Double Dubby, Rockler, and Incra sleds
So many different things a "sled" can do. I'd be amazed to see the one that could do it all. I just scored big at an auction, sic estate sale I went to. Nobody there, and they had made it all outdoor, Covid proofed it, provided you wore a mask, and did the 6' thing. I ended up walking away with a Double Dubby, one of the Incra sleds that works with a miter gauge. And one of the Rockler sleds. All brand new, in the box. I was thinking about doing a comparo blog on these similar, yet somewhat different sleds types.
My current problem is no access to my shop, because I have a Toe infection from an ingrown toenail, and am not allowed to walk much, so I can only sneak to the shop when my Guard/Wife isn't watching. So this may take a while to get done. Currently I have peeked, but for no real reason the Rockler was the first one I put together.
Double Dubby I'm pretty sure will be the winner. Price is higher at $319.00, but ability to swing either way will take a lot of something to beat. Comes with everything you see, and metal guide bars for your miter slots.
https://www.in-lineindustries.com/products/dubby-the-original-table-saw-sled/
Rockler is a version of the dubby. It only swings Left, but it has an optional side table for cut offs. A suggested extra. Rockler has sales on both these items so price is hard to peg down, but list for both pieces is $179.00 and the side table is 40 bux. Comes with all shown, and both pieces come with a metal guide bar.
https://www.rockler.com/tablesaw-crosscut-sled
The Incra sled. I will say up front, I wouldn't buy this online. I would only buy this in a store where I could peg down what you got, and for how much. Their stuff can get pricey pretty quick. The actual sled, and side table is $179.00, both with a metal guide bar. You need to add both a miter gauge, and a fence on the miter gauge. It's here I feel they shot themselves in the foot. The ?connecting bar? on the sled portion is a metal like substance that isn't real robust IMO. I can see a tendency for flex here, and you are shoving it forward on a miter gauge, and a metal, or maybe wood fence attached to it? I'm not sure why they didn't just give a solid base, except then they would have had to give you a fence. I believe this is a problem. Possibly users, and lovers of this design can convert me?
Correct me if I am wrong, but all along I thought the purpose to build a sled was to have a solid fence, that was rigidly attached to the base, so the entire thing moved forward as a unit. This was to get away from a miter gauge and a wide fence. Yet here it's pretty much what you end up with. Both of the others have a fence, that is supposed to securely lock down, similar to a home made sled.
https://www.rockler.com/incra-miter-express-miter-sled?country=US&sid=V91041&promo=shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=PL&tid=pla&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=(ROI)_Shopping_-_Top_Sellers&msclkid=be1e11ecd9fe15a331ec71c9474995e0
I'm going to be a little contrary, and add to this my definition of a sled. Seeing that a miter gauge is a solo slot used, and because of that solo slot ONLY, it's part of the reason a sled is more desirable for accuracy, and repeatability. Why do you ask? Any slop in that travel will decrease your accuracy, and using just the one slot increases the odds of that over using BOTH slots on your saw table top.
So my definition is it isn't really a sled, until it has two guide bars, one for each slot. So my thought is none of these are actually sleds, just fancy miter gauge platforms.
Let me know if you agree with this or not. I don't think I have ever seen a thread on the topic of sled classification. So I'm not sure what conventional thought is on that. This is just how I look at them.
Look for more parts, as I get these put together, and hopefully some better pics showing details. Please remember I am not supposed to be walking around.
Foot problems, and Diabetes are a poor mix, so I am trying to take this somewhat seriously.
So many different things a "sled" can do. I'd be amazed to see the one that could do it all. I just scored big at an auction, sic estate sale I went to. Nobody there, and they had made it all outdoor, Covid proofed it, provided you wore a mask, and did the 6' thing. I ended up walking away with a Double Dubby, one of the Incra sleds that works with a miter gauge. And one of the Rockler sleds. All brand new, in the box. I was thinking about doing a comparo blog on these similar, yet somewhat different sleds types.
My current problem is no access to my shop, because I have a Toe infection from an ingrown toenail, and am not allowed to walk much, so I can only sneak to the shop when my Guard/Wife isn't watching. So this may take a while to get done. Currently I have peeked, but for no real reason the Rockler was the first one I put together.
Double Dubby I'm pretty sure will be the winner. Price is higher at $319.00, but ability to swing either way will take a lot of something to beat. Comes with everything you see, and metal guide bars for your miter slots.
https://www.in-lineindustries.com/products/dubby-the-original-table-saw-sled/
Rockler is a version of the dubby. It only swings Left, but it has an optional side table for cut offs. A suggested extra. Rockler has sales on both these items so price is hard to peg down, but list for both pieces is $179.00 and the side table is 40 bux. Comes with all shown, and both pieces come with a metal guide bar.
https://www.rockler.com/tablesaw-crosscut-sled
The Incra sled. I will say up front, I wouldn't buy this online. I would only buy this in a store where I could peg down what you got, and for how much. Their stuff can get pricey pretty quick. The actual sled, and side table is $179.00, both with a metal guide bar. You need to add both a miter gauge, and a fence on the miter gauge. It's here I feel they shot themselves in the foot. The ?connecting bar? on the sled portion is a metal like substance that isn't real robust IMO. I can see a tendency for flex here, and you are shoving it forward on a miter gauge, and a metal, or maybe wood fence attached to it? I'm not sure why they didn't just give a solid base, except then they would have had to give you a fence. I believe this is a problem. Possibly users, and lovers of this design can convert me?
Correct me if I am wrong, but all along I thought the purpose to build a sled was to have a solid fence, that was rigidly attached to the base, so the entire thing moved forward as a unit. This was to get away from a miter gauge and a wide fence. Yet here it's pretty much what you end up with. Both of the others have a fence, that is supposed to securely lock down, similar to a home made sled.
https://www.rockler.com/incra-miter-express-miter-sled?country=US&sid=V91041&promo=shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=PL&tid=pla&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=(ROI)_Shopping_-_Top_Sellers&msclkid=be1e11ecd9fe15a331ec71c9474995e0
I'm going to be a little contrary, and add to this my definition of a sled. Seeing that a miter gauge is a solo slot used, and because of that solo slot ONLY, it's part of the reason a sled is more desirable for accuracy, and repeatability. Why do you ask? Any slop in that travel will decrease your accuracy, and using just the one slot increases the odds of that over using BOTH slots on your saw table top.
So my definition is it isn't really a sled, until it has two guide bars, one for each slot. So my thought is none of these are actually sleds, just fancy miter gauge platforms.
Let me know if you agree with this or not. I don't think I have ever seen a thread on the topic of sled classification. So I'm not sure what conventional thought is on that. This is just how I look at them.
Look for more parts, as I get these put together, and hopefully some better pics showing details. Please remember I am not supposed to be walking around.
Foot problems, and Diabetes are a poor mix, so I am trying to take this somewhat seriously.