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Quick-action 45 degree miter sled

Cut accurate miters without tilting your blade.

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Comments (7)

When I found myself making a lot of memorial flag cases, I needed a method to cut 45� miters quickly and accurately in wide stock. The sled I came up with lets me make miters in no time at all without even tilting my saw blade. And, it does it without causing tear-out on the workpiece.

After cutting the sled base slightly oversize, tilt your saw blade to 45� to cut the bevel on the sled base. With the blade returned to the 90� position, insert the miter-slot guide into your tablesaw's miter slot, position the sled base against the blade body to ensure that it is square, then, fasten the base to the miter-slot guide. Using the bevel of the sled base as a guide, mount the 45� wedges in place.

Cut a groove in the oversize top plate and mount the T-track and T-track screw cleat, as shown. The cleat provides holding power for the T-track screws. Attach the fence to the top plate, ensuring that it is square by using the slots in the top plate for adjustment. Then, attach the top plate to the wedges, sliding it down until the edge touches the tablesaw table. With the blade still set to 90�, cut off the excess.

Finally, assemble and attach the hold-down that will secure the workpiece against the fence and keep it from slipping toward the blade.

Besides extremely accurate miter cuts, the sled has an added benefit. Simply turn the workpiece over and adjust the blade height, and the sled can be used to cut the slots for a splined miter joint.

— Joy Wood, Winchester, Ill.

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Comments (7)

richard.marek wrote:

Here's the URL for the enlarged image: http://images.meredith.com/wood/images/2011/11/p_100605_100504846.jpg Hope it helps those who can't find it in the page source.

3/17/2013 10:39:22 PM Report Abuse

jweeks111 wrote:

This looks like it would work on a ShopSmith where you have to tilt the table not the blade.

12/23/2012 06:02:06 PM Report Abuse

da_crusher wrote:

I would consider making the jig if I could enlarge the image, but I can't.

12/22/2012 09:35:37 AM Report Abuse

4jambo wrote:

The "print" button doesn't work either.

12/20/2012 02:44:51 PM Report Abuse

jmatacola wrote:

I agree with both of you. this jig could work on only a few projects. but I rarely use the blade guard on my saw anyways

12/20/2012 01:49:46 PM Report Abuse

BSchram wrote:

And yet another tip/plan where there is no link to the plans nor does the link work to enlarge the pic so you can see the details! Come on Wood editors, get into the computer age and check your links.

12/20/2012 01:11:37 PM Report Abuse

patsikes wrote:

I don't understand the reluctance to tilt the blade to 45�. Not only that, but you cannot use the blade guard with this jig and the blade has to be set very high to make the cut. I am not going to make this jig and would not recommend anyone else to.

1/13/2012 08:01:39 AM Report Abuse