# Table saw sled.



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

* Wow, I just built and tested my first sled I've ever made, and I don't know how I did without it! Man does this make things a whole lot easier then trying to keep a board square with a miter. Especially on a little cheap table saw like mines, where the miter and track have a lot of play. 

What I did, instead of using the tracks as guides (guides on this saw are thin and shallow), I used the outside of the table. AND, so I'd have some adjustment to how tight or loose the sled is to the table, I shimmed out my retractable table section about an eighth of an inch. Then I squeezed the two sled guides between the saw table, glued and screwed the guides onto the sled. Once everything was screwed down, I'm able to open up or close the table extension in or out to make the sled slide with a little, but not too much drag. As the wood wears a bit, I can loosen my extension clamps, and then wedge it open a little more.

Well check it out. It may be rude and crude, but it works great for me! Totally open to criticism to improve they next one!! :yes4: Now back to cutting!!*


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Lee,

Any chance for a picture?

Congrats on your upgrade!


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

Congrats on the sled! Great way of solving a problem. It is a little like getting a new toy when You solve a problem like that.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

As long as it gives you square cuts and it works for you.... to heck with the rest of it!
Congrats!


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

kp91 said:


> Lee,
> 
> Any chance for a picture?
> 
> Congrats on your upgrade!


*Sorry Doug, I thought I did! Will do now! Thanks Howard and Jim!*


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

*Unfortunately I kinda screwed it up a little bit already. Almost sawed it in half. I was on my last board. Cut through the board, a spacer, and half-way through the fence. Got a bit carried away for some reason. So I just screwed my spacer down up against the fence, to make it rigid again. The next one I build will be deeper and it'll be a blind slot that the blade goes through. I used a piece that I already had, and it wasn't quite deep enough to make it right. But hey, it worked just fine!*


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

I would try to find a way to put a stop! That way, when it works so good, You will be reminded that You can only go so Far. I believe that others are doing that. We are not limited to travel. Just a little thing to remind You will help.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Hey Lee, I see you have the exact same Table Saw I have, what a piece of %$#^%%!!! The only thing good about it is a decent motor, accurate bevel and a half decent blade.... it wouldn't even make a good boat anchor as the body is plastic!!!!

You have to do all you can do to work with the infamous Hitachi C10 FR believe me, I know. The Miter track is not the standard size, the Top is aluminum, the fence and wings slide so you have to come up with a jig and a rig to get anything straight and or square, the height and bevel adjusters are even worse and if you are going to depend on the portable stand you had better have excellent health and life insurance!!!! ................. 

Ugh you can tell that I am not a fan of the Hitachi table saw and out of ignorance bought it simply for its price...... I figured I could get it straight and square and you can but it definitely is not worth the amount time and effort to do it...... a major P.I.T.A.

I know you are thinking "Then why not get another table saw?" ........ I almost did a couple of months ago but decided to make it work until I got a few tools that I am missing..... Planer-Band Saw-Bench Belt-Disc Sander, not to mention some special bits and a half dozen things for the router.......... could have had a nice "True" Delta TS for 200 bucks and after a few sleepless nights decided to make that hitachi work for now until I got things I didn't have

So Lee, I feel the excitement when you can get that Hitachi to work!!! and like others have suggested you may want to put a stop on that sled... for yours with the blade up and the saw off and unplugged, push the sleds fence up to the blade and stop when the blade would have finished cutting a piece of material........ then screw an L Bracket on each side of the sled making the half of the L touching the front edge of the Table saw which will stop the sled after making a cut.

Good luck and Make it Work!!!


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

N'awlins77 said:


> *Unfortunately I kinda screwed it up a little bit already. Almost sawed it in half. I was on my last board. Cut through the board, a spacer, and half-way through the fence. Got a bit carried away for some reason. So I just screwed my spacer down up against the fence, to make it rigid again. The next one I build will be deeper and it'll be a blind slot that the blade goes through. I used a piece that I already had, and it wasn't quite deep enough to make it right. But hey, it worked just fine!*


Hi Lee.

Just a comment, if I may.

The way you have the slides set up may allow the front of the jig to 'splay'.

I would consider a back brace to keep the front tight.

I consider my saw sled one of the best and most important jigs I have made.

Congratulations


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## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

nice lookin Nawlins I take simpicity and functionality over looks any day on things I work with


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Howard, I will do just that on my next one, thanks!!

Jim, myself I really don't find the saw that bad. If it wasn't for the sloppy miter track and bar, and the play in the motor shaft, I probably wouldn't have a big problem with it. As far as it being portable, as I only use is for personal reasons, as woodworking is just a hobby for me, I've never had to fold it up. BUT, I did move the wheels. I moved the wheels to the bottom of the legs, and made it when I lift the saw up by the pull-out handle and just lift the saw up enough to lift the front legs, I can then roll it around my shop. But it's pretty light. So if I plan on doing a lot of cutting, I'll roll it to my door, lift it up over my thresh whole and onto the ground. But yea, I hear ya, when I fist put it together, I saw that it would be a bit of a challenge to fold it and move it as it was designed. Glad I don't have to do that!!

James, I will definitely do that on the next one. This ones to short to put a brace on the rear. I'm going to build a new one soon, and do just that! 

Thanks Warren!

Thanks all! This place rocks!!


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## david cooksey (Jun 3, 2011)

Add a cover in this location


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## nav144 (Jul 22, 2009)

Hi Lee, 

Do you have an aluminium mitre bar on your mitre guage? If you do and your mitre guage is loose in the track as I had on my last saw table there is a quick fix. Use a centre punch and tap alternately along the bar edge causing the bar to slightly distort and take up the slack making the guage a very smooth fit and getting rid of the floppy operation.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Rockler has their adhesive right to left and left to right measuring tapes on sale. Adding these to the back of your sled will speed up your set ups.


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## Guitardr1984 (Oct 28, 2013)

Wow, thanks for this post. I have been attempting to make a table saw sled to use as a fret slotting device for building guitars. I have a craftsman table saw and this Hitachi C10FR. I wanted to set up the Hitachi as a permanent fret sloting saw since it takes a special blade and I would rather be able to not have to change out blades every time. 

I was having a lot of trouble finding something to fit the mitre slot to use as runners. I know I should be able to whip us some wooden ones but the mitre slot is a t-slot type and I cant figure out how to get that to work with the wooden ones. I ordered the incra miter slot sliders from Rockler but they don't fit either table saw. 

This sled using the outsides of the table may keep me from pulling out all my hair.

Would you be able to put up another couple of pics and may give a bit more detail on how you built it? Im pretty inexperienced and want to make sure I get it right.

Thanks a lot!


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