Found a trick for stile and rail cope cuts with a router sled I built

Last month I got tired of fighting my cope and stick bits on small frames, so I made a simple sled out of 3/4 ply and a piece of UHMW tape. It took about 2 hours on a Saturday and cost maybe $15 in scraps. The first few test joints were rough, but after adjusting the fence angle a hair, they fit so tight I didn't need any filler. Has anyone else tried a custom sled for coped doors, or do you mostly use a dedicated cope machine?

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paul_ramirez1mo ago

Read a woodworking blog that swore by cork on the sled, smoother glide than UHMW. Tried it?

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olivia_lopez981mo ago

Stick with UHMW, cork just picks up dust and drags after a few cuts.

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the_wesley1mo ago

Mike tried cork on his sled last winter, said it grabbed after a few passes, @paul_ramirez.

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