# Router sled??



## Belg (Nov 2, 2011)

Good morning guys, I was reading thru some older threads and came across one about whether to add a miter slot. I don't have one on my table and have not needed it or maybe I did and didn't know it.
I read there was a sled made to reference off the table fence instead of riding in the track. I would like to see any styles that you've made and any speciality ones for a specific task. I really need something to work on smaller parts, right now I just use a wooden clamp to hold them.


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

Belg said:


> Good morning guys, I was reading thru some older threads and came across one about whether to add a miter slot. I don't have one on my table and have not needed it or maybe I did and didn't know it.
> I read there was a sled made to reference off the table fence instead of riding in the track. I would like to see any styles that you've made and any speciality ones for a specific task. I really need something to work on smaller parts, right now I just use a wooden clamp to hold them.


As always there are several schools of thought! Personally, I have a slot on my table and never used it. I find that it it much easier to reference off of the fence. It works for me, but others may prefer to do things differently.

Think what you are most likely to do. Will you have a repetitive need for a dedicated sled that references off of a miter slot? Certainly, having a slot and not needing it is a lot better then needing one and not having it.

Bottom line it's a personal choice.


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

I think Bill said it very well. I don't have a miter slot and reference off the fence but if you think you will use the slot then by all means add one. I had a table once that had a slot but I never used it. Lots of things in woodworking come down to what works for you.


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

" I would like to see any styles that you've made and any speciality ones for a specific task. "
*******************************************************
The sled (with 3 toggles) is on its own track, definitely a hybrid.
The cutter (under the plastic hood), is, of course, colleted to a router under the aluminum rectangle. That affair is captured on its own dovetailed (45° ) slides and keys (phenolic).
So the sled slides independent of the motor slide.
The sled will securely hold stock from ~1" x 1" to ~12" x 25", essentially any thickness.
Might be an idea there for you.
Routers.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I don't use a sled I just use a square push block and if you watch some of the pro's videos like Marc Sommerfeld he does the same. Some members do use the miter slot for mitering and some just like to have it so they can use feather boards with it.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

As far as I know Bob Rosendahl's "Mortise and Tenon System" featured the first router sled commercially available. Other companies have offered their own versions with different clamping solutions. These photos are snipped from one of the Router Workshop E-plans from Oak Park.

You can learn a lot from these E-plans.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

I only use my slot for a feather board but I found out many years ago I don't know it all.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

hawkeye10 said:


> I only use my slot for a feather board but I found out many years ago I don't know it all.


I agree with Don, The T-slots work great for the Jessem feather boards
they can be set in any place across the table,. And the t-slots in the fence the same. also are good for setting stops. 
I have never thought of a sled on the router table as the thickness of the bottom takes away from the height adjustment on the bit. I use a block to keep the piece square with the fence a pusher, and a backer board all in one.
I suppose a guide rail could be installed on the push block to run in the t-track, Hmmmm... you would have to make sure the fence was parallel to the t-track.

Herb


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Herb Stoops said:


> I use a block to keep the piece square with the fence a pusher, and a backer board all in one.
> I suppose a guide rail could be installed on the push block to run in the t-track, Hmmmm... you would have to make sure the fence was parallel to the t-track.
> 
> Herb


That's the problem with using a t track and the fence. Not only does the fence have to be parallel to the t track but you also have to get the right amount of bit exposed too which makes doing it that way time consuming and frustrating. Most of us are doing woodworking for fun so eliminating the frustrations and keeping it simple is usually the best way to go.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

To me, the slot's main use is holding featherboards. I do have a small sled meant to hold rails, but it never gets used, instead, I just use a square of MDF with a handle attached as a push block Much easier, and I use Sommerfeld matched bit sets so everything is cut face down so the plate becomes the reference point. I have a split fence, and they are not perfectly aligned, so I have put some paper shims behind the low side.


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## VinnieLopez (Jun 3, 2016)

I made a sled with a ply base two toggle clamps and some plexi/lexan to ride against the fence to keep my jig intact. the only thing that contacts the fence is the plexi which I can adjust as as far or near as I need. It is kept square to the fence by using something of known thickness to set the plexi slider. So I index off the fence not the miter slot.


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## VinnieLopez (Jun 3, 2016)

Here is my simple sled


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

I like it...


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## VinnieLopez (Jun 3, 2016)

Thanks. I really l like the woodpecker but at $149.00 it's money I'd rather spend on some other tool. And for me indexing off the fence is the way to go. I don't have to worry about setting the fence on my cheap ryobi table precisely square to the miter slot.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Making your own is far more satisfying besides being cheaper. Good job Vinnie.


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## Belg (Nov 2, 2011)

Vinnie thanks so much for posting your version. I'm back to trying to figuring out what a good dimension would be center to center for a miter slot. I think I would really like the constant it gives me for a new sled I want to make for dovetail key slots.


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

IMHO every setting adjustment on the RT is a chance for error. Since I am a klutz I try to KISS and a sled complicates things for me.


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## Belg (Nov 2, 2011)

paduke said:


> IMHO every setting adjustment on the RT is a chance for error. Since I am a klutz I try to KISS and a sled complicates things for me.


Believe me I love the KISS concept but to make dovetail key slots, I can't think of a way to do it without holding it in a jig of some kind? I'm open to suggestions.


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