Miter gauges fence or sled?

Actually it is quite rigid but cumbersome. You are better off with 1 guide rail to deal with.

Thanks for the response.

I'm not sure, but I think that what you're calling "rails" are what I call "runners" (the male counterpart to the female miter gauge slots). I use two on my crosscut sled - do you make your sleds with only one?

R, Tom Q.

Tom Quackenbush wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

One sled base, two parallel runners, one back fence (with blade-hiding block), and, often. but not always, a front fence as well.

I have made a smaller sled for cuts where the blade gets tilted over. With a sacrificial backer board, and a clamp rail.

I don't see the advantage of the two miter setup. Too many degrees of freedom.

Patriarch

The sled is a sliding table more than anything else. I, too can crosscut small stock all day at 90 with my miter gage, but when I need to control a board too long or too wide, out comes the sled. Before I mounted rails under the plywood, I'd screw its fence to the miter gage. Still do for some weird angle cuts which are jigged on mini-sleds.

Don't need two, just one, properly done.

I use that setup a LOT, and it works great. Fence is 3/4in baltic birch with a phenolic surface, and is plenty rigid

I also have a big sled, but find I use the 2 miter gauges and a fence much more often, used it this last weekend to make about 300 halflaps for a project in 10ft 2x4s and 2x6s, worked well

John

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

I'd like to buy another (better) miter gauge anyhow, so I'll probably give 'er a try.

I could have sworn I had an extra miter gauge lying around somewhere. It'll probably turn up the day after I buy a new one.

R, Tom Q.