When I bought my table saw, building a crosscut sled was my first project—and it transformed my woodworking!
This simple yet powerful jig ensures precise, clean, and safe cuts, revolutionizing how you use your table saw.
In this guide, I’ll show you step-by-step how to create the most complete crosscut sled for your workshop. Ready to elevate your woodworking game? Let’s get started!
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Table of Contents
This blog post is just the beginning! Check out the Ultimate Guide to Woodworking Jigs to learn how to create essential jigs that streamline your workshop tasks and boost productivity.
For a thorough overview of building the perfect woodworking workshop, visit the Complete Guide to Building a Woodworking Shop from Scratch—the ultimate starting point for this category. Don’t miss out on the invaluable insights and tips!
A cross-cut sled is a movable attachment that slides into the slots of the table saw.
Once it is placed in the slots of the table saw, this table saw sled can be moved so that it slides perpendicularly over the saw blade.
Instead of making a cut in the workpiece directly on the tabletop of the table saw, the workpiece will be placed on the cross cut sled.
The fence in front of the sled keeps the workpiece in place and prevents it from slipping.
There are a few reasons why you should start using a table saw cross cut sled like the one in this article.
Pro Tip!
If you are looking for a new table saw or to replace your old table saw?
Check out my article 5 Affordable table saws, to find a table saw that perfectly fits your needs.
Now that we have gone through the list of what we all need for this project, I will explain step by step how to make this table saw jig.
Basically, to make a table saw cross cut sled you add one or two runners on the bottom, that will slide into the slots of the table saw, and you install a fence that is perpendicular to the saw blade.
In this step-by-step guide, I will go more in-depth on how to make this jig
I started by making the runners for this cross cut sled.
To make these runners, I used tropical hardwood.
The reason I have used tropical hardwood for this is that this is the most stable type of wood.
If you make your runners, take your time and make them as accurate as possible.
That way, they will fit perfectly into the slots of your table saw.
When you have placed the runners in the slots of the table saw, you should not be able to move them left and right.
Yet, they must be able to slide the table saw sled smoothly through the slots.
This is necessary in order to be able to work effortlessly with your table saw sled.
When the runners have a perfect size, place them in the slots.
Do this preferably with the top of the runners slightly above the surface of the table saw.
To raise the runners, you can place washers or coins into the slots of the table saw underneath the runners.
This will make gluing the bottom plate to the runners much easier.
Apply glue to the top of the runners and place the bottom plate on the runners.
I used wood glue for this, but you can speed up the gluing process by using CA glue.
Use the links above to see a more in-depth article, and to know more about what wood glue or CA glue to use.
For the fence that comes at the front of this sled, I glued 2 boards of birch plywood together using wood glue.
I did this to make the fence stronger and to be sure of the squareness of the table saw sled.
By making it twice as thick, I also had the opportunity to work in a T-track at the top of the fence.
I will tell you more about this later in this blog.
The fence that comes on the back of the cross cut table saw sled only serves to keep the table saw sled together.
To compensate for the weight of the double fence at the front, I made this fence a little smaller.
Except where the saw blade has to pass.
At that point, I made the fence 2 cm higher than the highest position of my saw blade.
That way, I’m sure that this fence will never be cut in half.
Also, to reduce the weight of the sled, this fence consists of only one layer of plywood.
First, I have mounted the fence for the time being.
I did this in order to be able to make the first cut.
That cut makes it clear where the position of the saw blade will be.
Before I could do that, I had to take some other steps.
I’ll explain myself:
The fence mounted on the front of the sled can be adjusted perpendicularly at any time.
Before that, I had to make some custom holes before I could add the fence to the bottom plate.
To do this, I made these holes from the bottom of the bottom plate.
First, I made a shallow hole.
I did this with a diameter much larger than the washer I wanted to use in a later step.
Then I made a smaller hole in the center of the big hole.
That smaller hole was about 2 times the diameter of the screw I would be using.
I made the holes much larger than the screw and washer I want to use.
By doing that, I have the option to move the fence until it is perfectly perpendicular to the cut.
I mounted the rear fence with screws.
Tip: Always pre-drill with a drill just slightly smaller than the diameter of your screw.
Do this to prevent the splitting of the wood.
Now that the sled has been provisionally mounted, the first cut can be made.
To avoid tear-out, I had clamped a piece of scrap wood on the rear fence.
To make the DIY table saw sled even better, I placed a zero clearance insert in the front of the fence.
Another thing I did was to add a t-track at the top of the fence.
Due to the zero clearance insert, the chance of tear-out of the wood is much smaller.
Placing a zero clearance plate in the fence has another advantage.
When you place the marking on the wood flush with the cut in the zero clearance insert, you always get the perfect cut.
I made the cutout for the zero clearance insert with the router.
The depth of this cutout is the same as the thickness of the wooden board I used for this.
You can make the cutout just as well by making different cuts with the table saw.
To attach the wooden board for the zero clearance, I screwed it from the back.
If the zero clearance will be worn out over time, you can simply replace the small wooden board.
For the groove in the top of the fence where the T-track should be, I used my table saw and table saw fence.
I didn’t have made my kerfmaker at that time.
If I had made my kerfmaker, making that slot would be much easier.
After making the slot, I updated it with the chisel.
Then, the T-track could be inserted into the slot and secured in place with screws.
Pro Tip!
If you want to build your own kerfmaker be sure to watch my blog DIY Kerfmaker for perfect dados and grooves.
In that blog I will show you step by step how I built my kerfmaker.
I also made zero clearance inserts in the bottom plate of the table saw sled.
To make those inserts, I made a cut 5 cm next to the saw cut I made earlier in the table saw sled.
That way, I got a gap of 5 cm between the saw blade and the sled.
That is ideal to place replaceable parts that can always guarantee me a zero clearance.
In that bottom plate, I also made slots in which I attached a T-track. Thanks to these T-tracks, other jigs can be attached to this table saw sled. To inspire yourself, check out the hold-down clamps I made for this sled.
The T-tracks were secured with screws and I deliberately did not use glue. If the T-tracks ever need to be replaced, this can now be done very quickly and easily by loosening the screws.
Pay attention!
The T-tracks are not placed along the full length of the groove.
Leave an opening of about 10 cm at the back of the table saw sled.
That allows you when you gave mounted the crosscut table saw sled, to slide clamps or other jigs into the T-tracks.
Now that all pieces are ready, the sled can be mounted.
Do this by placing the 2 bottom plates with the runners in the slots of the table saw.
Adjust the 2 bottom plates to the same height and place the front fence in the correct position.
Try to place the fence as perpendicular to the saw blade as possible.
Now screw the fence to the bottom plate.
Use long screws and a washer to do this.
The long screws secure the fence to the bottom plate.
The washers allow the screw to move freely in the drilled holes when I want to adjust later.
The rear fence can be fastened directly with screws.
Perpendicularity is less important here.
Still, I looked at putting it as perpendicular as possible.
I think that was my perfectionism who took over.
Then I could place the zero clearance inserts into the bottom plate.
I made these two boards that wide, that they hit each other when assembling.
By making the first cut with the saw blade, I separated them.
That’s how I now have the perfect zero clearance insert plates.
Please note that I also use larger holes in which I place the screws here.
That way, the inserts can be adjusted if necessary.
Finally, to make this table saw sled safer, I placed a security block on the front of the fence.
This prevents the saw blade from protruding from the table saw sled when cutting.
Also, it avoids putting my hands in this place.
To be able to place the fence perpendicular to the cut of the saw blade, we have to make a small crosscut sled accuracy test and calculation.
Take a piece of wood with 4 sides, preferably a rectangle.
Make sure that the long side just fits into the sled.
Now perform the following steps:
Step 1: Place the board in the table saw sled and cut on one of the long sides.
Mark this side with a number to indicate that it was cut first.
Step 2: Turn the board clockwise so that the cutting edge is against the fence, and make a second cut.
Step 3: Turn the second cut towards the fence and cut the third edge.
Step 4: Turn the third cut towards the fence and cut the fourth edge.
Step 5: Turn the fourth cut towards the gate.
The first cut side is back to the same position it was in the first cut.
Slide the board about 2 cm over the saw blade line and make the fifth cut. By doing this, you will remove a narrow section from the board.
Mark the end furthest from the fence as “a”, and the end of the strip closest to the fence as “b”.
Step 7: Using calipers, measure the width of the cut strip to “a” and “b” and record them.
Also, measure the length of the fifth cut.
Now calculate how to adjust the fence as follows:
Step 8: Subtract “b” from “a”. Note whether this is a positive or negative number.
Step 9: Divide the result by 4 (4 cuts, 4 corners) to give the error ratio, and then dividing again by the length of the fifth cut.
This gives the error ratio per cm.
Step 10: Now notice where the pivot is relative to the front of the fence. Now measure from the pivot point to a point on the other end of the fence.
You have to measure to the point where the correction to the corner of the fence will be made.
Step 11: Take the result in step 9 and multiply it by the length determined in step 10.
The result determines how much the fence has to be moved in mm.
That way, the fence will be perfectly perpendicular to the cutting line of the saw blade.
If the result in step 8 was positive, the fence must be moved backward.
If the result in step 8 was negative, the fence must be moved forward.
Step 12: Now that you know how much the fence has to slide, you can clamp a block as a reference point on the sled.
When the fence needs to be pushed back, clamp the reference block against the fence.
Release the fence and slide the fence back.
Do this until you reach the calculated distance between the reference block and the fence.
When the fence needs to be pushed forward, place the reference block at the calculated distance from the fence.
Then release the fence and slide the fence against the reference block.
After adjusting, fix the fence firmly again.
Step 13: Repeat the 5-step cutting procedure to check for square, and make one adjustment if necessary.
If the error ratio is 0.001 or less, the fence is square.
I’ll give you the formula to calculate this:
Don’t Stop Now! Explore This Next:
Now that you’ve mastered building a crosscut sled, take your woodworking skills to the next level. Check out my blog post on How To Make A Table Saw Mill (2X Milling Height). Discover how to maximize your table saw’s potential with detailed instructions and free plans to build a table saw mill.
Frequently Asked Questions
A crosscut sled offers greater stability and precision compared to a standard miter gauge. It holds the workpiece securely, reducing the risk of kickback and ensuring more accurate, repeatable cuts, especially for smaller or more delicate pieces.
While you can use various types of wood, tropical hardwood is recommended for the runners due to its stability and durability. For the fences, birch plywood is ideal because it is strong, less prone to warping, and ensures a square, reliable cut.
Regular maintenance is key. Periodically check the fence alignment using the five-cut method outlined in the article, and make adjustments as necessary. Also, keep the runners and slots clean to ensure smooth sliding and prevent any debris from affecting the accuracy of your cuts.
Meet Christophe – Founder & Woodwork Artisan Behind Christofix.com
Hi, I’m Christophe. With a daily dedication to woodworking, my expertise has grown immensely since starting in a modest garage in 2018. Today, I’m a recognized figure in the woodworking community, sharing daily insights and techniques at Christofix.com for enthusiasts at all levels, emphasizing sustainable and artistic woodworking.
Since 1989, I’ve Been Immersed In The World Of Woodworking, Transforming My Garage Into A Workshop Through Trial And Error.
Now, With My Woodworking Blog Website, I Inspire Others To Embrace This Craft, Build Their Own Workshops, And Create One-Of-A-Kind Furniture.
Join Me On This Journey Of Craftsmanship And Camaraderie.
