Miter gauges fence or sled?

[Tom Quackenbush]

I've been pretty happy with using a sled for crosscutting on my table saw. My crosscuts are mostly 90 degreees.

I was just reading an old FWW shop tip about using two miter gauges joined by a fence instead of a sled. It got me to wondering how well that would work. It seems like it would be somewhat less rigid than sled, but easier to make and more flexible with regard to cutting different angles.

Does anyone here use the 2 miter gauge/fence setup? How do you like it as compared to a sled?

R, Tom .

[Leon]

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

[Tom Quackenbush]

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.

[patriarch]

Tom Quackenbush wrote in news: [e-mail]:

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

[George]

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.

[John]

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

[Tom Quackenbush]

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.