The "right one" for "you" is the one you build yourself (without plans), with all the bells and whistles that you like. Of course, using notes and inspiration from other sources.

 

I'm someone who is just more comfortable working from a plan.

 

What John said. There ain't no 'best' when it comes to sleds, and the right one for you might not be the right one for someone else. The "best" one I've had was a POS thing I threw together from some scrap wood and have since used the snot out of it... no plans, just scrounged around for what I had in the shop and got 'r done. I've used that sled for over 10 years now and it's still just as good as it was when I first cobbled it together.

Cheers,
Brad

 

I get where you're coming from but some people are better at whipping things up than others. I'm not a natural woodworker. I've been "cobbling things together" since I was in middle school and I am still the most deliberate, under-equipped, hesitant, insecure, un-confident woodworker you could possibly know. That doesn't stop me from experimenting with ideas, I do it all the time, but one thing I don't want to leave to chance is a sled which is something I'm hoping will allow me to be more confident, but this is something I need a plan for. But thanks.

 

The only input that I have is the "blade guard" on the rear of the sled. MAKE SURE it is the correct size for your largest blade so as not to cut your hand in half on the full forward push cut. You have to design this feature into your table saw and any rails you may have in place.
(yeah, I came so very close to cutting my own thumb off).

 

Thank you! Sorry you almost cut your thumb off!!

 

Thank you! That little box on the back saves my thumbs all the time. It’s just my nature to push the sled directly into the blade which places my hand in line with the blade too.

 

So if I'm understanding this correctly, you still push with both hands along the rear backboard (rear being closest to you) with your thumbs toward the center (hence the need for a raise portion of that backboard) so that your thumbs do not dip down? Is that the purpose of the box? To prevent your thumbs from sliding down?

 

So if I'm understanding this correctly, you still push with both hands along the rear backboard (rear being closest to you) with your thumbs toward the center (hence the need for a raise portion of that backboard) so that your thumbs do not dip down? Is that the purpose of the box? To prevent your thumbs from sliding down?

The purpose of the box is prevent your thumbs, fingers, and hands from coming into contact with the blade. The blade often comes out of the rear fence as you complete the cut. If your body parts are in line with the slot, the blade may cut you as it comes out the sled. The box provides a cover for the blade and keeps your body parts from contacting it.

If you continue to push the sled far enough, eventually the blade may come out of the protective box and be exposed, so you design the size of the box to be a reasonable size that you are confident you won't overrun the box with the blade when you make cuts.

Some people put a clear plastic strip or clear box from front to back above the cut line of the sled, to protect hands while the blade is in the middle of the sled.

 

One of those things plans aren't really needed. Just how big do you want it?
About the easiest no frill plans you can find below:

https://schoolofwoodwork.com/wp-content/uploads/Cross-Cut-Sled-Plan.pdf

FREE Tablesaw 2 in 1 Crosscut Sled Plan - John Malecki - Woodworking, DIY Builds, & Shop Shades Safety Glasses

This FREE PDF download includes 10 pages of Cut Diagrams, Parts Lists, and 3D diagrams with step by step details to walk you through this build. Using the table saw is the center of each and every one of our shops. I use mine for literally every single woodworking project I do. A crosscut sled...

johnmalecki.com

Small table saw sled plans

 

Looks good to me, but I'll tell you honestly, I'd never use the track. But at least this gives me the dimensions that will "push" me in the right direction. Thanks very much.

 

Check this one out.
Build a Super Precise Tablesaw Crosscut Sled (finewoodworking.com)

 

I like this so far, haven't looked too closely at it yet but by all accounts it looks do-able with what I have on hand, as long as I don't need a damn calipers!!

 

I don’t think you need plans, figure the dimensions based on your saw. Better to watch a few videos. It’s really pretty straightforward. Build it to your specs. Pay particular attention to the fence. It needs to be perfectly straight. Dialing it in you get as anal as you want with that. 3 cut, 5 cut, feeler gauges etc. IME if you square the fence to the blade and do test cuts across 12” that’s close enough for ww’ing. But before you do anything, check the alignment on your saw, especially that the blade is parallel to the miter slot.

One thing I see often is very large, deep sleds. Think about your work, but you’re rarely going to cross cut anything wider than 12“ or so. I think 16“ is plenty deep enough. I make mine wider to the left of the blade. Remember they get heavier and harder to store the bigger they are.

You’ll build more than one. I recommend keeping it simple on the first one. 3 layers of 3/4 ply laminated makes a good fence. Clamp to a flat surface while glue dries. 😉

 

Build it to your specs.

One thing I see often is very large, deep sleds. Think about your work, but you’re rarely going to cross cut anything wider than 12“ or so. I think 16“ is plenty deep enough. I make mine wider to the left of the blade. Remember they get heavier and harder to store the bigger they are.

You’ll build more than one. I recommend keeping it simple on the first one. 3 layers of 3/4 ply laminated makes a good fence. Clamp to a flat surface while glue dries. 😉

You're right to suggest taking some time thinking about the depth. I have one pretty big sled, and almost ALWAYS cut with the workpiece to the right of the blade--but there have been some circumstances that have required me to cut with it on the left, and I'm glad I didn't just make it so it totally favored one side or the other.

All good advice there.

One thing I'll add: Don't glue your fence down--just screw four (or so) screws in it (one at each outboard end, and one on each side of the kerf). Even though I thought mine was perfectish when I built it, I discovered that it wasn't after a few months of use, and it was nice to be able to re-align the fence with new screws in new holes. (Maybe if I'd glued it in it would have stayed perfectish, but....?)

 

What saw do you have?

 

Plans may help @RexInMinn2 to visualize the parts of a sled and cut them accordingly. For a sled, the real trick is not the plans themselves. What Rex really needs is a trustworthy method for building a reliable sled that cuts square every time. It is the assembly and alignment methods that are important, not so much the part dimensions and joints in themselves.

When looking for plans, the design matters, but equally important are the method and details for squaring it up. The quality of the squaring method and clarity of the writing may be the most critical aspects to examine.

 

The plans need to meet his saw. Let’s wait and see if Rex tells a bit more about his saw.

 

My table saw: a mid-19080s Craftsman Contractor, 10" , 3 hp, which, by the way I just did, or tried to do two things to: 1) the left wing needed leveling; try as I might, I could not get it level. 2) polished table using rubbing combound, hi-grit sandpaper, cleaned with naphtha and waxed with paste wax. It looks better. My shop is occasionally infested by squirrels you will use my saw as a place to leave urine and droppings which did result in a few major stains. I used a wire wheel on my disc grinder and got rid of them that way. But I'm still perplexed about the left wing. There is no reason why it would be warped, but either way it is currently not quite level. Other than that it's been a steady trooper for me since I bought it new when I bought my first house back in 1987 in Milwaukee.

 

I like this one from 3x3 Custom. Gives you a few options.

 

All those options spin my brain. For me simpler is better for my first. But thanks! I'm bookmarking it.

 

Yes, KISS. See post 11. Use the flex fence for stops longer than your sled fence.

I usually attached runners using double back tape and I always screws them. It's too easy for something to come loose just glued to plywood it's only stuck to the veneer. Definitely screws with MDF. Put a couple washers in the miter slot first to the runners are just proud of the surface. My last sled I used AZAK PVC for the runners, worked quite well. I've also used HMW plastic. Plowing a shallow dado helps, too.

You can do all things right, and 9 times out of 10 the sled will bind somewhat. Don't be surprised. You can see marks where it's binding and remove some material with a card scraper.

 

Many variations of a Table saw Sled, or, Cross-Cut sled. Depending on your intended use. For short or long boards, also small or large pieces. Many of us will make more than one sled for our shop. I currently have five table saw sleds, each with a different purpose.
Here's some examples.
Table Saw Sled Plans - Search Images (bing.com)

 

As I wrote, this is really not worth belaboring.

You take a piece of 1/2" plywood, two 3/4" scraps, and cut a couple of rails just a hair higher than your tracks.

Stick the rails in the tracks, put some glue on them so the plywood sticks, place the ply over them (centered to the blade), attach the front piece (making sure it's square in both dimensions), attach the rear piece, done.

I made this a few years ago.

 

Perfect. To simplify even further you don't need the screws in the runners. In fact it's better to allow them screwless because the screw holes only allow stuff to accumulate which will eventually muck up your miter grooves. I do like the idea someone else mentioned about the safety block the back of the rear fence. You didn't mention that you do need to drop the base squarely onto the runners using your fence. But I'm glad someone has reduced this process to something where you don't need to fuss over so many other bells & whistles things which I don't need and was causing my gray hair to turn gray...or something like that... Thanks for this.

 

My larger sled is one of the large commercial sleds. It is a single-sided sled with a single long runner and a separate stationary drop-off platform on the right of the blade. As long as both hands are on the fence and away from the cut line, my hands and fingers are safe.

If you have a left-tilt blade and are not fussy about the zero-clearance edge line, then you can use the same sled with a dado stack.

I like and recommend that sled design, but I do not recommend the sled itself - it is way overpriced. I got mine from a club giveaway. If I did not own one, I would copy the design and make one for myself.

One drawback of the single sided sled design is that the drop-off platform does not move with the workpiece as you cut.

(If you must know, it is the Rockler table saw sled. Regular price: $200 ... Ouch!)