The sled is built on a piece of 3/4" plywood, with a hardwood rail dadoed into the bottom to fit the miter gage slot on the saw. The slot is placed so that while building the sled, the right edge is a bit beyond where the blade will run. It will be trimmed later. The fence on the right is hardwood (I happened to have a scrap of oak handy), and is both screwed and glued at an 8:1 scarf angle, with the forward end hanging over the edge of the sled base just a little (it too will be trimmed later). This piece must be glued down so that the fragile end will not spring or move when the work piece is clamped in. The wider fence on the left is screwed down without glue (not needed here), 1-3/16" away from the right fence and parallel to it.
When both fences are fastened in place, the sled is run through the table saw, trimming the edge of the sled and the right fence along the cut line. Next, use the sled to cut two hardwood wedges from a piece of 3/4" x 1-1/4" gunwale stock. Cut one wedge off, and then simply lop off the second one from the end you just cut. 3/8" dowels are glued into each wedge as shown. The last piece is the release rod, 1/2" thick and 3/4" high (I used a piece of 1/2" poplar).
To use the sled for gunwale stock, place the blank against the right fence and set the wedges as shown, squeezing them tight against the fence by simply squeezing the dowels together. For scarfing strips, set it up the same way, but place the release rod along the left fence, letting it hang over the rear edge of the sled. Squeeze the dowels together to hold everything, and make the cut. When done, lift the overhanging end of the release rod, and the whole assembly comes apart.
John
http://michneboat.com
