Planing Sled Finally Done

[Steve H Graham]

I was so proud when I got the wood parts for my planing sled done. Then I made the bungee dadoes in the supports. I thought I had conquered the known world. I was all ready to put the parts together, when I realized...the bungee dadoes were on the same side as the dadoes for the shims.

Okay, that was dumb. But I redid them today, and it was great. I can't believe what a great tool a table saw is. I started with a piece of a two-by-four, and in two shakes, I had six new supports 1" square, with three dadoes in each.

I am attaching a photo. I'm wondering if I need to put something at the ends of the sled to anchor the bungee. Right now, the hooks hold onto the MDF, and they don't seem inclined to move. I was thinking I might notch the MDF to keep the hooks from slipping. Keith Rust's design has dowels in it, but I was too lazy to do that.

[Jules Dominguez]

Looks good.

I don't remember whether the plans called for it, but I put that stair tread material on the bottom side of the wedges as well as on the top of the supports.

Be sure to place the end supports flush with the ends of the workpiece, and sneak up on the first cut. With rough wood, it's hard to tell where the highest point on the workpiece is, and you don't want to take a deep cut as it may make things slide around.

The bungee should be okay as long as it's securely hooked over the ends of the top board of the sled, and the hooks are below the blades. Notches would be a good idea.

[Dewey Torres]

That outta do the trick! Welcome to your new 13" jointer...right????

[Steve H Graham]

Man, I hope so. I really do not want to buy a jointer.

[Joe Petersen]

I tried to make one of these, but found the sled and wood combined weighed too much for my feed rollers to move through successfully. I have a 13" Ridgid portable type. Your mileage may vary.

[Rich Enders]

I built an 8 foot version of this jointer sled and used it for years on an inexpensive Ryobi 12/13" table top planer. Instead of the bungee cord I used screws in slotted holes at each end of the supports.

I now have a combination jointer/planer and don't use the sled anymore, but it did the job.

[Jim Kountz]

Looks good, keep us posted on the workings of this beast!!

[Rob Diz]

I tried to make one of these, but found the sled and wood combined weighed too much for my feed rollers to move through successfully. I have a 13" Ridgid portable type. Your mileage may vary.

If weight is an issue, you should be able to use 1/2 inch mdf and shims to face joint wide boards. I have not taken the time to build a sled, and have had very good results using mdf and shims. I have done this on my 13 inch Delta, my 15 inch Grizz, and hope to do it soon on an 18 inch woodmaster. I'm a little bit concerned about the WM because the front roller is rubber, not metal like the Grizz I need to sell.

[David Nelson1]

I can't figure out the use of this sled. Can someone help?

[Ben Hatcher]

@ David Nelson1 This sled is used to face joint boards using a planer. The wedges are moved in or out to raise or lower the cross pieces until they all contact the board being jointed. Then you run it all through your planer and you, hopefully, get a nice flat board.

[Dave Mura]

Looks good!

[William Hutchinson]

I can't figure out the use of this sled. Can someone help?

The sled is used to face joint wide timber. Take a twisted and cupped piece of wood and place it on the sled's cross members and adjust the wedges to remove any play. Run through the thickness planer to achieve a flat plane. Flip the board and repeat, this time without the sled.

[Rob Hough]

Hey William... As soon as you get that board cleaned up, feel free to send it to me. I'll PM you my mailing address.

[Rod Sheridan]

Man, I hope so. I really do not want to buy a jointer.

Sacrilege! Posting on a wood working forum that you don't want to buy another piece of machinery.

What if my wife reads your post and my next new absolutely must have gizmo purchase gets the thumbs down?

Actually your sled looks good, please keep us updated on the performance.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. How are you edge jointing material, hand plane?

[Bill Rogers]

That is a nice looking planer sled that you built and you have me motivated to build one of my own. I am drawing a blank on one step: how do you cut the slots in the support boards at 15 degree angles? I know that they would be cut with a dado blade but how do you cut them to match the slope of the wedges?

Bill