Brilliant method, Tom. Love the long and short version videos. Your (and Kris') channel is the best fine woodworking channel on KZfaq; no exception. I love everything about your channel. Thanks for sharing endlessly your talents, skills, and craftsmanship with those who have a passion for the art of fine woodworking.

Crosscut sled on my to-do list for years ... the time has come. Terrific approach and presented in clear informative way. I've been inspired ... Thanks!

Good Morning, again: After posting my comments I took the time to look and read all of the comments that show on your site and it leads me to the conclusion that you are not only a fine wood worker, but also a fine man. I have never seen another site where the commentator responded as well as you have. My comments while somewhat derogatory, were given in honesty which may only be mine, but which I found to be true when spending 10 years teaching. Keep up the good work and remember there is always room for more than one opinion.

By far the simplest and most well explained method. I’m building a sled this weekend. Thank you. Cheers 👍😎🇦🇺

Great tutorial on cross-cut sled accuracy. No fluff, just spot on accuracy method. Thanks for your effort in making this. It will help many woodworkers that struggle to achieve accuracy on their sleds.

I just have to say thanks to Tom McLaughlin for posting the 3 cut alignment method. I made a crosscut sled many, many years ago using the ideas of The Table Saw Book by Kelly Mehler. I liked the control and the safety of the cuts using the sled, but never quite got it as accurate as I wanted. I tried aligning it several times thorough out the years. Recently, I replaced table saw bearings and spent a bit of time realigning the saw with dial indicators. With the saw accurate, I decided to replace the base of my crosscut sled and looked about on the internet for information on alignment methods. I found the 5 cut method and then your 3 cut method. I went with your 3 cut process, Although I did not complete it as effortless as you did in the video, I stuck with it, and wow it works. My sled is very accurate. It is wonderful! I sometimes complain about what I find on the internet, but then find a gem like your video and think how wonderful it is to find information from such talented people. Keep on posting!

The game changer is his trick at 13:30, just marking the fence at the length of the board and adjusting there. Very smart.

After about three attempts at eyeballing the variance and guessing at the adjustment to my fence, I tried this 3 cut method. The method worked to perfection for making my sled. Perfect 90degrees and no light under the engineering square.

Good Afternoon: Sat down for lunch and tuned on youtube only to find you about to demonstrate the 3 cut method. In my opinion, as a past construction program teacher, you did a great job. Just the right combination of work and talking. I hope you realize how much more informative it is when only one person is doing the talking and those of us watching can concentrate on the presentation and no a lot of other talking. Think I find out if you have other demonstrations done as a single instructor. Good luck.

Thanks for this technique Tom. I was making a crosscut sled for small parts (17 in x 12 in) and was struggling with the 5 cut method. I took it apart and reassembled using this technique and got it within .018 inches off my Woodpecker 12 inch square. I made one .009 adjustment and it is spot on. This technique is a keeper.

Brilliant in it's simplicity. The best I've seen, thank you.

I made a new sled a couple of weeks ago using Tom's video because I thought it was much easier and faster than my previous method. It was both of those and i now have a nice accurate sled that I have used a lot over the last few weeks. Thanks Tom and hope you feel better.

Thank you for this video. Definitely simpler than the five cut method. You explained it to me better than some people I have subscribed to for years. Actually allowing movement before permanently fixing the fence has given me the encouragement now to actually build one! Thank you!

Been doing woodworking for over 40 years and decided after the last project that I’m finishing to build a sled. A buddy has Osage orange that I’m planning to use for runners on the sled. Very efficient method you showed. Gonna use it when I finish this project up!

Excellent method. I was able to fine tune my sled using your instructions in less than an hour, and to a better accuracy than ever before. Thank you.

Watched it again and loved the presentation. I enjoy your enthusiasm and genuine joy you have doing these projects. Thank you for making these videos.

Very nice Tom, the best and simplest method for this job in my opinion! I like the way you explain things clearly, calm and to the point. It was a pleasure watching that. Cheers

Thank you Tom and Kris for producing such an informative video. Your communication skills, are in my opinion excellent. You are a great team and produce some of the best woodworking content on KZfaq. I love your instructional videos on the classic chair, still working on that project myself.

Thank you! The best I’ve found for testing my sled.

Excellent video! Thanks for making the squaring process much simpler. Thanks again.

Very impressed with the accuracy of this method. Also, very good presentation/explaintion of the procedure.

Wow, easy peasy Tom! Simplest method I’ve seen yet . Thanks, great channel!

THIS IS YOUR BEST EVER VID. SIMPLE AND EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE!

Great video, Tom~! I'll be using your method since I have to build a new sled. Thanks for the great tip~!

Thanks for the great explanation I was struck by the simplicity of it and quickly went about cutting up some plywood. My first test was 1.5 mm out so I made the .75 mm correction and recut the plywood. I couldn't measure any difference top and bottom after this, absolutely brilliant- the complete set up was done in 15 minutes. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Cheers Allan

Definitely going to use this method to make my first cross cut sled. Thank you!

I made my sled this weekend and used your method - it worked great!

I built my first crosscut sled today and squared the fence using this method. All I can say is thank you for demonstrating such a straightforward process and explaining it so well. I dialled in the fence and it is dead on out to 485mm. Cheers 👍😎🇦🇺

Great explanation Tom and the end result absolutely spot on. Thank you for sharing

Tom, Thank you for this video! It worked so well and is so simple. 2 separate test pieces measured perfect corner to corner after using this method. Thank you.

Brilliant. You explained the process so well. I'll have my own super accurate sled by the end of today thanks to you

Thanks, my sled was off a lot but with this simple method I was finally able to dial it in so it’s dead on. This method is easy, fast and accurate. Again, thank you

FANTASTIC!! Simple and easy to understand. Thanks Tom..... Loved running into you at Highland Hardwoods and admiring your version of the Lombardi Trophy.

Great instructional video just like all your others. I just keep learning. Thanks

Great presentation! Slow and easy to follow. I am a 50+year master craftsman, instructor, and he has my praise.

This method really works. I made a panel cut sled a few years ago but never used it because of the horrible inaccuracy. Reset the fence today using this method and now it cuts unbelievably Square. Thanks. I'm going to get a lot of use out of now as I originally hoped. Watched the five cut method and read the directions. Compared to this I can see all sorts of places where error could creep in. I honestly can't believe how well it works.

wow!! I never imagined this method in my life!! that's awesome! I love math but think this method would be most popular to use for those who guys do not like the math method. Simple, functional, and very very precise. Thank you very much to sharing that with us.

Simply brilliant! I needed a new sled and having one this accurate really builds my confidence. Yours is the kind of practical genius that built the pyramids. I'm such a better woodworker because of Epic Woodworking and the Epic Neighborwood is one of the greatest bargains anywhere!

Nice and simple. Thank you for sharing.

Fascinating, amazing, and terrific. Thanks for posting.

Sir, very nice instructions, a great video for sure! Thanks for the teaching!

Thanks Tom, can't get simpler than that. I'll check mine using your method.

I'm in the "I really should make myself a crosscut sled" club, and have been for years. I'm preparing to make a kitchen counter top from some hardwood flooring, and I need absolutely accurate cross cuts. I'm going to be shaving the chamfered edges off, and gluing the variable-length, tongue and groove pieces together, and I need those cut to be "dead nuts." I will be watching this video again, later in the week, as I begin building the jigs I'll need for the job. Excellent video. Thank you for posting it.

Hey Tom. I tried this method, you are good, I got great results. Thank you so much

Hello Tom, I only knew you from the PBS/Fine Woodworking TV show. It was always clear to me that something was wrong with those broadcasts. It was as though I was watching a robot go through the motions of constructing a project. I found the instruction to be stiff and cold. Now I am so happy that I have found your KZfaq channel. You appear to be so much more at ease. With so much more insight and content, the kind of person that I love learning from. You come off as a very smart friend who is interested in teaching and explaining how to get things right on a much more personal level. I'm signed up. I really enjoy your videos I really enjoy your channel and I am so glad that I found the real Tom. Forgive my early judgement, there must be something about the constraints of the PBS production that holds back the true person. You are a great teacher, you make great videos and I have learned so much. Thank you, and keep them coming. It's a great feeling when you enjoy being taught.

This method is easy for me to follow, I finally have an accurate sled. Thank you for doing this video.

Very nice demonstration. Very helpful. Thank you.

Great video and explanation! The method is simple but effective

HOORAY!!! Having spent way too much time and effort doing the 5 cut method yesterday without any success I then watched your video and tried the 3 cut method today. All I can say is brilliant I can't even get my 0.04mm/ .0015 feeler gage to go between the wooden measure and the stoppers, just brilliant and only took me 3 attempts!. As always 💯% 👍 🇬🇧.

Tom, excellent and very meticulously done work.

I just finished watching this video for the third time. As it happens, I need to build another cross-cut sled to use your technique for table-saw dovetails. Your approach is much better and more precise than the approach I have used in the past, and I am looking forward to having a precise cross-cut sled for cutting dovetails on my table saw. This is not only an interesting video, it is very. very helpful. Geometry beats arithmetic in the shop! Thank you!!! 👍👍

This video is greatly appreciated!

I find this very clever. Thank you so much, helped me a lot. You have all my respect. 👍👏👏👏

Very well presented, great info. Thank you for sharing. was getting ready to build a new sled going to try your method,

Very useful video. Thanks for sharing it with us. 🙏🏼

That was awesome. Much easier than the 5-cut. Thanks!

Tried and true with a little addition help from my trusty pin nailer, thanks Tom.

Great presentation you explained your method very clearly

This is a good method. I prefer the Garage Woodworks method where an accurate square is set along the new fence with a pivot point on the left side. Then set up a dial gauge on the table, next to the sled. If the fence is square to the sled, if you push the sled forward or backward, the dial will not move. If the dial does move, you adjust the sled fence. As you start, put the sled fence a bit out of square either too far forward. Note which way the dial turns as you move the sled fence forward and backward. Then push the fence a little too far backwards and note which way the dial moves again. Use that info to position the fence to the point where the fence doesn't move at all. That is your sweet spot. If I have the dial indicator set up and the sled ready to test the fence, it takes me less than a minute to set the fence location. Feel free to make the 3 cut method after this to check. In my experience no further adjustment I'd needed.

Amazing method, seems super simple but yet very clever. Thanks for the great content and tips :)

Brilliant idea! I wanna go to my shop immediately and build another one with this method.

Great video Tom, thanks!

Worked perfectly! Thanks for the video

You have awesome great videos on KZfaq I like it Tom McLaughlin from Terell Jones I appreciate you and your videos you’re a awesome great man

Great video thanks. Clear and concise. Took a while to dial my fence in but boy it's now square 😀

Very nicely done. Thanks!

Just used this method and it worked great!

That’s amazing! Thank you!!

Awesome video Tom. Thank you for sharing. I subscribed and liked!!

Couldn't be any easy, what great job thank you

Wow this is just what I needed, I have just completed building my very first workshop and started to make my first jig. Today I spent way too much time and effort using the 5 cut method to the point where it was sending me around the twist, my first attempt said I was 5.5mm out so I adjusted the back rest only to be calculated at 18mm out and so on. How on planet earth I managed to do this is beyond me !!!. After spending way way too much time I finally gave up and had my tea. Now that your video was suggested by KZfaq I now know what I'm going to be doing tomorrow!!!. All I can say is thanks for the upload you've probably saved my sanity 🙂 😊. As always buddy 💯% 👍 🇬🇧.

Excellent editing on this video. I will be referring to this video soon as soon as we thaw out. Temps were -15F this morning

Ur friggin awesome dude. Thank you

Great video! I picked up a several good points. I built my first sled ever today BEFORE seeing your video. I wish I had watched your video first because I also built my second sled today after trashing the first one. I am still off by 12/1000ths but will try to adjust tomorrow using your method. I did like how you kept the sled in the miter slots which seems to make a difference when adjusting. I found your cutting board videos and will watch your others too.

Knocked it out of the park Tom! I've tried William Ng's 5 cut method, and while it works, it takes a lot longer to get the desired "dead nuts" result. Bravo!

In building my sled today, and after watching your video many times, my initial error was just like yours except 0.050” wider on the fence side of edge 1 vs. the opposite side of edge 1. So, I brought my fence in 0.025” as indicated (meaning clockwise when looking from behind/on top) and my error was greater, not lesser. In going over your exaggerated angle lines to illustrate the error angle, I believe your video showed me to rotate the fence incorrectly. And indeed, when I rotated it counter-clockwise 0.025” + 0.025” the error lessened! So I don’t know if I am viewing your video incorrectly or if something in the video is stated incorrectly, but I wanted to leave this comment on the off chance it will be helpful. Bottom line, I will end up with a dead nuts accurate sled, so thank you. I love your channel and…shhhhhhhh, I’ve just ordered some potassium dichromate crystals for my African mahogany table project. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful. 😃 ADDENDUM: Hmmmm, now I’m not sure, I made another adjustment and it was way out of alignment, so I went back to my first adjustment and it is now dead nuts on. Your method is great, but it just takes some persistence to get it right. Happy sledding to everyone else who makes one.

i really like this method, thank you

This helped me. Thank You

WOW! just unbelievable that anyone could do that. But if it was gonna get done you were the one to do it. Good job.

Hello Tom, just found this video and now I hardly can't await to check the accuracy of my crosscut sled (which actually is in status "quick and dirty"). Your approach looks both easy to realise and exact result without math. Thanks a lot for the clear demonstration. Best regards from Bavaria :-)

Brilliantly simple.

Thanks! Well done!

Thank you Tom, such a nice educational video, i appreciate it

I love it! Great work.

This is brilliant - thanks!

Anytime I don’t have to do math I am so grateful! Thanks.

Eureka!!! Thank you for this concise method and video.

Great video. Thanks

brilliant thanks Tom

Hi Tom, I meant it in a positive way, I love your channel. You are one of the best going around.. Keep up the fantastic work..

This turned out to be one of the best crosscut sled videos I've seen. The importance of knowing how to actually setup a crosscut sled is a lot more important than knowing how to build one. You can see how they are built just by looking at it. But I didn't know how to actually "square" my sled. I figured out how to make mine square, but now I am wondering if it's actually accurate, since I did a much more crude method of squaring my sled. Great video, and it has advanced my understanding of how to square up jigs..

Awesome👍😃......love it......I’ll use that method from now on......cheers

Man, that was Epic! Thanks a lot.

Thanks so much for this Tom. Just found your channel yesterday, and subbed. This is a lot easier than the 5 cut dealio ,which I did this past summer on my new sled......time for a new sled now. haha

I saw this in your full table saw sled video. Great method. (And I’m glad to know someone else uses the phrase “dead nuts”. I’m a graphic designer by day and I use that all the time!)

What and excellent method! Thanks so much!

Recently got a new DeWalt Contractor saw that is pretty slick. The first jig I want to build is a crosscut sled. This method seems like the way to go. Thanks!

i like this method, thanks mate.

Thanks. Really clear

The trick with the feeler gauge to whack the alignment is genius.