# Woodpecker Coping Sled



## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

A few weeks ago I was following a thread that convinced me that I really needed a coping sled for end grain cuts, but, not right away. I was planning on building one and have been looking at the ones on the market to get ideas. 
Well, today I got tapped on to put a wainscot in my sons new (to him) house within the next few weeks so looks like I gonna buy one. Guess I didn't resist to much though .
This is the one I'm looking pretty hard at. 

Woodpeckers Coping Sled

Expensive, YES . but looks like about what I had in mind to build.
I really like the idea of not having sacrificial parts. The last paragraph kinda bothers me though. What do they mean that "the openings in the fence will be covered by a sacrificial fence"? They don't show any such appendage in the photo. 
Anyone ever seen, in person, one of these things, or, better yet, anyone used one? 
Given where I live, I figure building one is gonna come close to $50 in material anyway. Mostly in shipping. So spending $40 or $50 is break even and I risk not having it work because I have never used one and am sorta filling in the blanks here as far as what it has to do. So spending another $40 or $50 to insure I have what will do the job becomes more palatable. I'm also suddenly on a timetable:sad:, hate it when that happens.
As far as the rest of the project, I will likely get the wainscot bit set from MLCS and use mfg beadboard from HD unless someone has another suggestion. I'm always open. 
I have a feeling I am also gonna need a collett extender as this thing sits another 3/8" high.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi John

Sounds like you have your mind set,,BUT I will say you don't need one 
You can put it up with two bits and a good push block 

Once you set the bit you don't want to move it up or down for both cuts..

You must have a Roman Ogee bit on hand ,pop it the router table and pull out some scrap and give it a try,,,,with a good push block and some DST ..see video on the MLCS site..

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jschaben said:


> A few weeks ago I was following a thread that convinced me that I really needed a coping sled for end grain cuts, but, not right away. I was planning on building one and have been looking at the ones on the market to get ideas.
> Well, today I got tapped on to put a wainscot in my sons new (to him) house within the next few weeks so looks like I gonna buy one. Guess I didn't resist to much though .
> This is the one I'm looking pretty hard at.
> 
> ...


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> Hi John
> 
> Sounds like you have your mind set,,BUT I will say you don't need one
> You can put it up with two bits and a good push block
> ...


Let's say "alleged" mind. :haha: I think ya just saved me $100. Will try that tommorrow nite. I read the pdf but didn't think to watch the video until you mentioned it.:thank_you2:


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

DST?  <Shuddering to ask..>


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Jim

I have been using the cell phone to much  (texting)

DST ? = double sided carpet tape 

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## jmg1017 (Apr 9, 2009)

That coping sled looks sweet, and well made like all their products. Fact is you cant cope end grain without a backer piece of some sort no matter how well made the jig is. What you're looking for is accuracy and repeatability which the Woodpecker jig excels in.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Joe

The Fact is you don't need a sled to cope the ends,a good push block will do all the work for you and if you do get a little bit of rip out let the table saw clean up the ends 
" use wider stock than what you need " 1/8" to 1/4" wider the norm> > >
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jmg1017 said:


> That coping sled looks sweet, and well made like all their products. Fact is you cant cope end grain without a backer piece of some sort no matter how well made the jig is. What you're looking for is accuracy and repeatability which the Woodpecker jig excels in.


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## jmg1017 (Apr 9, 2009)

True Bob, you don't, but you can't beat the stability and accuracy it gives you. And if it's within his price range why not?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Joe

Very true, but a shop made one will do the job, but it's much cheaper to make 

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jmg1017 said:


> True Bob, you don't, but you can't beat the stability and accuracy it gives you. And if it's within his price range why not?


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Hey there John..

I picked one of the Woodpeckers sleds up a while back...The thing is extremely well made. If you plan on using a miter track in you table, you have to provide a guide yourself. Easily adjusted, clamping action is fine. When you first look at it, it does look a little busy, but once you start playing with it, it appears to be well thought out. ..Not a bad investment at all...

bill


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Just one more sled

This one is the best one I have, I stoled the design from Bob R. of the RWS,,the big part of the jig is screwed to the bottom of the fence the other part slides by that part, the fence can be off as much a 2 " and the no tee track needed the big part of the jig is the fence so to speak..

The big error in most sleds is that you must move the bit up or down to get the bit to do the job right, with this one you don't just pop in the bit and it's still set just right because the guide is under fence..

This jig will let you use any size bits up to 4 1/4" OD,it's takes a bit more work to make this one and to mount it but it will do it all with one jig..it also works great for making tetons as well 

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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

A brilliantly simple idea Bj and one that I would adopt if my table didn't have it built in.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

It's been out for a very long time just a cheaper way of doing the same job 

Precision Sliding Router Table & Fence
Heavyweight and Precision Router Table

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harrysin said:


> A brilliantly simple idea Bj and one that I would adopt if my table didn't have it built in.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

The table you've shown Bj is the same as mine was when I bought it, but lifting the cast iron top to change cutters was not a job for a 5' 2" 145lb guy like me, it was far too heavy. So for any member that has one of these and also has difficulty lifting the top, I found that one of the many branded versions had gas struts, so I made inquiries and found that Timbecon here in Australia had imported some after market kits. Soon after modifying the table I replaced the router with a Triton that has cutter changing from above!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

That's a nice add on 

I got to ask what did you pay for your hard to find router table 

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harrysin said:


> The table you've shown Bj is the same as mine was when I bought it, but lifting the cast iron top to change cutters was not a job for a 5' 2" 145lb guy like me, it was far too heavy. So for any member that has one of these and also has difficulty lifting the top, I found that one of the many branded versions had gas struts, so I made inquiries and found that Timbecon here in Australia had imported some after market kits. Soon after modifying the table I replaced the router with a Triton that has cutter changing from above!


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## Echonav (Sep 17, 2009)

I use the Woodhaven 526 Coping Sled. No complaints about this sled. I give it two thumbs up.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Rob

That's a nice sled  it's just to bad you can't use it for both jobs  coping and beading the R & S parts..

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Echonav said:


> I use the Woodhaven 526 Coping Sled. No complaints about this sled. I give it two thumbs up.


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## Frank Lee (Nov 29, 2008)

*jiggs*



bobj3 said:


> Hi John
> 
> Sounds like you have your mind set,,BUT I will say you don't need one
> You can put it up with two bits and a good push block
> ...


 I totally agree with "Mr Jigg" I use sled with a push block, supplement tha with settings or what ever. Gooduck Frank Lee:agree:


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