# Table Saw Super Sled - additions



## FreeTime (Dec 2, 2012)

I finally got tired of dealing with and trying to mitigate the marks left by the steel table of my Grandfather’s Craftsman table saw. Cleaning and paste wax every couple of months. I like the saw and don’t really have room or financing for a “real” one. So I broke down and built a version of Marc Spagnuolo’s Super Sled. I now have more tied up in materials for the sled than the saw is worth. It’s true that once you have one – you don’t know how you have gotten by without it. I cringe when I need to take it off for ripping. (That’s the next open time project – dealing with that useless fence). The accuracy of the sled seems ok … .070 over 60 inches using the 5 cut method.

*Additions / Features*
•	I finally found a good use for that piece of scrap railing as a handle
•	I cut the T-slots directly into the removable holdowns and the top of the primary fence. The rear fence was high enough (over the max height of the blade) to nicely store these pieces.
•	I did like the concept of an extended stop but I didn’t want to deal with the permanent fence sticking out into my walkway so I cobbled something out of 3’ piece of 1.5” aluminum angle – I had to add (double sided tape) a wood spacer behind it to make it work (1” was a little too narrow on the 5/4 fence). This stop is constructed to be used on either right or left side of the saw. This stop can be extended out for a 45" cut.
•	I found some nice large headed construction screws that worked out well for mounting the fences and as a pivot for the drop down stop.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Nice! 
Great use of spare stuff hanging around the shop...but that's _not_ helping with the 'shop clean-up' resolution. Now I've gotta go back to the junk pile and see if I shouldn't have been so hasty.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Good job with construction. "Looks" good.

Don't meant to play it down. It was a good job. Good attention to detail except for one step- tuning the fence before mounting it permanently.

I just feel "next" time you might be able to tune the fences before locking them in permanently. 0.070" over 5 feet is 0.015" per foot. That may sound picky of me to try to get that better... But when making "tools" where time, patience, wood expansion and contraction and other factors come in, your accuracy varies from wherever that is left at. I try to hold mine to within 0.003". Most settle for under 0.005" per foot. Expansion, contraction and humidity is going to make that vary from that point of time on, but a good starting point.

Remember, I'm not criticizing. Just trying to be constructive and helpful. I trained a number of apprentices, so I have a few things to share that might be of help. You "can" get it closer. Attention to detail on a tool, jig, pattern or template... If if is off by "so", then all the work created with that will by off by that much, plus what the operator is off by...

Tip for that- First anchor one end of the fence with a smaller screw than you are going to end up with. Measure to where you think it might be (square with the miter slots and blade) and just use one "small" thin screw to tack ithe other end in) 

Check it with a 5-cut. Measure how much you are off per the length of your fence. Put a feeler gauge against the end of the fence that would have to move forward to take up that measured distance. Clamp a block against the feeler gauge. Remove the feeler gauge. Unscrew the fence on that end and slide/move it against the block. 

(*** This is also the technique I use to micro-adjust fences)

Now, tack in a screw in another spot // not the same hole. If you use the same hole it will tend to "pull" it off from where you intend it to be.

Cut a 5-cut again to confirm... or adjust again. When good enough, then put into your screws to lock down and check it again.

This is how I used to dial in all my sleds. This is also basically how I dial in my crosscut fences on my panel saw. Once you do it a few times, it becomes old hat. I can truly say that over 75% of my cuts are with the material left of the blade...


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## FreeTime (Dec 2, 2012)

Thanks for the information - I'm not taking it as criticism. I was aware of the adjustment technique and did check it and adjust it once before I tied it down. There were a few considerations in why I left it where it is as "good enough" ... if I get to the skill level of fabricating wood projects where I think the 1/64 / foot precision might make a difference, I'll take your advice and go back and recalibrate the fence. By that time I suspect the general handling of the sled, oak warpage and guide rail wear will have changed the current configuration anyway. (and maybe I'll have my plastic vernier replaced with a real one . But thanks for keeping me honest.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

What you say about having a sled to use is absolutely true. I would never be without one anymore. A table saw will make very accurate cuts with a well made sled or some of the high end miter gauges.

I bought that very same saw in the early 80s for my first saw. It was $500 then and I think it still is. It's certainly not the greatest saw there is but it isn't bad... provided you toss the fence and put a decent after market one on. I replaced it with a Mule/Accusquare and it can be relied on to make reasonably accurate cuts after that. That was the first best thing I ever did with that saw. Since then I bought a Unisaw and an old Rockwell for a second saw. I gave the old Sears to my in-laws so that they would leave my unisaw alone. That was the second best thing I ever did with the old Sears.


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

Hi Mark I too bought my Craftsman saw in the early 80's, and its still in use today. A few years ago I was thinking of selling it because the fence was a piece of junk. I bought a Delta fence and it was like getting a new saw. I wish I would have done it years ago. Ha Mark where in NH do you live? I'm in VT.


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## FreeTime (Dec 2, 2012)

I've looked for the Delta fence, it doesn't seem to be available anymore. I haven't found any other commercial alternatives. I've been watching Craigslist and have another angle on constructing one. If I start sticking too much more money on, or time in the thing I should really upgrade. Although haven't really found a hybrid saw that I thought would be much better. I would better spend the $2000 on a new car - won't be able to justify to the wife spending it on a new saw :nono: 

I just replaced the starter relay in it - I almost didn't find the replacement because of the age. I've added a dust collection box on the bottom and had to build my own zero clearance since all the commercial variants where for "other" craftsman models. (I have the direct drive version, the blade opening is cheezy). Wasting my time and money ... maybe?

I'm in Londonderry (southern NH).


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## Willway (Aug 16, 2012)

Hi Mark, I chose the Shop Fox fence over the Delta for for my 1970's Grizzly saw, which is almost the same as the Craftsman saw you have. It was like getting a brand new saw. The fence is still available but you will probably have to dig for them. They are less than $200 and well worth it. I would try Woodstock and they can tell you still has a supply of them. The Grizzly model # was 1410. That may also be the Woodstock/Shop Fox #.


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## FreeTime (Dec 2, 2012)

*Rip Fence adjustment technique*

Mike, 

While we are on the subject of tuning, what is your advice on getting a new rip fence mounted / adjusted right? This is a larger concern for me since the errors (which I dismissed as “good enough” on the sled) will be noticeable when I’m ripping. Is the solution just to rip some lengths and use the variance from end to end?

I’m not sure what the replacement fence will be yet but what is the best approach to tuning – trying to achieve the precision with adjusting the “squareness” of the fence guides to the blade (which I anticipate may be difficult) or trying to get the “parallel” adjustment on the fence to guide mounting?

Thanks
Mark


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

As I said, I put the Mule/Accusquare fence on my old Sears (about $270 I think). It is relatively easy to install, you just need to keep the rail at the same level as you bolt it onto the saw. The parallel adjustment is on the fence clamp and only takes maybe 15 minutes to fine tune. It's the same idea as my unifence, you adjust one bolt forward and the other bolt backwards until you have it parallel with the saw blade which should be parallel with the slots. That's done with the 4 screws at the front of the table on your saw.

The Mule/Accusquare is an aluminum extrusion with t-slots in it which can be used for stops, hold downs, etc. They will also sell you additional sections of the main rail so that you can move the fence from TS to band saw, drill press, etc. It only takes about a minute to take it off one and put it on another. Here's a picture of it with the Mule sliding table on the other end of an old Rockwell I bought off a friend. When I gave my in-laws the old Sears I put the old fence back on it and moved the new fence to this saw.


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