Woodworking Tips Index

Crosscut Sled for Wide Panels The miter gauge that comes with most table saws is fine for crosscutting a narrow board. But when crosscutting wide panels, a little extra support for the workpiece is nice. I made this simple crosscut sled, which works like a giant miter gauge, for crosscutting panels on my table saw. The panel rests on a large, flat base, which is guided smoothly through the saw blade by a pair of runners. A fence on the back edge of the sled ensures square cuts. To build the sled, start by cutting a piece of plywood for the base. (I made my base 16” x 30”.) Then, cut a hardwood runner to fit in the miter gauge slot of your table saw. Now lower the table saw blade and position the runner in the miter slot. Align the base over the runner just past the table saw blade, and mark the location of the runner. Mark and then drill holes for #6 x ¾” woodscrews to attach the runner to the base. To help keep the sled aligned, a second runner is added that rides against the edge of the extension wing on the table saw. Once both runners are in place, place the sled on the saw and trim off the right edge of the base. The last part of the sled is the fence, which is a piece of 2x stock ripped to width, with a chamfer routed on the bottom edge for dust relief. I used a framing square to position and then screw the fence in place (see Illustration).