🔍 It’s not strictly necessary – the sled will flatten wood just fine without it – but it is **highly recommended**. Flattening a slab with a router produces a huge amount of shavings and fine dust. Without a shroud, that dust will spread all over and you’ll likely need a broom, dustpan, and mask. The shroud significantly cuts down the mess (about 90% of dust is caught) and improves visibility and safety:contentReference[oaicite:56]{index=56}. Wood dust can be a health hazard, so using the shroud plus a shop vac makes the operation much cleaner and healthier. Many users who initially ran their sled without dust collection added the shroud later and called it a game-changer (no more “snowstorm” of chips). So while not required to make the sled work, it’s a worthwhile accessory if you value a cleaner shop and less post-flattening cleanup.

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