Miter Guage Alternatives

[jmilligan]

I am looking for a more functional and accurate miter guage for my Shopsmith. The Incra 1000SE and the Osborne EB-3 look good and not too expensive (would need to change miter slot bar for SS). The Incra 2000 and 3000 seem like expensive options to me. Norm Abram uses the Osborne guage but I don't know anything about it. What miter guage alternatives to the standard SS guage are folks using?

[JPG]

I am looking for a more functional and accurate miter guage for my Shopsmith. The Incra 1000SE and the Osborne EB-3 look good and not too expensive (would need to change miter slot bar for SS). The Incra 2000 and 3000 seem like expensive options to me. Norm Abram uses the Osborne guage but I don't know anything about it. What miter guage alternatives to the standard SS guage are folks using?

What do you intend to do that requires a 'better' miter gauge? Do you need precise 90/45 degree cutting ability or more variable angle cutting? A sled would be suitable for the former and the other 'exotic' ones for more variations.

FWIW IMHO the 'miterset' with the standard SS Miter gauge is quite capable/accurate for setting angles to within 1/2 a degree! A good face(longer than the cast SS) is necessary.[A straight extension works well]

[dusty]

I am looking for a more functional and accurate miter guage for my Shopsmith. The Incra 1000SE and the Osborne EB-3 look good and not too expensive (would need to change miter slot bar for SS). The Incra 2000 and 3000 seem like expensive options to me. Norm Abram uses the Osborne guage but I don't know anything about it. What miter guage alternatives to the standard SS guage are folks using?

You say that you are looking for a "More Functional" and "More Accurate" miter gauge and I assume you are comparing to the standard Shopsmith Miter Gauge.

A miter gauge is used for only one thing that I know of and that is to cross cut materials at a variety of angles. Therefore, I believe they are all equal in function.

I may be wrong but I don't believe you can get a 3000 with a Shopsmith miter bar. You can get a 2000 or a 5000 so equipped.

I am curious as to what you make that demands a still better miter gauge than what is readily available. Specifically, what do you see as short comings of the Shopsmith Miter Gauge?

http://www.incra.com/product_miter_express_chart.htm

Accuracy is another story. Properly adjusted, the Shopsmith Miter Gauge performs as well as any miter gauge on the market. I use the MiterSet to set mine at the common angles and the Wixey when I need to get somewhere in between (which is very, very seldom).

Now, having said that, I also use the Incra V120 which is accurate to 1 degree and employs 120 precision angle stops over a range of 120 degrees. This is pretty darn good.

But, incidentally, the Shopsmith will do all of that too. The only difference being that you have to use something like a Wixey to get that accuracy at other than the predetermined stops.

[dusty]

I just watched the Osborne EB-3 video. It is an impressive piece of precision equipment. The built-in fence extension would also be very convenient at times.

I don't see why it would be considered more accurate than what we are all using. More convenient to set accurately than the Shopsmith Miter Gauge but not more accurate.

[fjimp]

You say that you are looking for a "More Functional" and "More Accurate" miter gauge and I assume you are comparing to the standard Shopsmith Miter Gauge.

A miter gauge is used for only one thing that I know of and that is to cross cut materials at a variety of angles. Therefore, I believe they are all equal in function.

I may be wrong but I don't believe you can get a 3000 with a Shopsmith miter bar. You can get a 2000 or a 5000 so equipped.

I am curious as to what you make that demands a still better miter gauge than what is readily available. Specifically, what do you see as short comings of the Shopsmith Miter Gauge?

http://www.incra.com/product_miter_express_chart.htm

Accuracy is another story. Properly adjusted, the Shopsmith Miter Gauge performs as well as any miter gauge on the market. I use the MiterSet to set mine at the common angles and the Wixey when I need to get somewhere in between (which is very, very seldom).

Now, having said that, I also use the Incra V120 which is accurate to 1 degree and employs 120 precision angle stops over a range of 120 degrees. This is pretty darn good.

But, incidentally, the Shopsmith will do all of that too. The only difference being that you have to use something like a Wixey to get that accuracy at other than the predetermined stops.

I have the incra 5000. Truly a fine product but rather heavy and not often used in my shop. Now the new Incra V120 is a recent addition that is often used. It is very accurate can be configured with the Shopsmith miter gauge safety grip and is lightweight. I always keep it handy. I also use my shopmith sled for many crosscutting products especiall y if multiple cuts need to be repeated. fjimp

[jmilligan]

I appreciate the hard questions. They helped me to think through what I am asking for. I use a sliding rip table in the miter slot to make straight cuts. That works fine with larger stock. Where I have problems is making angled cuts with longer stock. I have problems holding stock against the face of the SS miter guage with out it moving. Is there an attachment for the face of the SS miter guage that provides a larger, longer surface like the Incra miter table?

[albie]

Take a look at the on-line version of Power Tool Woodworking for Everyone (PTWFE).
Scroll down on this page to "crosscutting long boards".
There are multiple plans to make extensions to the miter gauge.

[dusty]

I appreciate the hard questions. They helped me to think through what I am asking for. I use a sliding rip table in the miter slot to make straight cuts. That works fine with larger stock. Where I have problems is making angled cuts with longer stock. I have problems holding stock against the face of the SS miter guage with out it moving. Is there an attachment for the face of the SS miter guage that provides a larger, longer surface like the Incra miter table?

Yes there is an attachment that extends the face of the miter gauge and provides for flip stops. 20" Aluminum Extension 556005 lists for $62.95

All that you are really needing is a fence (piece of wood, aluminum extrusion) to attach to the face of the protractor. If stops are required, a little ingenuity.

Here I have attached a fence from the original (short) Incra Jig. I now use it with the miter gauge (re-purposing in action). I use the fence with either the Incra V120 or the Shopsmith Miter Gauge.

[ATTACH]6154[/ATTACH]

Care is required. The fence is vulnerable if you don't pay attention when adjusting it. I have a couple saw marks that prove carbide is harder than aluminum.

[woodburner]

I use the Incra miter gauge and crosscut sled on my Shopsmith. Someone in an earlier post asked why you need such an accurate miter gauge.

Well, I use my Incra accessories to cut the pieces for my segmented woodturnings. I tried to use the Shopsmith miter when I first got my Shopsmith, but you can't get the accuracy needed for this type of cutting with the standard Shopsmith miter gauge.

Sure, I could probably use a Wixey thing-of-a-bob, but the time it would take to change angles with it, and then check and recheck the angles after a couple of cuts will take more time away from my actual cutting time. With the Incra accessories, I don't need to worry because I know they will have the angles I need, and the angle will remain there cut after cut.

You wanted to know why someone needs that kind of cutting angle accuracy from the Shopsmith table saw, and now you have at least one answer as to why. When doing this type of woodworking, having 1/64 of an inch play with the miter gauge turns into a big problem when you are gluing and laminating the pieces of these type of woodturnings, as you may need to fit together hundreds of small miter cut parts to make one segmented woodturning.

[JPG]

I use the Incra miter gauge and crosscut sled on my Shopsmith. Someone in an earlier post asked why you need such an accurate miter gauge.

Well, I use my Incra accessories to cut the pieces for my segmented woodturnings. I tried to use the Shopsmith miter when I first got my Shopsmith, but you can't get the accuracy needed for this type of cutting with the standard Shopsmith miter gauge.

Sure, I could probably use a Wixey thing-of-a-bob, but the time it would take to change angles with it, and then check and recheck the angles after a couple of cuts will take more time away from my actual cutting time. With the Incra accessories, I don't need to worry because I know they will have the angles I need, and the angle will remain there cut after cut.

You wanted to know why someone needs that kind of cutting angle accuracy from the Shopsmith table saw, and now you have at least one answer as to why. When doing this type of woodworking, having 1/64 of an inch play with the miter gauge turns into a big problem when you are gluing and laminating the pieces of these type of woodturnings, as you may need to fit together hundreds of small miter cut parts to make one segmented woodturning.

Exactly WHERE is the 1/64" play with the SS miter gauge? I need to misadjust or improperly assemble it to get anywhere near that amount of 'play'.