I have some 0.75" x 14" wide boards that I'm trying cut to lengths in the 50-60" range. It's important that the cuts be precise, and true.
However, 14" is too wide for any of my sleds or miter slides on my table saw. I'm having a very difficult time cutting these.
The closest I've got so far is to attach the miter slide to the board and slide it through. The problem is it's 1) very difficult to position the edge of the blade at the cut line while also positioning the board on the slide, and 2) at the start of the cut the slide is barely in the track, maybe a half inch or so, and it doesn't stabilize until it's about 6" in, so it's extremely difficult to keep the cut straight (this also makes problem #1 even harder):
(That drawing is not really to scale but hopefully it is clear.)
The right edge of that board isn't actually straight, so I couldn't put, say, a fence over there.
I also tried building a really long sled but I haven't been able to make anything satisfactory, esp. having problems making long straight slides that are smooth in the tracks, and making it strong enough to support the piece. So far either that seems to be an impossible task, or I don't have the skill for it, or a combination of both.
What are my options? I don't mind building other sleds, I'm just... not sure what to do.
Note that it is not the 50-60" length that is the problem, it is the 14" width that is the problem in relation to the front-to-back size of my table saw.