Runners for Cross Cut Sled - Hardwood or Aluminum?

As far as I can tell, the standard material for Cross Cut Sled runners is hardwood and typically 2 are used. However, I saw a couple of plans that use aluminum as the runners and even one that suggests a single miter gauge bar as the only runner.

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I think I see advantages and disadvantages of all options, but I'd like to hear your opinions.

"2 hardwood runners is the way that it's always been done" will not automatically be considered an "advantage". ;-)

Reply to
DerbyDad03
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On 02/02/2015 2:38 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote: ...

I vote against Al because it tends to gall/stick worse than steel.

Other than that I have no real strong opinion although I am partial hard maple as the material of choice simply 'cuz it's easiest to sneak up on the prefect fit...even the purchased steel runners are typically a little sloppy...

Reply to
dpb

Have a few TS sleds with both hardwood (oak) and aluminum runners over ten years old, can only say there is no practical/noticeable difference in accuracy over time thus far, the only thing I concern myself with.

The aluminum runners to be appear to be ever so slightly more subject to the shop's ambient temperature (looses in cold, tighter in heat) but that can easily be adjusted out.

For me it basically boils down to need and availability.

Reply to
Swingman

UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight) polymer bar stock works well.

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Reply to
Just Wondering

Has any one used the miter gauge runner for sled runner. I replace of on my Miter gauge with a longer one and still have the old one. As I remember it did not cost that much

Reply to
Keith Nuttle

I've used hardwood and the aftermarket adjustable aluminum runners available from different tool suppliers. If you're using two runners then a perfect fit in the slot isn't that necessary because as long as each runner is pushing against its slot opposite of the other, the sled runs true and stable. In other words, if they are both pushing inward or both pushing outward against the slots, you're good.

When only one runner is used, it has to fit the slot very well and being adjustable might be preferred, so an aluminum pre-made runner might work better.

Reply to
-MIKE-

On 02/02/2015 3:58 PM, Keith Nuttle wrote: ...

Actually, was thinking after the previous I should've mentioned that -- I used one w/ my original Craftsman TS but it had unique slots that didn't fit the PM when got it so let the sled go w/ the saw...

But, they make good stock albeit the size of sled is limited by their length so for larger sleds may be short.

Reply to
dpb

How about UHMW or PTFE (plastic). I certainly wouldn't use (any) metal runners on my cast saw table.

Reply to
krw

Why?

Reply to
-MIKE-

scratches => rust

Kinda defeats the purpose of coating the cast iron.

Reply to
krw

  1. Isn't cast iron much harder than aluminum?
  2. How is one smoothly polished, soft metal going to scratch anything let alone a much harder metal?
Reply to
-MIKE-

Hardwood, waxed, works fine. My saw lives in a shed, and dissimilar metals in contact can be troublesome (so the aluminum idea bothers me). Rather than glue, or predrill and screw, I used POP rivets (so that's SOME aluminum content). A POP rivet head needs very little countersink depth, and the sled was 1/4" plywood.

Reply to
whit3rd

Most the places I get rust are not in scratches, and who cares if it does. Rust will come off very easily with simple use. If you have a surface that is rusting you need to use the machine more. ;~)

Reply to
Leon

For a woodworker a double bar is probably over kill. My best luck has always been with steel bars. Second to that is the steel bar setting in a dado to keep it straight in the bottom of the sled.

Reply to
Leon

Aluminum might react with the steel of the table top over time if left unused for a while in a humid environment. Anodizing the aluminum would virtually eliminate that. Anodizing has the advantage of creating a hard wear resistant surface on the aluminum parts. So, the correct answer is adult diapers. (It Depends.)

To those who might argue about anodized aluminum, there are modestly decent life desktop size CNC mills that have anodized aluminum wear surfaces. Strictly hobby stuff, but still.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

That is what I prefer. I have a large commercial cutting board which I stopped using in the kitchen because of the accrued nicks and cut but which works great at providing UHMW stock in the shop. I've been cutting bits and pieces from it for years and it isn't even half gone yet. My _unique_ Robland saw has a bizarre oddly-sized dovetail slot (along with the sliding table of course) and no standard fixture fits it. I don't try to match the dovetail but a well sized runner works fine.

Reply to
BenignBodger

You can get electrolysis between aluminum and iron with the presence of water, a good reason to insure that the coolant in your car engine bis kept fresh, but Kreg miter gauges are 95% aluminum and I had one sitting on top of my cast iron TS for years on end with out any problems. The bar was silver so I am not sure if it was anodized, the blue upper part of the gauge was certainly anodized. I did how ever encounter problems with the Kreg miter gauge. Primarily the aluminum guide bar should have not been made from aluminum, it flexed very easily and on wide panel cuts the fence was less that steady because of the guide flex. Secondly the brass indexing pin finally seized in the aluminum one morning and I was unable to remove it after it had set in the sunlight for a few hours. I then switched to an Incra miter gauge with steel guide bar and anodize aluminum fence. FWIW the longer the guide bar the better the accuracy especially when the fence is 12" shy of touching the front of the saw table when cutting wide panels.

Reply to
Leon

Than anodized aluminum? Aluminum is certainly harder than Boeshield.

It does. My aluminum miter gauge certainly scratches the top.

Reply to
krw

Rust goes a lot deeper than what you're going to take off with a little wood.

Well... I haven't used it in at least three months and it'll be another three months until I can again. :-(

Reply to
krw

So is wood. So is plastic. So is my fingernail.

I think you need to be a little more gentle. :-p

Reply to
-MIKE-

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