Coping sled?

[Tony Sade]

I'm about to make some RP doors and thought I might give a coping sled a try. The last (and first) time I made doors, I tried John Lucas' suggestion and just screwed a push block onto a piece of MDF, and that seemed to work ok. Any reason to spend the bucks on this gizmo? A lot of the online sellers have them. Any recommendations? TIA, Tony

[Ron Meadows]

Tony,

Johns sled works just fine. Cheap and very effective. I have the sled for shapers made by delta and still use a piece of plywood with something screwed on it for a backer most of the time.


Ron

[Ted Shrader]

I'm about to make some RP doors and thought I might give a coping sled a try. The last (and first) time I made doors, I tried John Lucas' suggestion and just screwed a push block onto a piece of MDF, and that seemed to work ok. Any reason to spend the bucks on this gizmo? A lot of the online sellers have them. Any recommendations? TIA, Tony

Tony -

The bed of my sled is ¼" masonite. Smooth side down, rough up. Added two De-Sta-Co clamps to the "fence" of the sled to hold the workpiece down. That lets me just concentrate on moving the sled past the cutter.

Don't see a reason to spend the $$$.

Ted

[Todd Burch]

OK, call me stupid. What's a coping sled? (Perhaps just a term I haven't ever heard before). Todd.

[mike malone]

OK, call me stupid. What's a coping sled? (Perhaps just a term I haven't ever heard before). Todd.

hi todd
i think they are referring to the cope and stick method on a shaper...the coped piece has to be carried past the shaper head as tho using a miter gauge on a tablesaw.
the sled is a piece of ply with a 1 x 3 screwed to it and a pair of destayco clamps to hold the work against the 1 x 3. while sliding past the shaper cutter to make the cope. the 1 x 3 backs up the cut and prevents tearout.
regards
mike

[Terry Hatfield]

Tony,

I've been using this one. I made it from 3/8 ply and a piece of oak. Put the clamps on it like Ted did. Works perfect. Can't see any reason to buy anything different.

Terry

[Todd Burch]

OK, I thought that was what we were talking about. I have some too, although a bit more primitive. I use a piece of 3/4" MDF with a piece of rounded over pine 1x3 screwed to the top for a good grip. Investment is $$, about 50 cents. Investment in time making it, about 20 seconds.
I use mine on the router table. Todd.

[Jim Stastny]

Spend your money on more important things. Make a sled like the one Terry shows in the pictures he attached. My experience teaches me that most of the "jigs" for sale can be made in the shop for a lot less than those commercially made.

[Ted Shrader]

. . . . most of the "jigs" for sale can be made in the shop for a lot less than those commercially made.

In addition to saving $$$, one can customize the jigs to suit each purpose. Better than a "one size fits all" approach with the commercial jigs.

Ted