Miter Add-on for Crosscut Sled

[glenn bradley]

My small project list is approaching framed items. I don't do much in this area so my miter gauge has always been fine for one or two. I plan to do quite a few so I blatantly stole this from some other kind hearted forum member who was good enough to post it.

This is not the usual use for these types of clamps but they did hold my previously cut square at a solid 45* angle on the sled:

Clamp assist.jpg

Using the sled fence as a reference surface I see the 45's are good:

Clamp results.jpg

I drilled some through holes for threaded inserts. I had to plan ahead so I could use these on different sleds. I used a shop made insert driver to set the inserts.

I went to the jig parts drawer but did not have some knobbed studs that would work. I used some misc hardware and will get some proper jig hardware next time I order something.

To use the jig place opposing halves of the material on opposing sides of the jig (one at a time). This assures that those to pieces will fit. I made test cuts using wide scrap so any error would be amplified.

Make-the-cuts.jpg

You can hardly see the joints so I'll call it good:

first test results.jpg nice-1.jpg

The two jig parts are just made of scrap. Now that I know they work I will use them as patterns to make better ones when these wear out.

[Gene Howe]

That's neat.
thanks for posting it.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I just built a new crosscut sled, and have been brainstorming how to add a highly-accurate 45* option on it, without having to build a separate sled - thanks for the great idea!

One question: With my 90* (regular) crosscut sled, I fixed one side of the board across the back, then used a bolt through a slotted hole so I could adjust it to be perfectly perpendicular to the blade (using the 5-cut method to confirm). Is there something similar to the 5-cut method for getting exactly 45*? I can think of a few ways to do it, but was wondering if you had any special trick to getting it exactly 45*.

[Joe Scharle]

Dan,
An adjustable Right Triangle works for me.

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/COMPAQ%7E1/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png[/IMG]

[glenn bradley]

Dan, like Joe, I used a triangle. It happened to be the base of a combination square but any known 45* device that will work will get you close. Then, as in my second pic, after your cut, place one short side of the triangle of each piece against your fence with the other short sides touching. Adjust until there is no gap.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Joe, I think you have some of the coolest jigs I've ever seen I've been meaning to build the elliptical compass I saw you post some time ago, too.

Glenn, thanks for the diagram. The hard part would be cutting that diagonal exactly down the middle, but if the sides of the triangles that touch the blade have the same length, and you started with a perfectly square piece, that would mean you succeeded in cutting exactly down the middle, and do have a true 45*. I guess I'll go give it a try!

[Stephen Edwards]

That looks great, Glenn. Thanks for posting. That's something else on my list of things to do...........