Dubby Miter Sled

[Neil Larson]

Anybody have any experiecne with the Dubby Miter Sled?

[Leon]

I have been using a pair for about 7 years now. I recommend getting one for both sides of the blade. IIRC there is a break when you buy both sides. It is a great tool that enables accurate miters, repeated length cuts and easily cut wide panels.

[Vic Baron]

I second what Leon said - I've had two for several years and wouldn't be without it. Well worth the $$$.

Vic

[Neillarson]

Great, I have been bouncing about on a decision on buying a Osborne EB3, this look capable of doing the miters as well or better and sure has better reviews.

Thanks Again.

[Leon]

Keep in mind, that the Dubby sleds are great tools however they are considerably larger that they typical miter gauge but about the same size as any other sled. With that in mind I also ended up buying a precision miter gauge, The Kreg, a few years after buying the Debbys. I wanted a quick way to make one or two 90 degree cuts with dead on precision with out having to look at the markings on the gauge to insure it was set at 90 degrees dead on and with out having to pull out the sled.

The EB3 is a cool concept but I have not seen one yet that locks up solidly at "both" 45 degree settings with out having play in that setting. Another poster recently bought an EB3 and seems to be happy with it. Perhaps after dropping the EB3 price to about half of what it was a couple of years they also beefed up the telescoping angle setting bar. Maybe the other owner was not looking for a the same tolerances that I do. The current Delta badged version of the EB3 still has the inherent problem that the models a few years back had.

[Neil Larson]

I heard about the EB3 problems, I still like the idea, but, I do agree about having a precision Miter Gauge. I have an Incra and it is dead on 90, plus great stock support even for long pieces. I just hate trying to reconfigure it for miter cuts and having my Zero Clearance backer board ruined.

Looks like the dubby is the way to go.

[Leon]

There you go. You should be set.

The EB3 is a miter gauge and does not offer the features of a miter sled. I really don't think you would gain anything by getting the EB3 even if you got one that worked correctly given the fact that you already own an Incra miter gauge.

Let me throw out a few more observations and points about the Dubby. These can be plusses of minuses.

1. If you have 2 table saws you should dedicate a Dubby jig to only one as you trim the Dubby to a particular TS during set up. This creates an edge that is next to the blade and gives you a reference point to measure from when using the adjustable stop. This edge also acts as a zero clearance back up on the bottom of the keeper side of the cut.

2, Like many type sleds the Dubby goes from a 90 degree cut to a 45 degree cut. A miter gauge that goes from one 45 degree setting past 90 degrees to the other 45 degree setting affords you the ability to cut asymmetrical stock much more easily. The problem with being able set the fence to both 45 degree angles on the same side of the blade is that when you have the fence set such that the end closest to the blade is the leading end, the exit side of the cut is more prone to tear out. When the end of the fence closest to the blade is the trailing end of the fence the cut is much less prone to tear out on the exit side of the cut. IIRC the Joint Tech miter sled will let you cut both 45's from the same side of the blade but the draw back is the greater possibility of tear out on some 45 degree cuts and because the fence swings a full 90 degrees vs. 45 on the Dubby the sled takes up a lot of table room behind the blade and you are restricted to narrower stock or panels than what the Dubby will let you cut.

1. Dubby offers a left and right sled so that you can always cut left and right 45's with the blade end of the fence always trailing the lead end. The second jig also affords you the opportunity to tilt your blade and not cut into the sled by using the sled on the opposite side of the blade tilt.
2. You do cut through the fence at the saw line and this tends to erode the fence as you make angle cuts other than 90 degrees. The good news is that this portion of the fence is easily replaceable although this has not been an issue for me and had not increased tear out on the exit side of the cut with less fence support. Again, because the blade side of the fence is always even or the trailing end of the fence, tear out is less likely.

[russellseaton1]

I have one. It works very well. But...buying a Dubby is very analogous to buying a workbench, instead of making one yourself. Its just a wooden sled and pivoting fence. There are about 10,000 articles and books on making cutoff sleds for the table saw. I built my workbench many years after acquiring the Dubby.