build-a-crosscut-sled

Crosscut Sled Plan: Cross Cut Sled Plans | Etsy

One of the most useful accessories for a table saw is a crosscut sled. A crosscut sled can increase safety and accuracy when using your table saw.

To start off making my crosscut sled, the first thing I did was measure the size of the table saw and consider what exactly I want the sled to be used for. Since my table saw is a contractor saw, I wanted the sled to be sized to work well with it. It will mainly be used for cross cuts on lengths of lumber and plywood, along with some angled cuts. With this in mind, I got to work designing my sled.

One of the design considerations is what material to use for the miter slot runner. Many people cut a piece of hardwood to size to use, but I decided to go with a premade runner. I didn’t have any scrap pieces of hardwood handy, and the premade pieces will not have variation of size over the seasons like natural wood can.

I also decided to inlay some t-track on the surface. This helps keep my pieces in place and allows for the safer use of jigs for angled cuts if needed.

On the back fence, I used another piece of t-track for my fence stop, and to help align an extension fence for longer pieces of lumber. To make sure the fence is truly 90 degrees to the blade, I used William Ng’s 5 cut method. It seems complicated, but it is a simple process once you understand the steps.

It didn’t take long for my sled to prove its worth. It has been very useful in multiple projects. Could I have gotten away without it in those projects? Yes, but the amount of time and frustration having this sled has saved is more than worth the time it took to build it.

I highly recommend a crosscut sled to anyone who uses a table saw. I do have a YouTube video showing the full build as well as step-by step plans to make it for anyone who is interested.