Woodworking Tips Index

Small Parts Sled

Using a table saw to trim a number of small parts to identical size can be tricky — especially if the cut is angled. But this small parts sled makes it easy and safe. The sled consists of two parts: a base that carries the workpiece through the saw blade and a pair of fences that position the workpiece on the sled.

Base – The base is a scrap of ¼" plywood (or hardboard) that’s ripped wide enough to accommodate the workpieces, as you can see in Figure 1. (I cut mine 6" wide.) This creates a reference edge that’s used to position the fence. Note: You can make the sled whatever width is required for the workpieces you are trimming. Just don't move the rip fence once you've cut the reference edge. Fence – The fence is made up of two scrap pieces. To position these pieces, lay out the line you want to trim to on one of the workpieces. Then, align the mark with the reference edge on the plywood. Finally, butt the fence pieces against the edges of the workpiece and glue them to the base, as shown in Figure 2. Note: Hot melt glue works great for this. Trim Workpieces – Now you're ready to trim the workpieces. Just slip one in place against the fences and then run the sled along the rip fence. Note: In my case, the workpieces were mirror images. So when I trimmed them, I could stack the two mating pieces together, as you can see in Figure 2. Have a nice weekend, Bryan Nelson Online Editor, ShopNotes