MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

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miken
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MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

Post by miken »

Hi, so for weeks I have been researching and trying to figure out a good method to align my Shopsmith. Seems like a lot of people use dial indicators. I have placed several of these dial indicator tool options in my Amazon cart numerous times. I watched too many YouTube videos to count, and even considered making my own version. Then, by chance, I came across this MAG-DRO tool. It holds your digital caliper and uses the caliper depth gauge to measure the offset from the miter slot to the saw blade, or fence if your trying to mess with that. I happen to live close to a Rockler and they had them in stock, so I bought both options. One type rides in the miter slot, and the other is a magnetic base. It never occurred to me that my table isn't steel, so the magnetic one only works if you stick it to the miter bar, which basically makes it the same as the miter slot version. Below are pics from the internet. Basically, it confirmed what I already thought. Even when I get the alignment perfect, the design of the "moving table" is tough to overcome. I can purposely misalign the table by hand pretty easily. This isn't horrible, but now I know that for critical cuts, I will need to align just prior to each cut. So anyway, I have seen options for tools like this (SuperBar, A-Line, etc.) from $55 up to and over $130, and if you have a high accuracy saw those are probably well worth the money, but I found this little $9 tool does the job better than my saw can maintain. Just wanted to throw out this low-cost option as a search didn't turn up any hits. Bummer the magnetic one wont work out as I intended to use it, but for $10 I am keeping it anyway.

Thanks, Mike -
Attachments
magdro.JPG
magdro.JPG (155.05 KiB) Viewed 2069 times
magdro2.JPG
magdro2.JPG (82.44 KiB) Viewed 2069 times
ShopSmith Mark VII (406982), with Band Saw, Jig Saw, Belt Sander, and Jointer
ShopSmith Mark VII (400457), (working backup or parts machine)
12" Craftsman Band Saw (113.243311)
12" Craftsman Powered Hacksaw (108.1501)
12" Atlas Commercial (3990) 12" Back Geared, Undermount, Screw Cutting Lathe with Quick Change Gear Box, Taper, Milling and Grinding Attachments
Atlas MFC Horizontal Milling Machine with Vertical Milling Attachment
Atlas 7B Metal Shaper
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BuckeyeDennis
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Re: MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

Post by BuckeyeDennis »

Mike, I just looked at the product description on the Rockler site, and it says that the miter-slot version is for 3/4” miter slots. How are you getting it to work in a Shopsmith miter slot?
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miken
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Re: MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

Post by miken »

Hi Dennis, it fits. It has plastic tabs on the sides that act like springs. It is a tight fit, but it does fit and slides in the miter slot.
Attachments
magdro3.JPG
magdro3.JPG (45.33 KiB) Viewed 2038 times
ShopSmith Mark VII (406982), with Band Saw, Jig Saw, Belt Sander, and Jointer
ShopSmith Mark VII (400457), (working backup or parts machine)
12" Craftsman Band Saw (113.243311)
12" Craftsman Powered Hacksaw (108.1501)
12" Atlas Commercial (3990) 12" Back Geared, Undermount, Screw Cutting Lathe with Quick Change Gear Box, Taper, Milling and Grinding Attachments
Atlas MFC Horizontal Milling Machine with Vertical Milling Attachment
Atlas 7B Metal Shaper
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BuckeyeDennis
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Re: MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

Post by BuckeyeDennis »

Cool! I think I’ll get one to try with my next Rockler order. I’m thinking that it may have uses that go beyond just machine alignment.
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miken
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Location: Maine

Re: MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

Post by miken »

Dennis, a couple more pics of it installed on my SS table. Sorry, I don't know why the pictures rotate, but you get the point.
Attachments
magdro4.JPG
magdro4.JPG (28.63 KiB) Viewed 2032 times
magdro5.JPG
magdro5.JPG (42.39 KiB) Viewed 2032 times
ShopSmith Mark VII (406982), with Band Saw, Jig Saw, Belt Sander, and Jointer
ShopSmith Mark VII (400457), (working backup or parts machine)
12" Craftsman Band Saw (113.243311)
12" Craftsman Powered Hacksaw (108.1501)
12" Atlas Commercial (3990) 12" Back Geared, Undermount, Screw Cutting Lathe with Quick Change Gear Box, Taper, Milling and Grinding Attachments
Atlas MFC Horizontal Milling Machine with Vertical Milling Attachment
Atlas 7B Metal Shaper
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miken
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Posts: 239
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:28 pm
Location: Maine

Re: MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

Post by miken »

BuckeyeDennis wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 10:45 pm Cool! I think I’ll get one to try with my next Rockler order. I’m thinking that it may have uses that go beyond just machine alignment.
Yes, that is why I am keeping the magnetic base version as well. I am pretty sure I will use it for something. It is only plastic, so I am thinking with some use it will wear a bit and slide easier in the miter slot.
ShopSmith Mark VII (406982), with Band Saw, Jig Saw, Belt Sander, and Jointer
ShopSmith Mark VII (400457), (working backup or parts machine)
12" Craftsman Band Saw (113.243311)
12" Craftsman Powered Hacksaw (108.1501)
12" Atlas Commercial (3990) 12" Back Geared, Undermount, Screw Cutting Lathe with Quick Change Gear Box, Taper, Milling and Grinding Attachments
Atlas MFC Horizontal Milling Machine with Vertical Milling Attachment
Atlas 7B Metal Shaper
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rpd
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Re: MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

Post by rpd »

Re picture orientation, it is a "feature" of the phpBBS software,
The easiest way to deal with it is to take all your pictures with the phone in the "landscape" orientation.
Ron Dyck
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1959 Mark 5 #356595 Greenie, SS Magna Jointer, SS planer, SS bandsaw, SS scroll saw (gray), DC3300,
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dusty
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Re: MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

Post by dusty »

People frequently complain about how long it takes to receive items ordered from Shopsmith.

WOW

I just ordered a MAG-PRO from Rockler. I don't really need this and may not use it more than a time or two but I was curious. Shipping $5.99 on an $8.99 item with an estimated delivery time of two weeks. WOW

My lesson for the week. I use AMAZON and PAYPAL a lot and have gotten use to "free shipping" and one or two delivery times.

Pay attention to these tiny details; sometimes they could be decision factors when placing an order. Egg on my face. :( :(
"Making Sawdust Safely"
Dusty
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JPG
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Re: MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

Post by JPG »

rpd wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 11:07 pm Re picture orientation, it is a "feature" of the phpBBS software,
The easiest way to deal with it is to take all your pictures with the phone in the "landscape" orientation.
It is a feature of using a phone for a camera.

A camera does not play the orientation game.

Neither does the forum software.
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dusty
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Re: MAG-DRO Alignment Tool Option

Post by dusty »

Think hard about how you would use this MAG-PRO as a table alignment tool on your Shopsmith.

I thought that it looked like a cool deal but then I went out into the shop Digital Caliper in hand. Something that I ought to have done before placing the order. It might not be so cool after all.

Time will tell.
"Making Sawdust Safely"
Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
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