Sled and saving wood

[jerrbitt]

If I want to stay under the rollers but don't want to waste the 7" added length to the project can I do this:
1. Find the exact center of my sled, length and width.
2. Ditto for the board I'm going to use for the carve.
3. Place the board to be carved with its center on the exact center of the sled, held down with double sided tape or a glue gun.
4. Carve the project staying under the rollers.
Or is there an easier alternative?

[mtylerfl]

There's no "easier" alternative that I know of - just variations of what you described. The method you outlined will work fine. (Assuming the sled is at least 7" longer than the actual project board)

[Jeff_Birt]

You don't even need to use the 'exact center'. My sleds have one fixed end and one movable. I place my board against the fixed end, install the movable end, and tell the machine to 'Place on End'.

[jerrbitt]

You don't even need to use the 'exact center'. My sleds have one fixed end and one movable. I place my board against the fixed end, install the movable end, and tell the machine to 'Place on End'.


Do I presume you are talking about length and if so, the fixed end is on the left (left of Keyboard)?

Thanks.

[DocWheeler]

jerrbitt,

Yes, that is correct.

Let me add to your confusion and address your original question. There is a simpler alternative than a sled for what you are doing. If you are carving a 3/4" thick board that is 15" long, center a 3/4" X 3/4" X 22" board to each edge and put tape on the ends of these rails for the sensor to see.

This has the advantage that you can do a cut path!

[rmacke]

jerrbitt,

Yes, that is correct.

Let me add to your confusion and address your original question. There is a simpler alternative than a sled for what you are doing. If you are carving a 3/4" thick board that is 15" long, center a 3/4" X 3/4" X 22" board to each edge and put tape on the ends of these rails for the sensor to see.

This has the advantage that you can do a cut path!

Doc.. Will this keep the board from tiping up? When doing it this way , you tell it to NOT STAY UDER ROLLERS - is this correct?
Thanks
rmacke

[DocWheeler]

rmacke,

There will be no tipping, since the rails will stay under the rollers even when you tell it Not to stay under the rollers (as you said).

The tricky part is attaching the rails to the board. Double stick tape works for me although I'm tempted to shoot a nail occasionally.

[jerrbitt]

jerrbitt,

Yes, that is correct.

Let me add to your confusion and address your original question. There is a simpler alternative than a sled for what you are doing. If you are carving a 3/4" thick board that is 15" long, center a 3/4" X 3/4" X 22" board to each edge and put tape on the ends of these rails for the sensor to see.

This has the advantage that you can do a cut path!

Tried this on a few carvings with success.

Now the last two times when the bit goes homing to check for the depth/top of the board, the bit misses the edge of the real board about an 1/8 of an inch. I remeasured my stringers, exactly 20" and the real board is 12.5". Tried both stayhing under the rollers and not. Same result. The bit after hitting the bit plate, goes to the front of the board, top left edge, and goes down once and hits the stringer, and then goes twice more and misses the edge.

Does it matter if you use masking tape from the end of the stringers to the real board or just on the edges as shown on the attachment? (See post of DocWheeler a few below)