The 5-cut method made easy | Squaring a Table Saw Cross-Cut Sled in 5 minutes

Check out the simple 5 cut method table saw sled calculator:

In this video, I will show you the easiest way to do the 5-cut method for squaring up your table saw crosscut sled fence. Squareness is so important for the crosscut sled fence because it determines the accuracy of your layout, cutting, and assemblies in woodworking. Materials on the 5-cut method haven't been user-friendly in the past, which is why I've built this simple calculator that I can use on my phone in the shop. It gives me perfect 5 cut method results every time.

I created this calculator with Coda, which is like a supercharged Google Doc, Google Sheet, and app making program wrapped up into one web-based tool.

⏳ Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction
0:32 - Building the table saw crosscut sled
1:18 - The downside of the 5-cut method
1:45 - Attaching the front fence
1:59 - Attaching the rear fence
2:22 - The 5-cut method explained
2:59 - Calculating the error
3:10 - Using the 5-cut method calculator
3:36 - Micro-adjusting the fence
4:18 - Second 5-cut method + reading
4:26 - Securing the rear fence

Check out the simple 5 cut method table saw sled calculator:

🛠️ Tools and materials

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👋 Who I am
I am Brian, a content creator and founder of Bike City Woodworks. I love learning about woodworking and enjoy sharing my knowledge in my spare time.

🚲 Support Bike City Woodworks

🎶 Music in this video
▸ Don't Talk to Me That Way - Victor Lundberg

[BikeCityWoodworks]

You all gave me some great feedback in the comments, so I decided to test a few things out.

[stefencampbell]

Great calculator. 
Anyone watching just be aware that if you cut with your material located on the left of the blade, the instruction to move the fence forward of back according to a positive or negative result is reversed.

[egbok]

Your 5 Cut-Calculator is Absolutely DA BOMB !!!! Thank you so much, for it.

[ronheiz]

Gotta say thank you. Built a new sled the other and was dreading setting the fence. Stumbled on your calculater and gave it a shot. First adjustment - .0428 out. Second test - .005 out. Last adjustment - 0 adjustment required! I have never built a sled to a tolerance of 0! Thank you!

[robertcasto]

I’ve got to say thank you for the calculator. Made the job of a sled so much easier to correct.

[ianwatters]

Have watched several of these “how to square a crosscut sledge” videos and I have to say this is the BEST one I’ve seen, much easier to follow and very well explained
So THANK YOU 👏🏻👍🏻

[marcellemay]

Thanks man...This worked out great.

For others that want to do this, a few tips. Something I learned. The pivot screw needs to be snug but not too tight as it will distort the fence or the bottom plate when you adjust it. Also when making the cuts on the test piece, push on the sled only where the screw locations are, or again you can distort the fence and or the base which will screw up the cuts and input dimensions. After doing it 3 or 4 times I realized what was happening and followed the above procedure and got it perfect under a thousandth. It's also important that the 2 sides of the fence be square to each other, and absolutely straight for the best results.. I did this with a jointer but it can be done on the table saw being sure that your blade is perfectly square to the table saw top. This is pretty critical, that the fence be straight and 2 square faces. Also be absolutely sure to predrill all your holes. If you don't the screw will shift the fence. That's all I got.

[williamrobinson]

Novice here. Bought a cheap used GMC 206mm blade table saw (yeah I know). I have spent a lot of time/money trying to get good parallel and 90 degree cuts .... for very basic projects. Will use this app tomorrow to finish a cheap sled. Thanks for this.

[lgconf]

Amazing stuff, and I'm very grateful for this calculator you developed. Simple, intuitive, straight to the point, and incredibly helpful for those of us without the time or attention span to watch long detailed videos on this.

Your channel has no right to have less than, at the very least, 500k subscribers, and I'm doing my part to fix that! Thanks!

[gntfilms]

This is brilliant, thank you! And thank you for including metric for us Australians!

[trep]

For my three crosscut sleds I’ve always taken my numbers written out on paper and solve with a calculator. It is a great way to get the sled accurate but one of my sleds “moved” over time, didn’t make it heavy enough. The plastic runners are a good upgrade that you can also get by cutting up an old large plastic kitchen cutting board. My wife thought I was thinking of her when I kept buying new cutting boards.

[Shotsmoky]

My sled was in desperate need of a tuneup. This worked perfectly. Thanks so much for posting the video a sharing the calculator. 👍👍

[LorenMcClaflin]

Nicely done, sir! Perfectly presented, concise, easy to follow, intelligent; no shameless shilling, “meal-kit” tie-ins, royalty-free techno, or other extraneous BS, and under 5 minutes?! Thank you for not being like every other creator of late. I can’t wait to explore your other videos.

[jeffa]

I used your method and calculator today. I spent a lot of time with my first alignment using my square to the saw blade. My first results was 0.0004. So I re-executed the process and came up with the same results so I screwed the fence down where it is.
Thank you so much for your video and your great calculator. You time is greatly appreciated.

[Shotsmoky]

My cross cut sled definitely needs a tuneup. Can’t wait to try your method. Thanks for posting. 👍👍

[chadduncan]

Dialed in to .001 in just 3 adjustments with the calculator. Awesome tool. Thanks for making it available.

[mackiesnapper]

I just added some T track and a new rear fence to my C sled, and the new fence was way off. Your calculator + feeler gauges worked like a champ. Thanks!

[paulyanney]

Thank you for including the calculator with your video. I like some of your other viewers have watched several other videos about this but yours is the most helpful 👍👍👍👍

[jeffnewcomb]

Thanks. I knew the method, but the calculator made it so much easier.

[zack]

The calculator is super easy to use, thanks for making it. I did notice though, the pivot is backwards, it was telling me to pivot away when I should have been pivoting forward. Other than that it's spot on