Crosscut sled

[NeverSquare911]

Hello all. I am brand new to woodworking. Just purchased a table saw, router and a couple small tools. I thought a good beginner project would be to make a crosscut sled. I found plans on a site called Fix this bulls that. I tried to follow the plans/ YouTube video. My problem is once the fence was assembled i attempted to dial in the cut to be exactly 90 degrees. One screw on one side and one screw on the other and made the 5 cuts. I adjusted the fence slightly then screwed it together. Now the sled will not slide in the channels. It did before just fine. I used a new hole for the post adjustment screw but???? I can’t figure why this would move or tweak the runners? Sorry so long but I am at a loss. Still scratching my head. Any help is appreciated

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Are your runners wood, metal, or phenolic? If wood, slide them into the table top until it catches. Sand that spot down on the offending runner until it fits. Wash, rinse, repeat until it works well.

Welcome!

[NeverSquare911]

The runners are oak. I sanded them for a half hour. I gave up and removed them. I started over and put two new ones. The exact thing happened after i adjusted the fence. Would not slide. Just out of curiosity i moved the fence back to original position and it sled perfect but the cut is not square. I’m at a loss

[stav]

Is it possible that the wood you are using for the base was not flat and when you secured the fence it forced the base flat pushing in/out the runners? Or maybe it was flat and the fence is not.

[Roly]

The runners are oak. I sanded them for a half hour. I gave up and removed them. I started over and put two new ones. The exact thing happened after i adjusted the fence. Would not slide. Just out of curiosity i moved the fence back to original position and it sled perfect but the cut is not square. I’m at a loss

Could it be binding on the blade ? Or riving knife ?  Lower the blade and see if it is free.   Roly

[tablesawtom]

If using wood runners the grain in the wood needs to run vertical. Check out a You tube video by Willian Nu. All of his videos are extremely well done and right to the point. The easiest way to find him is just to type in William Nu  in the search section . He does a wonderful job on his sled, as well as a 45 degree sled and he also has one on finger joints. 

And welcome to the woodworking world as well as to the forum.

Tom

[tablesawtom]

If you decide to buy a sled, check out the Dubby sled. Jerry also has some great videos. Just for the record I have both the right and left hand versions. 

Tom

[Tapper]

Can you post any pictures of your sled, along with the runners and fence?

Doug

[Splinter Puller]

Carefully measure that your miter slots are parallel with each other.

[RPE1]

Hello all. I am brand new to woodworking. Just purchased a table saw, router and a couple small tools. I thought a good beginner project would be to make a crosscut sled. I found plans on a site called Fix this bulls that. I tried to follow the plans/ YouTube video. My problem is once the fence was assembled i attempted to dial in the cut to be exactly 90 degrees. One screw on one side and one screw on the other and made the 5 cuts. I adjusted the fence slightly then screwed it together. Now the sled will not slide in the channels. It did before just fine. I used a new hole for the post adjustment screw but???? I can’t figure why this would move or tweak the runners? Sorry so long but I am at a loss. Still scratching my head. Any help is appreciated

what is going on is what someone else mentioned.  The base is not flat, so without the fence on it, it is narrower.  When you screw down the fence, the base gets flattened out and gets wider which causes binding in the miter slots.