Thanks for the info! My new cross-cut sled.

[ianw2]

I just wanted to post and say thanks to all the guys who share their experience and talent here. I’ve been “lurking” for sometime and soaking up the tips, ideas, encouragement and knowledge.

As the owner of a small land surveying business, I find myself working 75 to 90 hours a week. I’ve always wanted to get into working with wood. Well, now I am. I bought a TS3650 last year to make some file shelves for the office. My family was rather good to me this Christmas. They gave me a number of nice tools.

So, I’ve vowed to take one day each weekend and make some sawdust.

I spent the day today making the base of a crosscut sled. I used two strips of UHMW material for the slides; a 2’ X 4’ piece of ¾” melamine clad MDF for the sled and laminated 5’ lengths of ¾” X 6” red oak for the rails.

Here are a couple of photos of my efforts:

http://www.iwls.net/Woodworking/DSC00113X.JPG

http://www.iwls.net/Woodworking/DSC00114X.JPG


I glued up the rails late yesterday afternoon and then trimmed them this morning. I put a ½” corner round on the exposed edges with my router.

I put double-sided tape on the sliders, set them in the table saw grooves and set my base on the TS top to line things up. I mounted the slides with #8 X 1” brass screws in pre-drilled and counter sunk holes from the bottom side.

I put my new Kreg pocket hole jig to work drilling mounting holes for the rear rail. I installed one screw in the front rail at the right side, clamped the left side in place and went through the Five-Cut Method to true up the front rail.

http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/five_cut_method_swf.htm

I managed to get the front edge trued to the point where I couldn’t feel the difference between the two ends of the final cut.

I’m pretty pleased! I’ve got a nice cross-cut sled that will take panels up to 20” wide. I had a blast. It may not be the prettiest out there, but it is mine and it works!

Next weekend (or one night this week if I can steal one), I intend to put a guard block on the front rail and a pair of strips of 3/" x 1" oak and a Lexan shield over the saw blade slot to help remind me to keep my fingers out of the blade and to keep the sawdust out of my face.

So, does anyone have any ideas on a finish for the rails? I thought about using Tung oil, but I wondered about transfer to any of my future projects.

Can anyone suggest some good books on the table saw and table saw joinery? I want to try a box joint jig next. Then, my first project is will be a wine rack to hold our bottles of wine. I’d like to try making the carcass with box joints.

Again, thanks to everyone who shares their knowledge here. You gave me the information and courage to give this a try. What a great day it’s been!

[wlantry]

Wow. Very nice!

Two popular table saw books: Jim Tolpin: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/155...lance&n=283155

and Kelly Mehler http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/156...Fencoding=UTF8

Also, there's a whole set of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/156...lance&n=283155

If you can spring for them, they are absolutely worth the investment. There's that one, one on finishing, etc...five or six of them.

You may also wish to get Nakashima's "the soul of a tree" and anything by Krenov.

It's a start! ;) In the meantime, nice sled!

Thanks,

Bill

[BradTheNailer]

Wow! that is nice! HUGE as well! Might be big enough that you can use it as a snow sled as well! :+ Nonetheless... Nice Sled, nice job!



"I just don't understand...
I've cut it three times and it's still too short!"

[link:www.mgsawmill.com|M&G Sawmill]. Makers of the finest sawdust in Texas. Oh, did I mention we have hardwood as well?