How to Cut a Plywood Sheet With a Crosscut Sled
Cutting plywood on a table saw can be cumbersome, and often far less than accurate. One of the easiest ways to get accurate cuts on sheet goods is to make a crosscut sled. When you cut a plywood sheet with a crosscut sled, the crosscut sled rides in the saw's miter slot, and keeps the back edge of the plywood perfectly square to the blade, allowing for accurate square cuts along the entire length of the section of plywood.
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Things You'll Need
- 18-inch by 24-inch sheet of 3/4-inch thick plywood
- 24-inch piece of 1-by-2 lumber
- 24-inch piece of 1/2-inch by 3/4-inch hardwood
- Cordless drill with bits and countersink
- Box of 1-1/4 inch deck screws
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Framing square
Instructions
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Place an 18-inch by 24-inch piece of plywood on a work table. Align a 24-inch-long piece of 1-by-2 lumber flat on the 24-inch edge of the plywood, with the edges aligned as closely as possible. Attach the two boards together using a cordless drill and some 1 1/4-inch deck screws.
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2
Raise the blade on your table saw, and measure the distance from the right edge of the saw blade to the left edge of the saw's right-side miter slot.
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3
Return to the work table, and flip the plywood over so that the 1-by-2 is on the bottom, on the opposite side of the plywood from your body. Measure the distance you determined in the previous step in from the right side of the plywood, and make a pencil mark.
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Align an framing square with the pencil mark and the 1-by-2 on the far side of the plywood. Be sure to align the square with the 1-by-2 and not the plywood, and scribe a square pencil line along the square through the mark.
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Place a 24-inch long strip of hardwood measuring 1/2 inch by 3/4 inch along the left side of the pencil mark. The 3/4-inch side should be flat on the plywood. Drill a countersunk pilot hole every four inches along the hardwood, and attach it to the plywood with deck screws. Be certain that the edge of the hardwood is perfectly aligned with the pencil line as you attach it to the plywood.
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Carry the completed crosscut sled to the table saw, and place the hardwood strip on the bottom into the right miter slot, with the 1-by-2 on the opposite side of the sled from your body. Raise the saw blade, and turn on the saw. Slide the sled forward, trimming off the left side of the sled. The remaining left-side edge of the crosscut sled will be perfectly aligned with the saw blade from this point forward.
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Place the plywood to be cut on the crosscut sled. Align the edge to be cut with the left edge of the sled, and make sure that the far side of the plywood is flat against the 1-by-2. Turn on the table saw, and ease the sled and plywood forward to complete the cut on the plywood sheet.
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Tips & Warnings
When working with power tools, always wear appropriate safety equipment, including safety glasses to protect your eyes from flying debris.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
