Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Most of us crosscut on the table saw one of two ways.
Either with a miter gauge and fence, or what I call a miter bar…or with a sled.
They both work…but for different reasons.
Think of a sled as a cradle. It lifts the work into its own platform and keeps everything from moving as the cut is made. A miter bar, on the other hand, registers the stock to the top of your table. Instead of pushing on a platform, you’re controlling the stock directly.
For most cuts, either one works. The choice really comes down to what the stock needs.
A miter bar keeps the work registered to the table itself. You’ve got full blade height, it’s lighter and faster to handle, and it really shines with long stock. Once you add stops, it’s extremely repeatable…and because there’s no base or runners, there are fewer moving parts that can be a problem. If you do go this route, be careful not to pull the stock back through the blade at the end as any movement on the table can cause kickback.
A sled raises the work into its own platform. This works in your favor for small or awkward pieces and does a better job controlling offcuts. The tradeoff is weight, bulk, and blade height…and because everything rides on the sled itself, the flatness of the sled base and the alignment of the fence to the miter tracks matter a whole lot more.
So when you need to make a crosscut, pick the tool that fits the stock, not the other way around.
Check out my other channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Marc B.
Richard B.
Ben. K
Bill Patterson
Make Things
#MakeThings #mtbitesize
Most of us crosscut on the table saw one of two ways.
Either with a miter gauge and fence, or what I call a miter bar…or with a sled.
They both work…but for different reasons.
Think of a sled as a cradle. It lifts the work into its own platform and keeps everything from moving as the cut is made. A miter bar, on the other hand, registers the stock to the top of your table. Instead of pushing on a platform, you’re controlling the stock directly.
For most cuts, either one works. The choice really comes down to what the stock needs.
A miter bar keeps the work registered to the table itself. You’ve got full blade height, it’s lighter and faster to handle, and it really shines with long stock. Once you add stops, it’s extremely repeatable…and because there’s no base or runners, there are fewer moving parts that can be a problem. If you do go this route, be careful not to pull the stock back through the blade at the end as any movement on the table can cause kickback.
A sled raises the work into its own platform. This works in your favor for small or awkward pieces and does a better job controlling offcuts. The tradeoff is weight, bulk, and blade height…and because everything rides on the sled itself, the flatness of the sled base and the alignment of the fence to the miter tracks matter a whole lot more.
So when you need to make a crosscut, pick the tool that fits the stock, not the other way around.
Check out my other channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Marc B.
Richard B.
Ben. K
Bill Patterson
Make Things
#MakeThings #mtbitesize
