This collaborative space allows users to contribute additional information, tips, and insights to enhance the original deal post. Feel free to share your knowledge and help fellow shoppers make informed decisions.
Most aluminum bars have set screws in the sides that you tighten or loosen to take out the side to side movement of the bar in the miter slot. Check them out on Amazon, you'll see what I mean.
If this is for your table saw, you can literally buy some HDPE sheets and build these yourself for a fraction of the price and have plenty left over for other jigs and sleds, which is what I did. It will take very little time.
I actually had a massive 1/2" thick HDPE cutting board that I no longer use and used it for the bottom sleds because I've found that when I used solid wood for the slots, the expansion of wood throughout the seasons led to significantly different widths and my sleds annoyingly wiggled during winters and was too tight when humid preventing the sliding action required for various sleds. My sled sat on those plastic slots at 1/2", which was slightly above my table saw since the actual depth of the Sawstop miter slots is 0.413" according to specs. I wanted it that way so the bottom of sled doesn't scrape the table saw surface.
For example this sheet of HDPE was $36 on a quick Amazon search. I'm sure you can get cheaper on Temu etc. https://www.amazon.com/Sasylvia-F...655&sr=8-7
Table saw miter slots are typically 3/8" (depth) x 3/4" (width). Even if you're extra forgiving and use 1" width as measurement to account for the width of the bar and the width of the table saw blade, and use the long 12" end, you've got 12 bards of HDPE. That's 6 pairs. If you use the 12" end you'll end up with 24 bars at minimum, or 12 pairs. Even at 24" length you're looking at $6-7" per pair. If you make your lengths 12", you're looking at half that in price for a pair. A few cheap screws and you're all set.
3/8" depth HDPE sheets are even cheaper.
If this is for your table saw, you can literally buy some HDPE sheets and build these yourself for a fraction of the price and have plenty left over for other jigs and sleds, which is what I did. It will take very little time. I actually had a massive 1/2" thick HDPE cutting board that I no longer use and used it for the bottom sleds because I've found that when I used solid wood for the slots, the expansion of wood throughout the seasons led to significantly different widths and my sleds annoyingly wiggled during winters and was too tight when humid preventing the sliding action required for various sleds. My sled sat on those plastic slots at 1/2", which was slightly above my table saw since the actual depth of the Sawstop miter slots is 0.413" according to specs. I wanted it that way so the bottom of sled doesn't scrape the table saw surface. For example this sheet of HDPE was $36 on a quick Amazon search. I'm sure you can get cheaper on Temu etc. https://www.amazon.com/Sasylvia-F...655&sr=8-7Table saw miter slots are typically 3/8" (depth) x 3/4" (width). Even if you're extra forgiving and use 1" width as measurement to account for the width of the bar and the width of the table saw blade, and use the long 12" end, you've got 12 bards of HDPE. That's 6 pairs. If you use the 12" end you'll end up with 24 bars at minimum, or 12 pairs. Even at 24" length you're looking at $6-7" per pair. If you make your lengths 12", you're looking at half that in price for a pair. A few cheap screws and you're all set.3/8" depth HDPE sheets are even cheaper.
Sam's Club sells cheap HDPE cutting boards. 1/2" thickness-ish
1
Like
Helpful
Funny
Not helpful
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank vid1900
Quote
from Deadwing
:
These are HDPE and you won't be able to fine tune them to your miter slot as easily as some aluminum ones.
It's easier to fine-tune HDPE than aluminum guides.
If you over tighten (or even use the next screw size up) the screw against the countersink hole, the conical screw head will cause the HDPE to just slightly expand,
Why anyone should trust my answer?: I teach cabinet building to contractors & homeowners.through con-ed
It's easier to fine-tune HDPE than aluminum guides.
If you over tighten (or even use the next screw size up) the screw against the countersink hole, the conical screw head will cause the HDPE to just slightly expand,
Why anyone should trust my answer?: I teach cabinet building to contractors & homeowners.through con-ed
Yes, I suppose you're right. Overtightening a screw several times to get the perfect fit after you've installed the HDPE runner with CA glue is much easier than turning a few set screws before you attach the runner to the sled. Silly me!
13 Comments
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank vid1900
Your intact fingers will thank you.
Why not?
Most aluminum bars have set screws in the sides that you tighten or loosen to take out the side to side movement of the bar in the miter slot. Check them out on Amazon, you'll see what I mean.
https://incra.com/miter_gauges-miterv27.html
I actually had a massive 1/2" thick HDPE cutting board that I no longer use and used it for the bottom sleds because I've found that when I used solid wood for the slots, the expansion of wood throughout the seasons led to significantly different widths and my sleds annoyingly wiggled during winters and was too tight when humid preventing the sliding action required for various sleds. My sled sat on those plastic slots at 1/2", which was slightly above my table saw since the actual depth of the Sawstop miter slots is 0.413" according to specs. I wanted it that way so the bottom of sled doesn't scrape the table saw surface.
For example this sheet of HDPE was $36 on a quick Amazon search. I'm sure you can get cheaper on Temu etc.
https://www.amazon.com/Sasylvia-F...655&sr=8-7
Table saw miter slots are typically 3/8" (depth) x 3/4" (width). Even if you're extra forgiving and use 1" width as measurement to account for the width of the bar and the width of the table saw blade, and use the long 12" end, you've got 12 bards of HDPE. That's 6 pairs. If you use the 12" end you'll end up with 24 bars at minimum, or 12 pairs. Even at 24" length you're looking at $6-7" per pair. If you make your lengths 12", you're looking at half that in price for a pair. A few cheap screws and you're all set.
3/8" depth HDPE sheets are even cheaper.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank vid1900
If you over tighten (or even use the next screw size up) the screw against the countersink hole, the conical screw head will cause the HDPE to just slightly expand,
Why anyone should trust my answer?: I teach cabinet building to contractors & homeowners.through con-ed
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank vid1900
Here is popular design we use, remember to double up on where the blade kerf cuts through the sides, and mark the blade path with a red Sharpie.
If you over tighten (or even use the next screw size up) the screw against the countersink hole, the conical screw head will cause the HDPE to just slightly expand,
Why anyone should trust my answer?: I teach cabinet building to contractors & homeowners.through con-ed