Replacing a Miter Saw with a Sled

[Chestnut]

1 minute ago, curlyoak said:

I have a small shop. I have the 1000 incra and the 5000. I also use the 1000 more but I need the 5000. For wider and/or longer pieces the 5000 is a champ. I can make perfect 90 degree cuts as wide as 24". It is the most accurate tool in the shop for dependable repetitive square cuts. For the price nothing comes close for wide cuts. There are tools a lot better but they take up a lot of space and are expensive. I found some wall space and the 5000 lives there. If you could use a dado that would be special.

Yes he has the Miterexpress which basically makes the 1000HD a 5000. The miter express extends the miter bar and gauge capacity to 24" but I've done wider with mine.

Having a miter express and 5000 is a bit redundant but hey if that fits your work flow do it! I can't judge redundant with 4 miter gauges.

[curlyoak]

Yesterday I had to cross cut 2 x 8 x8 yellow pine. I needed to cut 5 pieces 57". I cant do that on the 1000. 5000 handled it with ease.

[curlyoak]

On 12/7/2022 at 12:55 PM, Chestnut said:

Having a miter express

I have the non express version. I have had the 1000 for a long time. I will be starting my 3rd set of nylon bushings if that is the right name. Very true and reliable.

[gee-dub]

Wow.  There is a lot of good discussion in this thread.  I also only wheel the miter saw out of one of the back sheds when doing construction or trim work.  I understand there are folks who have a work flow that would not work without a CMS or a RAS.  For me they do not do enough for the footprint that they require.  I do however take up a fair amount of wall space storing sleds so choose your poison. 

I have used an Incra V-27 with an additional Incra extrusion fence for 20 years with good success.  Often a miter gauge or sled's performance is better when your tablesaw alignment is better.  Proper setup take 30 minutes or sometimes 3 hours but either way, it pays dividends well beyond the effort required.

[legenddc]

I've thought about drilling holes in my Miter Express to hang it like Gee-dub's sleds.

Someone on the Wood Whisperer Guild Facebook group posted how they store their Incra 5000. I saved it to eventually copy for the Miter Express.

[TomInNC]

On 12/7/2022 at 12:56 PM, curlyoak said:

Yesterday I had to cross cut 2 x 8 x8 yellow pine. I needed to cut 5 pieces 57". I cant do that on the 1000. 5000 handled it with ease.

Just to make sure I'm reading this right: you are able to get accurate cuts with the 5000 on an 8 foot long board?

[TomInNC]

The holder for the sleds is awesome. I put a bunch of french cleats on the wall this summer. Looks like I need to start filling them up. 

[curlyoak]

On 12/8/2022 at 2:32 PM, TomInNC said:

Just to make sure I'm reading this right: you are able to get accurate cuts with the 5000 on an 8 foot long board?

It had been pre cut on my radial arm saw to a few inches longer than I needed. I also dressed it to whatever it would yield trued up. That was 1 1/4"

[gee-dub]

On 12/8/2022 at 11:35 AM, TomInNC said:

The holder for the sleds is awesome. I put a bunch of french cleats on the wall this summer. Looks like I need to start filling them up. 

I made a boat-load of these in the garage temporary shop while the new shop was being built. 

Once I moved in I made some more . . . couldn't believe I had used them all up.  The fact that they slide on the cleat without falling off makes them pretty useful.  I've been a 'cleat wall' guy for many years.  One of the best things I've done in a shop.  You can flexibly hang all sorts of stuff as things change.

[JohnG]

On 12/8/2022 at 2:12 PM, legenddc said:

I've thought about drilling holes in my Miter Express to hang it like Gee-dub's sleds.

Someone on the Wood Whisperer Guild Facebook group posted how they store their Incra 5000. I saved it to eventually copy for the Miter Express.

Only problem with this setup is the clearance needed on the side. I’d keep the bottom track but put a cam knob at the top to retain it so you can just tilt it in/out.