Adjustable Miter Sled for Perfect Miter Cuts | FREE PLANS
When you want to make miter cuts, the first power tool you think of is undoubtedly the miter saw.
But when you start working with the miter saw you will find that it is quite a job to make perfect miter cuts.
I also had to experience this.
That’s why I started looking for a solution to make miter cuts on my table saw.
When I started looking I noticed that the internet is full of videos and articles on how to make a miter sled, but I wanted more.
What if I want to make miter cuts that deviate from the standard 45 degrees?
Any angle miter cuts with this adjustable miter sled
Inspired by the Bora angle master I came up with this solution.
An adjustable miter sled that allows me to make miter cuts at any conceivable angle.
You only have to set the miter sled and you can make the perfect miter cut thanks to the two arms that face each other in mirror image.
I made FREE PLANS for this miter sled that you can download in this blog.
You can use it to make this adjustable miter sled yourself.
Tip:
Do you want to make the same crosscut sled as mine?
You can!
Check out the step-by-step instruction blog where I show you how to make this crosscut sled.
There are free building plans available on this page, to help you to build this sled.
Don’t miss this!
What do you need to make a miter sled?
To prepare you for building this table saw sled, I have made a few handy lists.
In addition to a few personal protective equipments that I use*, I also list the materials as well as the (power) tools you will need to build this table saw jig.
* Safety is always your own responsibility!
Safety first! Protect yourself!
Materials I used for this miter sled
(power)Tools I used for this miter sled
Watch the video here
Building the miter sled step by step
Now that we have gone through the list of what we all need for this project, I will explain step by step how to make this adjustable miter sled.
Let’s go!
Step 1 | Making the miter sled
Grooves are provided in practically every table saw where you can insert attachments.
By attaching runners to the miter sled, we can use the grooves to move the carriage perfectly perpendicular to the saw blade.
I made the runners from hardwood because they are the least subject to deformation.
You can also use plastic runners for this, which is even better.
The runners are attached to the bottom of the sled with CA glue.
To do this, place the runners in the slots of the table saw, put a few drops of CA glue on the runners, and place the bottom plate of the sled.
Press firmly for a few seconds and the runners are attached to the sled.
To strengthen that attachment, I used screws.
Do not forget to pre-drill and countersink the head of the screw.
When the runners are firmly attached you can now make an incision in the bottom plate of the miter sled.
You can make this cut about halfway down the bottom plate.
To be able to attach the adjustable arms to the miter sled, I made 2 holes in the bottom plate in which the bolts fit perfectly.
A notch was made at the bottom of the sled with hammer and chisel so that the head of the bolt is countersunk into the wood.
This ensures that the sled can move freely over the table saw and that the bolt cannot rotate in the wood.
Be sure to download the free plans with dimensions in this blog as a guide for making your miter sled.
Step 2 | Adjustable arms
The great strength of this jig lies in the adjustability of the arms with which you can saw almost every possible angle.
In this part, I explain step by step how I made these arms.
The arms of this jig are 2 rectangular pieces of wood which should have a perfect straight side.
These arms are attached to the 2 bolts that are mounted in the bottom plate as a hinge point.
When the arms are pulled in, so the angle at which you cut increases, they will touch.
That is why a bevel has been sawn on it.
For this, I used my tapering jig that I made a while ago. Be sure to watch the video on how to make this tapering jig yourself.
The pieces that connect the operating lever to the arms are two elongated pieces of wood with an opening on each side for sliding over the bolts.
These pieces must be identical to each other so that they will move the 2 arms equally.
Because I love beautifully finished pieces, I rounded the corners with my homemade drum sander.
The operating lever allows the jig arms to be positioned at the correct angle by moving the lever forward or backward.
The handle is a rectangular block with a slot in the center. The slot allows this block to be attached to the miter slide.
For this, a bolt is processed in the bottom plate in the same way as the bolts that serve as a pivot point for the arms.
At the end of the block, 2 bolts have been processed on which the connecting pieces are placed.
To ensure that the operating lever can only move forward and backward, a guide is attached to the bottom plate on each side of the operating lever.
In no case should the control lever be able to make a sideways movement, otherwise this will affect the correctness of the jig.
With my star knob jig, I made a button with which I can lock the jig in the right position.
Tip:
Be sure to read the blog that I wrote about my 5 most used jigs. In that blog, I describe my star knob jig, and there is a free template available to help you make this jig.
To have a good grip on the miter sled during cutting, I mounted 2 handles.
These handles are placed in such a way that I can adopt an easy posture while cutting.
I found that when placing only 1 handle there was always a position where the control button got in the way.
The handles are also positioned in such a way that they never get in the way when the jig is fully folded.
TIP:
If you consider buying a nail gun, be sure to watch my blog How to choose the right nail gun for your projects. A complete nail gun guide.
I have used my nail gun for almost every project since I bought it, so I can highly recommend buying one.
To have a good grip on the control lever, a piece of round wood was attached to the front of the jig.
Subscribe to My Newsletter
Join 5000+ followers and get useful tips and notifications about new content in my weekly newsletter! Don’t miss it, register now!
Step 3 | Marking the angles
To make things easier for myself in the future, I marked some important angles on the jig.
I made a mark for 30 degrees angles, 45 degrees angles, and 60 degrees angles.
As a basis, I marked a line when the arms were in the 0-degree position.
Using a compass triangle I was now able to mark any angle I wanted from the 0-degree line.
You can also use a pair of compasses to draw an angle of 30 degrees. Watch a demonstration in this short video on how to do this.
With this version, you are 100% sure of the correctness of the angle.
How to use this jig
Using this jig is super simple.
When you have accurately marked the angles on the miter sled, you now only have to place the arms in the correct position.
This is done by loosening the star knob and moving the control lever forwards or backward until the arms are at the desired angle.
Now tighten the star knob tightly and you can saw perfect miters.
If you have to repeat the same measurements a lot, you can clamp a stop block on the arms. That way you don’t have to measure again and again.
You will see, sawing perfect miter cuts has never been easier with this jig.
How to build your workshop on a budget?
Building a workshop can be daunting, filled with trial and error. Believe me, I’ve been in those shoes.
But it was “The Ultimate Small Workshop” course, a gem I discovered and now endorse on Christofix.com, that provided insights unparalleled to any other. This expertise empowered me to invest wisely and save substantially.
I really suggest it to all of my fellow DIYers and creators!
I hope this information on how to make a miter sled was helpful, and that this blog and video inspires you.
Let me know in a comment below.
Feel free to share this blog on Facebook, Pinterest, or other social media.
You can do this by using the buttons below or at the top of the blog.
It will be much appreciated.
I’m looking forward to seeing you soon in another blog or video.
Greetings,
Christophe, founder of Christofix.com
Woodworking | DIY | Home decoration
Download the plans here
Free forever. Check the 3d file options.
Free
€0/mo
Enter your name and email address here and receive the plans in your mailbox.
NOTE: The automated system sends your plans within the hour. Depending on your settings, these may end up in your spam box.
Make sure you check this!
You can only download once in 24H!