You could get a problem with a long offcut dropping such that it might contact the back of the blede. I've seen others build the sled offset as you want to do, but they had a spare piece of the sled material to lay on the left for long offcuts.
I want to build a crosscut sled to handle panels at least 24 X 48. I'm thinking of a sled about 48 wide X 30 deep, with 2 runners in the miter slots. I have both rear and right side table extensions, so it will be well-supported.
Here's the question: Is there any good reason not to offset the sled to the right side of the blade? I'm thinking about having the left side of the sled about even with the left miter slot. That way, only a few inches of the sled is left of the blade, while the much larger portion is on the right side of the blade, where it will support most of the panel with only a little hanging off. The only downside I can see so far is that the unequal sliding friction might cause the runners to tend to bind. Anybody see a big mistake coming? Or am I just thinking about it too much? I googled, but didn't come up with an answer.
DonkeyHody "Every man is my superior in that I can learn from him." - Thomas Carlyle
The only thing I can think of off the top of my head - at least where my saw is concerned - is that I would have to reach through the plane of the blade to get to the switch if something happened. Can't just pop it with your knee if you're on the right side - and with a sled that big, I would want both hands on it at all times.
My made my panel sled to the right of the blade for the very reasons you mentioned and it works just fine. I keep the bottom and the (single) runner well waxed and have had no binding problems.
Art
Take a look at Fred Bingham's in his book, Practical Yacht Joinery.
Should make you a happy camper.
Lew
I dislike wrestling whole sheets of plywood on the tablesaw, so I'll still probably rough cut with a circular saw and use the sled to trim to final dimensions anyway. I can see where it could be a problem though.
DonkeyHody "Every man is my superior in that I can learn from him. - Thomas Carlyle
Thanks to all for your advice. Now it's off to the shop.
DonkeyHody
Up in January I am going to build a sled, 1/4" masonite bed/sole, 8/4 mahogany fence and hard maple rails. But the fence will be tapered end-to-end to 88º instead of 90º as it will be for dadoing in the dog holes for my bench top. At the shop (adult ed.) we have a 16" Oliver 270-D tablesaw (1" arbour) and an old 10" (over-an-inch) dado set of HCS (1" arbour hole) I think made by Delta Rockwell of past. Very simple design.
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