[walleye vision]

So I'll be making a crosscut sled soon and am wondering if I should make the fence out of ply or hardwood. I don't have a jointer to run a hardwood board through, so would a couple of pieces of ply glued together be a good option?

 

[Masterjer]

That would be a great option. Ply is stable and flat.

 

[adot45]

I agree about the plywood, stable and flat. I used it for the bottom and the blade guard on mine, poplar and a strip of oak in front. Double runners.

 

[GeorgeC]

Just use 3/4 ply and leave off the glue.

George

 

[woodnthings]

I prefer hardwood

I don't like the edge of plywood showing on jigs. Actually my sled has 3 separate fences. Two of them are adjustable and are ahead of the front fence which is structural. There's a gap between the adjustable fences where the saw blade goes after the cut.

However, you can make a sled with the blade extending towards the operator after the cut OR the blade does not extend out towards the operator, which I prefer for safety reasons like this:

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f27/table-saw-sled-build-49218/

 

[bladeburner]

I used a laminated plywood fence for many years with this router table. Extremely stable and stiff. I remember squaring the face on the tablesaw. Only pic I have, the fence is at the front. Your fence wouldn't need to be this wide. However, all my sleds have hardwood fences.
You should be fine either way, just don't stand a piece of plywood on edge and expect it to remain straight and stable!

 

[cabinetman]

The fence doesn't have to be hardwood. IMO, if a plywood edge shows...not a big deal. I've used Baltic Birch, ApplePly, and A2 Maple, in ¾".

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