Question on my cross cut sled..leave the runners long??

[Dumb_Polack]

Fellas,

Wife was away on Saturday so it was a shop day...YAY!!!  

Anywho I built the attached crosscut sled.  As you can see in Picture #2, the runners extend past the edge of the TS  (actually, I have a flip up TS extension that's folded down in picture #2.  It is something I made and I didn't cut the miter slots into it.  As a consequence, whenever I want to use my new cross cut sled, I'll need to fold down my extension).

You can see that I left the cross cut runners long and I'm debating 2 things right now:

A) Cut the runners off @ the back side of my cross cut sled  (I tested it out and it would complete the cut even with my extension flipped up)

B) Rout the miter slots into my flip up extension  (I won't look forward to that as it would need to to be taken off the hinges and it is heavy (it's our old Formica counter top)

So, is there any benefit to having my cross cut sled's runners stay long.  I tend to think not because once the wood passes the blade, the cut's done.  But I'd like to get the group's consensus.

[jteneyck]

No advantage that I am aware of, but a good chance to break them hanging out there like that so I'd would cut them off.  

You can mill miter slots in your outfeed table w/o taking it off the saw.  But I would still cut the runners off flush with the end of the sled even if you do.  

John

[Phil Thien]

The only reason to keep them would have been if your sled didn't have the far-side fence, in which case a wider board could overhang the far-side, and the longer bars would give you some additional guide to start the cut.

Seeing as you have that fence, I'd cut them off.

[Handplanesandmore]

What John says. Icra miter slide bars are all shorter than the cabinet saw tops.

Simon

[Phil S.]

On my big sled I left them about 1/2" long so they were easier to see and line up on the slots.

[ez-duzit]

No advantage that I am aware of, but a good chance to break them hanging out there like that so I'd would cut them off...

This.

[badwhiskey]

I also leave them a little long to make it to easier to line up.

[Stwood_]

I also leave them a little long to make it to easier to line up.

+1

[Cooler]

I did the same on the theory that the longer runners would result in greater accuracy.  What I found is that it resulted in greater friction.  I trimmed them flush.  

I'm not even sure that two runners are more accurate than one.  I'd like to hear thoughts on that.  

I pretty much gave up on the cross cut sled.  I mostly use my radial arm saw or for wider than 15" boards, my track saw.  I have not seen my sled in ages.  Maybe I threw it out.

[Handplanesandmore]

I'm not even sure that two runners are more accurate than one.  I'd like to hear thoughts on that.  

I pretty much gave up on the cross cut sled.  I mostly use my radial arm saw or for wider than 15" boards, my track saw.  I have not seen my sled in ages.  Maybe I threw it out.

I used to use wooden runners but they expand and contract affecting the accuracy of cuts, so i have switched to Incra slides. With one wooden runner, it is quite possible that you may push the sled (esp large one with a thinner base) out of square as you cut.

But the sled is indispensable to those who need to cut small pieces. If you have to say cut a notch on a short strip, it is not an easy job for a miter saw or RAS. Bandsaw doable not as fast or as clean as on the sled.

Simon