Build a Better Router Sled/Flattening Jig 

Thank you for the quick reply. Looking forward to making one of these for myself!

Excellent video, just what i was hoping to find! ordered the rails and bearings using your link, Thanks for posting all of this. Look forward to more from you!

For an easy DIY jig, this is incredibly well done and looks fantastic. Buying the materials you listed now!

I was thinking the same way about using the rails like you but I really like how you setup for the router to mount using the Aluminum Angles then mounting plywood base plus the vacuum hose to help cutting down on the waste material. I also saw you have a craftsman radial arm saw I like to know how you did the adjustment for the platform so you get flat cuts if you could share it on RU-vid it would be a great help to me thank you for sharing your idea for flat jig

This is a great sled. You should put the links for the rails in the description so everyone can see them.

Outstanding setup. I like the idea of a smooth movement and the added vac attachment is gold

EXCELLENT DESIGN! Great video and tutorial. No BS - you just moved through it. Thank you!

I didn’t understand where the bearings came from until I followed the link to the upper rails - the bearings are included. Slick setup!

I been wanting to build this flatting jig for ever finally now I am thank you for sharing the material and step by step guide I appreciate. Thank you

I was building a shopping cart list on Amazon to build a very similar build. Now I've seen it in practice, im ordering the parts. Thanks man!

Awesome jig. Simple to make, although I found I had to make a couple of minor adjustments, and incredibly easy to use. I am using a 3” flattening bit with the renewable cutters, and I did find it best to take very small increments or the router wanted to run away, but overall fast, accurate and very easy. Thanks for an awesome video

Now that's got to be the best home made router sledge I've seen to date. Simple and clean. It's K. I. S. S. all the way. Well done 👍👍👍👍👍

Bought components for this rig several years ago, been surfing videos on power hand planers, and came across a deluge of router sleds using these same rails. I'm always early...but this is the best video thus far. What makes it clutch is the frame stiffeners for the vertical axis wobble of the slide bearings, as well as the multi blocks instead of "straight" supports - those are what I've been hung up on. Glad I didn't rush into mutilating wood. This tidbit is the game changer I needed. Biting my tongue about the $200 statement.

Great build! As mentioned by others, adding a few steppers, a belt, and some cheap electronics could alow automation of this! Even at low speeds, as long as it is autonomous, it is nice! Another use,,without electronics, if you are able to lock one axis, that would make for a nice grooving tool. If you set a stop you could cut grooves, datos, rabbits, reliably!

Great idea and reasonably priced for the weekend warrior. Subscribed.

Thank you for the the straight forward information. I will be building one.

This is so perfect. I've been looking for a way to build my own sled and this looks like the best set up.

I've made something similar with a salvaged bedrail, and the results have been pretty good so far. Thanks for this demo!

I built same style never thought of adding vacuum. Great extra touch.

This is by far the most professional looking DIY router sled I've seen. Currently building mine 😊 looks fantastic!

Like your video and appreciate the links. Most cost effective build I have seen yet with smooth ball bearings.

This is very good. Thanks from France 🇨🇵

Really nicely done! Best I have seen on any video so far. Thank You.

Going to follow your lead here, awesome DIY! Thank you!

This is crazy. If I see that in someone's shop I would just assume is either a Rockler Jig or Woodpeckers jig depending on what color it was painted. Awesome work.

That's a fantastic build. Smoother than a smooth thing! 👍😁

Nice build. Next step is to add a couple stepper motors, a simple arduino controller, and some limiters on each axis (none of which is expensive), and automate the process of flattening slabs. You get it started with the depth and speed you want, and let automation finish the work while you do other things.

I built a router sled using very similar linear rails, almost exactly like yours. I screwed my long rails to a couple of 2x4's that fit into the slots on my Bora Speedhorse sawhorses, so I can set up the sled in just a couple of minutes, then tear it down and store it away when I don't need it. I still need to work on the carriage for the router so that I can adjust the height of the router above the workpiece. I might use some of your ideas on that!

Nice! I need to revisit mine as I did not think about the stiffeners. I made my carriage out of thick acyclic but will swap out the mounts with aluminum.

this is awesome! i've had an idea percolating for a similar dual rail system but with a circular saw instead. now i see a version with multiple tool inserts! add some cleats to the rails and hang it on a wall for a panel cutter.

I love this and i was blown away by hw simple it seems to build

Awesome build! Thank you very much!

Best diy sled I’ve seen to date.

Great project ! Just ordered the stuff last night. I’d been messing around with a sled made out of wood, and it’s ok for the project I was working on but I wanted something more versatile and precise. Glad I decided to check RU-vid. Have you ever thought about doing a video on the making of your bench ? I think it would be a hit. Just a thought. Thanks!…yes I subscribed

Am just ordering the bit now to start building mine. Get rid of my old wooden one which I have had for ages. Great quality design. Keep up grt videos

I built a sled much like the one in this video. It works like a charm. The blocks get a bit dusty and increase the friction, so they have to be blown out occasionally. I also swipe a candle over the tops of the rails every now and then to keep them slick. I used 1/2" acrylic as the base for the router to help with visibility of the work piece.

Thanks for this. I built one last fall and the sled is too cumbersome. This one is fantastic. I’ll be using your design soon

Nice build. Easy to make and gets the job done. You could add a door sweep/ brush to sled and more dust would get caught up by vac.

Good Stuff man... Thanks for the content. I am looking to get into some large panel and slab work and this is fantastic.

I made one like this this weekend and it came out great!!! For around $300 or so I mean I went to Home-depot and spent $7 ish for 4 screws 6 lock washers and 4 nuts. Still cheaper than these others out there. So happy with it!!! Thanks for the vid!!

This is perfect! I ordered these rails and blocks from Amazon and was very pleasantly surprised at the quick delivery and price here in Canada. The quality is great. I know this isn't about Amazon, but the price is awesome. I have seen the exact same setup for way over 1000k and the setup time was maybe an hour of time. Thank you for showing this in great detail.👍👍👍

I used the same materials and the same set up. It works perfectly. I added a stop on each end of the upper rails so that it was impossible for the router bit to accidentally run into the lower rail.

Nice job. I've been working on creating a sliding crosscut jig using linear bearings attached to my portable table saw (don't have my 2 car garage shop anymore). I hate using the miter slots because they either jam or are loose. The top of the bearing block will be even with the tabletop with the sled having a slick surface next to the tabletop. I should only lose around 1/2" cutting depth but everything should be smooth and accurate. I previously built a box-joint jig for a cradle, using a 3/8-16 thread rod to slide the jig left and right. I'm hoping to add this jig on top of the sliding crosscut jig so there's no binding when cutting dadoes. Once the bearing rails are locked into position, I could use them for a variety of sliding table jigs. As for your router sled, I am thinking about trying this using a handheld planer instead of a router. I also have slabs of walnut (from a commercial walnut orchard) that need to be flattened but I don't need something this wide. Would be interesting to build an edging planer mounting the wood vertical with some clamps to hold the wood. This might be easier to straighten the edge than using a table saw jig, especially on a portable table saw.

Wow. Very well done and explained! Thank you for making the video.

Just made this and it's fantastic. Thanks for the tutorial!!

The other sleds I have seen don't even come close to this one, going to build this for sure.

I was thinking along the same lines as you. Just got off Amazon looking at rails so kudos!!

ok, I am inspired now. Been wanting to do this project for a while and I just finished my router table build so perfect timing. Off to Amazon to order the rails, I have some projects that will need flattening. Thank you!

This is amazing! Exactly what I need!

Very pro very well engineered , nice job !!👍👍👍

At 6:00, the idea of adding a board to the bottom of the top rail is awesome.

it is rock solid with those rails

Liked and subscribed, looking forward to seeing more of your content.

Nice build. Thank you.

I put clamps 🗜️ on mine at both ends so I don’t accidentally pull the carriage off. I also just use a Bosch router table plate and a collet extension. I bolt the bearings to the router plate. I also use one of those like replaceable bit cutters. Good video. The rails have worked slick for me for the last couple years.

amazing setup thank you

I like how you set it up. Good job.

Awesome video man, thanks for sharing! Gonna try this myself.

Ok thank you for the clarification!

Great idea. Only one thing to add, some kind of stop to prevent wondering.

Wow! Great video, great build!

That is beautiful done by hand

Just what I was looking for. Many thanks

Nice. About to order this stuff to build one myself.

Beautiful, thanks for sharing.

Great video, I hope you don't mind I built my sled based on your design, it work perfectly! I have completed my first two tables, with many more to come. Keep up the great videos.

This is great! Thanks for the video!

I want to thank you for this clear and helpful video - as a result I have been able to purchase and recreate your build of the jig from Amazon parts as you suggest - thank you again!

Great video! Thank you!

Hi 👋, Great looking slab leveller/ Router Sledge, I am hoping to build something very similar later in the year, Be safe keep up the great work, I look forward to your next tutorial, PHIL FROM THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOULIN FRANCE.

I used to have that same radial arm saw. I sure do miss it.

Que bello trabajo muy profesional y muy bien explicado felicitaciones maestro.

Wow, that's exactly what I am looking for. This is simple and effective. Not practical if you want to place it on your main work bench because of space limitations but for sure this type of jig is totally effective. It's not easy to find those long sled, your link shows that they are not available anymore.

First of your videos I've seen, got me to subscribe! Good stuff.

Cracking idea, well done, love it. 👍

Thank you very much I was debating over doing this myself to save a ton of money vs buying a large sled. Awesome video and thanks again.😀

That's awesome! Thanks for the share.

I've been dreading building one of these for 2yrs but as I start to build bigger and bigger live edge projects and the shop I have been using for flattening slabs both pre and post epoxy pour have become unreliable and cost prohibitive so....here we go. Bought the rails, flattening bit, and collet extender. Will build the router support once it all gets here. I just have to figure out how to make this removable from my workbench. Man...what have I gotten myself into!? Wish me luck!

Beauty brother. Well done!

Nice design! great work

Well done. Simple.

Very nice build my good man.

Que buena idea y que buena explicación haces, saludos!! Lo intentare hacer y te comparto mi reseña!

Really nice build!

nice sled!

Up the video quality, your content deserves it. Keep up the good work.

Very interesting! Nice idea!

Awesome!!!

Nicely done.

Thank You very much. It is perfect and big save. You did a great job.

I like the added dust collection. You might try adding wallpaper brushes to each side of the sled so it creates a sort of box improving the clearing of the shavings.

Nice work, and thanks for the info

Thank you for your video. I like your setup and have purchase the items needed to make my own. Happy woodworking.

real nice jig. I have the woodpeckers sled and I like very much but it has one flaw that your sled covers. Mine rides on the rails and is held down by gravity and sometimes going too fast can cause the router to "ride up", those rails of yours locks the jig down. Oh, and mine was pretty pricey. Still no regrets. Watching part 2

Nice sled! Just planning on doing something similar to flatten my workbench. You shouldmnever underestimate the importance of flat surfaces. Have a subscribe!

great video - thanks

Thank for the video

Fantastic Work, Sir 🌹🌹🌹

I think if I were to build one of these, I would mount the side linear rails on adjustable wood sides. Most of the time what you have there would work just fine. But when/if you need to flatten a thicker slab, you'll have a bunch of work to do to make it happen and then revert it back.

A new woodworking channel that’s well produced and informative? You earned another subscriber sir. A very nice sled, I may remake mine after yours since mine is all plywood. Do you use any dry lube on the rails?