# Coping sleds



## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

If business picks up any this winter I'm probably going to start buying the Maple and Oak stock I'll need to make all the new cabinet doors and face frames for the kitchen. In the past the projects were small enough to use my clamping miter gauge for the stiles and rails, not very stable though the clamping action is hand powered leverage via the miters grip.

I'm in serious consideration between 2 units. Anyone use the Infinity "COP100" or the Model 3000 coping sleds?

Both current models utilize miter slot and the 100 uses the T track

Any comments pro and con will be appreciated.


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## -MIKE- (Nov 3, 2008)

Probably not what you want to hear...
I looked at theirs and determined them to be overkill. 
I made my own for a fraction of the cost.


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

For years I never used a coping sled at all(just a backing board behind the wood to be coped), so in a sense you can say any coping sled is overkill. You can make anything you can buy.

Sometimes I like to just purchase the jigs for various reasons.

129.00 is not cheap, but they are loaded with features.

They look like great quality though, has anyone used them?

Nick


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## -MIKE- (Nov 3, 2008)

I guess I don't understand the sled, either (even though I made one), since the bit has a bearing. In theory, all you need is a backing block to prevent tear-out. 

Has anyone here coped rails without a sled or miter gauge?


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

IMHO a miter slot on a router table is useless. All you need is a good, solid fence with a backer board. If you do have a solid fence and want to use a sled I would suggest one like MLCS has, either the cheaper one for $35 or the fancy one for $65. Check them out here...

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shop...accessorysafe.html#coping_super_safety_anchor


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

I agree I do not use the miter slot at all on my table and on another table I do not even have one. 

I have made cabinet doors for entire kitchens and never used a coping sled. 

I just use a piece of wood with a jointer push block screwed to the top of it as the "push/backer" board as I run the copes through.

Nick


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Guys

I have made many and use many types of the sleds...
They have a place in routing but most of the time you don't need them..
Like when you make a door frames, you don't want to move the bit height from one bit to the other..
That's when a good push block comes in to play but on the other hand if you are use the router to make tetons, then you want to use a sled..
The best push block I have and use is the " L " type, it will let you push the stock by the bit but will also let you keep it square to the fence, with just a little bit of sand paper on the front of the push block you have control of the stock.

=======


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

Nice that's more than sufficient!


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## wnagle (Oct 13, 2008)

I have the Infinity miter sled... Haven't used it yet except to try it out. (not really needed) For cabinets and cabinet doors, I pushed the rails past the cutter with a piece of 3/4 ply as a backer and squareing device...If you wanna get fancy screw a pushblock to the ply for a handle but its not really needed. Maybe if I had larger pieces to cope or was on the shaper or a large production I might use it.


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Originally bought for my old craftsman flex shaft drive TS. 
The problem with clamping miter gauges, at least the one I have is it's sloppy in the miter track, (pre adjustable) and 90º isn't so 90º. I used to square it up with the TS blade with a framing square before using it on the router table. 

I've never used a sled homemade or bought, hold down clamps and track guided seem like a good idea though.

If there are any imperfections along the fence won't a fence guided sled show them?


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## wnagle (Oct 13, 2008)

This is the coping sled I have. I got it before they added the miter slide to the bottom. The lexan visor slides on your fence and your fence needs to be smooth. It is easier to square the stops on the miter sled to your fence than it is to square your miter track to you work. So I don't use the miter track, in fact I didn't even put one on my table. Also the aluminum sled marks your table easily. I put a piece of self stik material on the bottom of the sled to protect the table and make it slide better. 

All that being said it's still easier to hold your rail against a piece of square cut 3/4 ply and slide it accross the bit. (with the bearing even with the face of your fence) It's only a 2-3 inch cut. No clamps needed, just hold the pieces together and slide them as a unit, when the cutter is past the rail, and starts cutting into the ply, stop and your done. Much easier to do than to describe. Try it and you will see. My first doors and cabinets came out perfect with very little fuss.


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

"Keep-It-Simple-Stupid" always sound advice!
I believe I'll do some experimenting, familiarity builds confidence.


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## idigjars (Sep 1, 2008)

Hello All, the infinity mitre sled that Wayne shows looks like a good one. As always, great information and input from all. Thanks for sharing. Paul


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

idigjars said:


> Hello All, the infinity mitre sled that Wayne shows looks like a good one. As always, great information and input from all. Thanks for sharing. Paul


Looks can be deceiving. Just because it has bells and whistles hanging off of it doesn't mean it is worth the price. IMHO, in this case, I don't think it is. The MLCS sleds work just as well, or better, and are a fraction of the cost.


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