I've been turning for a few years and have reached the point where I want to try segmented turning. After doing some Youtube research I came across the wedgie sled design by Jerry Bennett which seems ideal but it requires the angles to be set using very accurately made wedges. I don't have a CNC machine or know anyone with one so the only solution was to make them myself.
I also came across a video by Jeremy Schmidt who dispenses with the 2 fences and just uses the wedge as the fence which seemed a better way especially, as he realised at the end, that if he uses threaded inserts to attach the wedge then he can also use the sled for cutting tapers.
So, here is my effort to make a wedgie sled.
I started with a piece of 19mm plywood cut to 300x300mm and I added a piece of T-track and the runner before trimming it to zero clearance. The 2 holes were for the fences originally but are now redundant. On the centre line I fitted the threaded inserts. The riving knife was temporarily removed to cut the channel for the T-track.
To make the wedge I first had to drag from the depths of my memory some school trigonometry (circa 1979) and used the SOH CAH TOA functions or just TOA in this case.
I forgot to take a picture before I finished the wedge but I cleaned up one edge of the ply on the table saw and drew the measurements on it. I then cut close to the pencil line on the bandsaw to remove most of the waste and used the table saw sled (as below) to make a clean cut right down the line.
To check the angle I used my digital level. My table saw isn't level as it's on a trolley and the floor is uneven.
Close enough. Stanley knife to stop the level sliding.
The finished article although I will change the knobs when I get a chance.
I'd like to say that this was the first test ring and it worked perfectly the first time but this is the second after a minor adjustment so, I'm happy with that.