Can you clamp the fence down tight once you have it perfect and before drilling and screwing to hold it from moving?
Yes, I'm clamping it down. I started with just a couple of Rockler quick clamps and then moved on to a couple of Bessey clamps and there's no moving it once I have two of those on the sled.Can you clamp the fence down tight once you have it perfect and before drilling and screwing to hold it from moving?
You've obviously correctly identified the curse of YouTube. It's quite habit forming. Eventually there's bound to be YouTube self help groups and videos.A-B-C , etc need to be correct..
I would just start chasing YouTube videos and find one that fits your needs..
Pam,
First of all, .001 is irrelevant unless we know what the .001 is referring to. You may need to do nothing. If you’re trying to move a 30” long fence .001” you are already way past the accuracy you need. The 5 cut method is neat, but send some people down a rabbit hole.
Have you checked to make sure your fence is absolutely straight and all four sides are square? Lots of problems start there.
Are you using a precision square? If you can‘t see light under the blade over 12”, it is square, period.
When I hear people talking about thousandths of an inch in woodworking, relative to accuracy there is a point past which you gain nothing and just drive yourself batty. We need to realize wood has a mind of its own and a memory. A board won’t even maintain a dimension that much from morning to afternoon.
Is that an iGaging digital square?Remove the fence and scrape off all the splinters around the screw holes on the bottom.
Your fence is not seating flat on the sled. Loosen all but one screw on the end and then square it.
Your other end screw hole needs to be slightly larger to allow for adjustment.
Once you have it 90 degrees to the blade, snug it down with a flat washer under the screw head.
You should pre drill all the through holes and only 1/8" in the sled to avoid expanding the wood.
Use a digital angle gauge to square the fence starting out:
View attachment 449704
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Table Saw Sled Build
So many threads on sleds. So I had to make one. I used 1/2" hardboard, like Masonite, for the sled. Maple runners. Oak for the front rail. I haven't decided to cut though the rear portion yet. I don't see the need so far. The semi-circular 5/16" slots for the "T" bolts were routed on the...www.woodworkingtalk.com
I like the use of the digital square. That looks like an iGaging protractor. I'm on their website checking them out.Remove the fence and scrape off all the splinters around the screw holes on the bottom.
Your fence is not seating flat on the sled. Loosen all but one screw on the end and then square it.
Your other end screw hole needs to be slightly larger to allow for adjustment.
Once you have it 90 degrees to the blade, snug it down with a flat washer under the screw head.
You should pre drill all the through holes and only 1/8" in the sled to avoid expanding the wood.
Use a digital angle gauge to square the fence starting out:
View attachment 449704
![]()
Table Saw Sled Build
So many threads on sleds. So I had to make one. I used 1/2" hardboard, like Masonite, for the sled. Maple runners. Oak for the front rail. I haven't decided to cut though the rear portion yet. I don't see the need so far. The semi-circular 5/16" slots for the "T" bolts were routed on the...www.woodworkingtalk.com
It's an older Wixey probably made by IGaging?Is that an iGaging digital square?
I like the use of the digital square. That looks like an iGaging protractor. I'm on their website checking them out.
You're more than close enough. 3 cut method is all you need. The real test is how far off are you over 12"? Can't see light = good!!So, the distance from my pivot point is 28". I use a precision square (and I confirmed it's square) to start squaring the fence. Once I have the fence in line with the blade, I clamp the fence to the base and use a single screw to anchor that side of the fence down...then I proceed with the 5 cut method. Once I get it to, at least 0.001, I clamp again and install more screws. I'm sure it's those additional screws that's...well, 'screwing' with my accuracy.
As suggested by 'woodnthings,' I'll try removing the fence, cleaning up the splinters from the holes and begin again. And, I'm also buying a brad nailer now rather than waiting any longer. I was looking at the 18 gauge Metabo HPT NT50A5 - the 'pro' series as that has an aluminum magazine whereas the NT50AE2 has a 'composite' magazine.
So, the question of if the fence, itself, is square and straight...it was when I first built it. If it was out of square, would I have been able to get it as close as I have been able to (before anchoring with more screws)? I don't know if being able to get so close to, and a few times right on, square, is an indication of my fence being square or there's no actual relationship.
And, yep, I am down a rabbit hole...a place I'm extremely familiar with!
I appreciate everyone's input.
Thx
Pam
Agree. Unless i missed it, i have not seen how far off it is after the last screws are tightened.The real test is how far off are you over 12"?