small parts sled

[CarvedTones]

This is for cutting small to tiny parts on the tablesaw. The TS seems somewhat like overkill for some things this small, but it is much easier to get very accurate repeatedly and cut small adjustments. Anyway, here it is with a little chunk of ebony about to cut a nut for a medieval fiddle:

The part of the sled left outside the kerf is cut at a slant so that the offcut piece won't fall against the blade. The far hold down pivots (more on that shortly). Anyway, I ripped a popsicle stick sized piece off:

Now I will trim that piece to suit my purpose. I want to align with the grain - zero runout:

I cut off a little ebony toothpick:

Then I trimmed the other side in a similar fashion and then I pivoted the hold down to cut off a piece the width of the neck:

I am pleased!

 

[erasmussen]

That should get the job done:icon_thum

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Looks like an extremely functional and well thoght out sled. I especially like the bevel on the cutoff side to direct the pieces away from the blade. That's some grade A thinking.

Travis

 

[bobby g]

Andy,

I really like the design... need to build one soon. BTW, you seem to get more done than any 3 people I know. How about letting me in on your secret?

Bob

 

[MrAudio815]

That is spectactular~!

Looks like a really great sled for your needs, and those are the best kind. Better than those one size fit's all type of sleds, even though some are good.

Really great Sled, YOU ROCK~!

 

[CarvedTones]

A little more follow up; I was a little rushed posting earlier...

For specific jobs that get repeated, I will make stop bocks and/or ramps to set miter angles. I might do that with a dowel hole in the sled next to the fence. Then I would just need little scraps of plywood with the dowel in the right spot to hold tight to the fence and the rest of it shaped to do whatever its job is. One thing I learned on a previous sled is that I think I am better off making other sleds for other purposes. This one will not do blade tilt; it will not do large pieces. I am good with that.

 

[CarvedTones]

Andy,

I really like the design... need to build one soon. BTW, you seem to get more done than any 3 people I know. How about letting me in on your secret?

Bob

Hah! A lot of it is juggling; it just happens that a few things finished close together. Also the kids are tracked out right now. And I am going through a period of high motivation; it ebbs and flows...

 

[PeteM]

If you want to get fancy (and SUPER ACCURATE) check this sled out:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Pre...mer----Volume-1/step1/background-information/

pete

 

[CarvedTones]

If you want to get fancy (and SUPER ACCURATE) check this sled out:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Pre...mer----Volume-1/step1/background-information/

pete

Wow - nice little set up he has there.

I should do a follow up to this that isn't quite so freehand. Using a digital caliper and switching to a flat blade (without tips that have the slight overhang) I can get accuracy within a thousandth or so. I can still get about that close with the blade that is on it but it is hard to be absolutely sure that I am measuring from the true kerf. That is a 40T 9" (it's a 9" saw) carbide tipped blade, which actually will cut pretty fine with a slow feed rate. The rail on the bottom had to be scraped to fit and it is very snug. This is an old Craftsman benchtop saw; cast iron top with "real" hardware underneath for tweaking. It doesn't wander or vibrate enough to throw things off. It's all overkill for most, if not all, of what I do.