure, flip the piece back over and place the one runner in its slot. Slide it forward and place the second runner in the other slot leaving it slightly extended past the edge of the saw. Slide the sled back so it is positioned over the runner while leaving most of the weight on the table saw. You will have to bend over to secure the runner through the first hole.
After that, slide the sled forward or carefully turn it around so the non secured side is overhanging the edge. Repeat the process to secure the runner. When the front and back of the runner are secure, test the sled for binding by sliding it back and forth. If all is well, flip it over and secure the middle of the second runner.
The Back Wall
Now it is time to attach the back wall. I prefer to use 5/4″ material that is 4″ – 5″ wide. It is just a little narrower than 2X and still gives you all the structure you need. The back piece can simply be attached with wood screws along the back edge of the sled surface. It is there simply for structure, so you do not need to get too crazy with the 90 degree to the blade accuracy on the back piece.
Remember to predrill and countersink your screwheads. This will allow your workpiece to travel freely and prevent screws from marring the surface of your table saw.
The First Partial Cut
It is time to raise the blade of the saw and run it half way through the sled. You only want to go half way so be ready to stop pushing the piece and turn off the saw. Use extreme caution doing this and do not let go of the piece while the blade is turning. Once the blade has stopped, disconnect the saw from its power source.
The Front Fence
Place the front fence on the work piece and mark out where the blade of the saw will pass through it when completed. Because of the height of the fence, you may want to add some relief to the fence to make it easier to handle. About five or six inches out on both sides of the blade, add 45 degree cut and take the fence height down to two and half or three inches. Round over the edges using a router or sander. This will make the sled much easier to use while the full thickness in the blade path will keep its stucture.
Using the kerf cut and/or the blade of saw and a framing square, it is time to begin securing the front fence of your cross cut sled. Here is where you need to be accurate. This part needs to be perpendicular to the blade so all of your future cuts are 90 degrees. Take your time and work from the center outwards. Predrill and countersink along the underside edge of the sled. Use your framing square to line up your piece of 5/4″ and start screwing it in.
Slow and steady is important here. Again, work from the center and move outwards. It takes a little more time than the rear fence, but it will pay off in the end.
Once the front fence is secured, it is time to finish that kerf cut.
Testing For Accuracy
Moment of truth time. Take a small piece of wood you would like to cross cut. Place it in the sled just enough to cut a small piece from the end. Cut it. Break out a square and check the cut. Success! Put your tools away and start planning the projects you will tackle with your new sled.
