SMALL-PARTS TABLESAW SLED

With customizable hold-downs, this smallparts tablesaw sled lets you safely trim even miniature workpieces with ease and accuracy.

- KERRY GIBSON

Projects like our "Classic Steam Engine" (page 38) call for cutting parts much smaller than most projects. Your table saw can easily handle the necessary precision, but you need a way to hold the workpieces firmly while keeping your fingers safely away from the blade. This sled, with T-track adjustability and customizable hold-downs, effectively solves both problems.

BUILD THE BASE AND FENCES

1 From 1/2" plywood, cut two 1(A), three rear fence layers (B), and two front fence layers (C) to size [Exploded View]. Laminate the workpieces by face gluing and clamping to make up the base and both fences [Materials List].

2 Install a 3/4"-wide dado set in the table saw and set the blade height to the thickness of your T-track. Ours was 3/8". Cut a groove along the length of both the base (A) and rear fence (B) [Exploded View, Photo A].

3 Sand round-overs on the upper corners of both the rear and front fences [Exploded View].

ADD THE RUNNERS

1 Cut two 12"-long sled runners (D) to fit -1 the slots for your saw [Materials List]. They should be snug, but not so tight they can't slide smoothly.