# coping sled help



## Hammer702 (Mar 14, 2010)

Good morning everyone-
Was just wondering what the community opinion was with regard to a miter slide installed on the bottom of my home built coping sled. Should I run the sled against the fence on the router table or should I use the miter track and hold the sled back off the fence 3/4"? I'm going to make new stile and rail cabinet doors for my kitchen, and I just want an efficient, standardized order to this project. I have about two dozen doors to make. Just looking for some guidance!
Thank you-


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Tom

If you are going to use one it's best to keep it off the fence by about 1" or 1 1/4", and use a backup board in the sled that can be replace from time to time with a new profile of the bit in the router..

The track will work well with the sled it takes a bit of time to get it setup right with the fence..

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Hammer702 said:


> Good morning everyone-
> Was just wondering what the community opinion was with regard to a miter slide installed on the bottom of my home built coping sled. Should I run the sled against the fence on the router table or should I use the miter track and hold the sled back off the fence 3/4"? I'm going to make new stile and rail cabinet doors for my kitchen, and I just want an efficient, standardized order to this project. I have about two dozen doors to make. Just looking for some guidance!
> Thank you-


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## Cassandra (Mar 15, 2006)

Hi Andy:

Welcome to the forums!

A third option is to have the sled equiped with a cleat that runs along the edge of the router table. (I'm one of those people who believe that a miter track is not required and not wanted on the router table.)

Cassandra


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## Hammer702 (Mar 14, 2010)

Thanks Casandra that's an excellent idea. My only concern is the possibility of lateral movement. Will the cutter push the stock and ultimately the sled away from the fence? The one aspect I like about the miter track is that once the sled is in the track it can't move laterally across my table. But I'm gonna experiment with your theory! Thank you-


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

I don't use a sled for making cab doors. I just use a wide backer block & push along the fence. Keep your pressure right & you will be fine.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

read the PDF on the link below

http://www.routerforums.com/router-...ot-bottom-out-your-router-bit.html#post154119

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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> read the PDF on the link below
> 
> http://www.routerforums.com/router-...ot-bottom-out-your-router-bit.html#post154119
> 
> ========


The PDF is about not bottoming out your router bit??


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi James

Yes, I know it's tells him why he does not to use a coping sled..and it's best not to use one..

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jlord said:


> The PDF is about not bottoming out your router bit??


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

Hammer702 said:


> Good morning everyone-
> Was just wondering what the community opinion was with regard to a miter slide installed on the bottom of my home built coping sled. Should I run the sled against the fence on the router table or should I use the miter track and hold the sled back off the fence 3/4"? I'm going to make new stile and rail cabinet doors for my kitchen, and I just want an efficient, standardized order to this project. I have about two dozen doors to make. Just looking for some guidance!
> Thank you-


I decided to buy the Infinity 100 coping sled. I just did not have time during this project to stop, design, and build my own.

It holds the sled off the fence with a clear acrylic panel. I do not recommend using a miter slide with a coping sled.


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## ken.lessig (Apr 14, 2010)

I'm a real rookie, so I don't even pretend to know all the answers, but I did just do the rails and stiles for a dozen cabinet doors this weekend. I've got a cheapo Craftsman router table with a really cheapo plastic fence and an odd size (.617", not quite 5/8") miter slot. Being a machinist by trade, I built a sled out of aluminum. It's pretty accurate, as far as perpendicularity between the sled rail and the workpiece stop. I just slid the sled in front of the bit, and ran a piece of wood into the bit until it contacted the guide bearing. I then clamped it down to the sled and ran it theough the bit. This became my backer board. Then I clamped a piece of wood to the left end of the fence, and set the fence so the chunk of wood on the left contacted my backer. I clamped the workpieces into the sled so they touched the wood on the left side, and ran 'em. All 24 cuts came out exactly the same, so I guess it worked pretty well!

Ken


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## ken.lessig (Apr 14, 2010)

OOPS! I meant all 48 cuts!!

Ken


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## Timberwerkz (Jan 1, 2010)

I bought the Infinity Pro Coping sled when I was building a kitchen full of cabinets (40 doors/drawer fronts), and it performed flawlessly.

Professional Coping Sled-Carbide Router Bits | Router Bit Sets | Shaper Cutters | Saw Blades | Planer Knives | Jointer Knives | Infinity Cutting Tools

I agree with Bob that if you use the fence make sure to offset the jig with a guide rail. It will make the jig last forever. 

There is one advantage to using the fence as the guide after you finish all of your cuts you can put a clamp against the fence at each end move the fence out of the way to change bits and then put the fence back where it was so you don't have to re-align the fence with the bearing. You could also do this with a mitre slot guided sled but, how much work to do want to do before the good stuff begins.

Chris


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## mango wood (May 30, 2010)

thanks for the info


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