Cross-cut sled vs mitre saw

[Hobbywood]

I've seen lots of videos on using and making cross-cut sleds for a table saw. They seem to be a great addition to a table saw.

But doesn't a cross-cut sled really just turn your table saw into a mitre saw?

Forgive my ignorance. But are there some advantages or disadvantages of one over the other? I haven't really heard or read anything that would distinguish the two.

I have an old Craftsman mitre saw. I plan on keeping it, and building a stand for it, as part of the first phase of beginning my woodworking adventure. It's not the most accurate but then, I haven't spent any time trying to re-tune it. It's a hand-me-down from my brother-in-law.

However, if a well-featured cross-cut sled would basically replace my mitre saw, then I wouldn't bother making a stand for the saw and would spend the lumber money making a sled.

I feel though that I don't know what I don't know. You know?

[FrankAtl]

If I had to make a choice between the two I would go with the sled. If you build and tune it properly I think it's more accurate and versatile than a miter saw. If your miter saw is an older model I would assume its not a sliding model so the sled would allow you to crosscut wider boards. I have both and use use both of them on a regular basis.

[Papa Jim]

To me they serve entirely different purposes. I probably use my CMS more than any tool in the shop.  It makes cutting one foot off of an 8' 1 x 6 much easier than my table saw (IMO). On the other hand it is pretty useless in cutting a 2 x 4 sheet of  plywood into two 2 x 2 panels.  Although that can be done on a table saw just using the fence it is much safer with a cross cut sled.  A simple cross cut sled is simple and inexpensive to build and a valuable addition to any table saw.

[Rick Barton]

I agree with Jim. While they do some stuff that's the same there are many things that each do that would be difficult or cumbersome with the other rig. I like having both. Actually I have a handful of different saw sleds for different functions.

[Hobbywood]

If yours is an older model I would assume its not a sliding model so the sled would allow you to crosscut wider boards.

Correct. My mitre saw does not slide. You make a great point. Something I just wasn't thinking about.

[Hobbywood]

I probably use my CMS more than any tool in the shop.  It makes cutting one foot off of an 8' 1 x 6 much easier than my table saw (IMO).

Something else I wasn't thinking of. No way would I care to cross-cut a long board like that in a sled on a table saw. Easier to move the saw than the material, in that case.

I was thinking too much of the concept and not the practical uses of each. That was my programmer mind getting in the way.

[Admiral]

Something else I wasn't thinking of. No way would I care to cross-cut a long board like that in a sled on a table saw. Easier to move the saw than the material, in that case.

I was thinking too much of the concept and not the practical uses of each. That was my programmer mind getting in the way.

I have a Bosch 12" fixed chop box, and I don't use it for anything other than rough work.  For breaking down stock to length, I use a Disston 8pt handsaw, and you would be surprised how fast that goes when its sharp, even the impulse hardened tooth Fat Max saws you can get in the HD/big box stores are pretty quick work too.  For sheet goods, I use a Porter Cable trim saw, the good one with the worm drive.  Sleds are very useful, and accurate if you make 'em right, but for miters I cut them proud on a sled and either pull out the Lion trimmer, or more often the shooting board with a sharp plane to ensure dead nuts accuracy.  For commercial construction work where time is money is where the chop box shines and on a jobsite it simply cannot be beat, and I just don't see it very valuable for the work I do, which is essentially furniture grade work and smaller items.

[Strokes77]

Something else I wasn't thinking of. No way would I care to cross-cut a long board like that in a sled on a table saw. Easier to move the saw than the material, in that case.

I was thinking too much of the concept and not the practical uses of each. That was my programmer mind getting in the way.

I think in General... Most woodworkers use the miter saw as the first step in processing material, and for quick, relatively rough, cuts.  Of course it is possible to have a saw setup to make finish cuts, but for the most part, most people avoid this.

The crosscut sled on the table saw is more versatile and can be used for joinery and finish cuts, but is limited in the size and scope of what can be cut.

Both are probably essential in a WW shop.

People will argue, and muddy the waters, but it can't get much simpler than what I've written here.  You need both to maximize your versatility.  Build your miter saw station such that you can upgrade the saw and not have to re-create the station.

[Cooler]

A well made sled will always turn out better miters than a miter saw with a few exceptions.

I used to be a picture framer.  I used (and still have) a sliding table miter saw.  This is a smoother operating, version of a sled and it has both measuring scales and clamps.  I think I paid just under $3,000.00 for it in the 1990s.  

The advantage is that you are cutting on either side of the blade.  So if you start with a fence that is a perfect 90 degrees, then even if it is not adjusted perfectly, and you have a 44.5 degree on the left side of the blade, you will automatically have a 45.5 degree on the right side and it will make a perfect 90 degree angle.  

I made a jig form my radial arm saw to cut over-sized molding miters.  I bought an aluminum framing square and screwed it right down on the table.  I adjusted it as carefully as I could, to make the left and right sides even, but I knew that the square was perfectly square.  

I rested the rabbet on the edge of the square and with the first miter I also sliced through the aluminum.  Carbide will have no issues slicing through aluminum.

The exception for the accuracy issue is the double head miter saw.  Those are just as accurate as a sliding table saw, and much faster (and a lot more expensive).

This is a double head miter saw. The heads are in a fixed position and are accurately set at the factory for a 45 degree cut.  It cuts both sides at the same time, so a mitered frame only requires 4 cuts instead of 8.



This is a sliding miter saw:

http://www.skylinepictures.com/New_Frame..._large.jpg

[FS7]

A well made sled will always turn out better miters than a miter saw with a few exceptions.

I used to be a picture framer.  I used (and still have) a sliding table miter saw.  This is a smoother operating, version of a sled and it has both measuring scales and clamps.  I think I paid just under $3,000.00 for it in the 1990s.  

The advantage is that you are cutting on either side of the blade.  So if you start with a fence that is a perfect 90 degrees, then even if it is not adjusted perfectly, and you have a 44.5 degree on the left side of the blade, you will automatically have a 45.5 degree on the right side and it will make a perfect 90 degree angle.  

I made a jig form my radial arm saw to cut over-sized molding miters.  I bought an aluminum framing square and screwed it right down on the table.  I adjusted it as carefully as I could, to make the left and right sides even, but I knew that the square was perfectly square.  

I rested the rabbet on the edge of the square and with the first miter I also sliced through the aluminum.  Carbide will have no issues slicing through aluminum.

The exception for the accuracy issue is the double head miter saw.  Those are just as accurate as a sliding table saw, and much faster (and a lot more expensive).

This is a double head miter saw. The heads are in a fixed position and are accurately set at the factory for a 45 degree cut.  It cuts both sides at the same time, so a mitered frame only requires 4 cuts instead of 8.

This is a sliding miter saw:

http://www.skylinepictures.com/New_Frame..._large.jpg

To add to Cooler's point, a miter saw is simply not that accurate. Going up in size or scope (a bigger blade, a sliding mechanism, or more material) makes it less so.

My first miter saw was a 10" Ridgid. Its capacity was limited, but it was pretty accurate. I moved up to a Milwaukee sliding 12" (6955) and while I keep it tuned there is only so much you can do. The blade deflects and wanders, and it does come out of alignment - ever so slightly - too easily.

Try this yourself - cut a 1x3 or something small and notice how accurate it is. Stack up four 1x6s and cut them square. Try to mix and match the ends or flip them over and you'll see that the blade wanders and the angle is off. It's going to be a very small amount - in woodworking terms, one degree is a lot - but even a quarter degree is noticeable. That isn't something you really need to worry about with a table saw as they are much more accurate. A sled with zero play bars in the miter gauge track will be a lot more stable and accurate.

I use the slide to trim the ends of a cutting board, but only because that's not something that's going to be joined. As mentioned, your ability to use a miter saw for finish cuts is limited.