Incra V120 Miter Gauge Problem?

mountainbreeze · Post by **mountainbreeze** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 2:27 pm

I just received my Shopsmith version if the Incra V120 Miter Gauge and when I went to attach an auxiliary wood face to it I discovered the face is not perpendicular to the table surface. Is this OK / normal or should I be returning it?

[ATTACH]14694[/ATTACH]

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 3:22 pm

I have to look through my notes and possibly pull my V120 apart to verify but I believe there were instructions for shimming to achieve this alignment.

However, in the photo, it seems like your issue is too great for a simple shim.

If you install it on the main table and make that measurement with respect to the table top (rather than the miter bar) is it any better?

PS: Yes, I have to shim but to correct in the opposite direction as it appears you do. I use a piece of a document protector for shims like this. You might need a thicker shim than I would care to use.

reible · Post by **reible** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 3:40 pm

Being off a bit is normal for Incra items, however if your square is truly square then this would be in my opinion excessive. None of the items I have were ever that far off. Check with another square to be sure then contact shopsmith about it.

Ed

mountainbreeze · Post by **mountainbreeze** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 5:52 pm

When installed in the miter slot, the surface of the bar is planar to the table thus the error is the same.

I can easily fit a 0.025 feeler gauge in the gap. It seems like it would be a pain to have to shim it every time a different face block is installed. I thought Incra made more precision tools than that.

Another thing I noticed when assembling it: When attaching the adapter block for the Shopsmith handle, after the two screws are tightened, the block still wobbles around a little. It's as if the screws bottomed out before they tightened the block to the face. I think what actually happened is that the countersink holes in the faceplate are too big and the neck of the screw hits the block. Is this by design? Does anyone else have one of these with a wobbly adapter block?

reible · Post by **reible** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:22 pm

I don't have that miter gauge but on the couple of incra's I do have the shim is NOT placed where you have suggested, it is instead installed between the bracket and underside of the protractor.

I would check the insturctions that came with your unit but I think you have 4 screws that you use to square the head, those are the ones you loosen to shim.

After reading the manual again you will most likely find the information, it is easy to miss, if the manual is like the online one it is item 5.

Ed

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:46 pm

mountainbreeze wrote:When installed in the miter slot, the surface of the bar is planar to the table thus the error is the same.

I can easily fit a 0.025 feeler gauge in the gap. It seems like it would be a pain to have to shim it every time a different face block is installed. I thought Incra made more precision tools than that.

Another thing I noticed when assembling it: When attaching the adapter block for the Shopsmith handle, after the two screws are tightened, the block still wobbles around a little. It's as if the screws bottomed out before they tightened the block to the face. I think what actually happened is that the countersink holes in the faceplate are too big and the neck of the screw hits the block. Is this by design? Does anyone else have one of these with a wobbly adapter block?

That aluminum block is suppose to be loose like that. The .025" gap is excessive. You should consider following reible's advice and call Shopsmith.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:50 pm

reible wrote:I don't have that miter gauge but on the couple of incra's I do have the shim is NOT placed where you have suggested, it is instead installed between the bracket and underside of the protractor.

I would check the insturctions that came with your unit but I think you have 4 screws that you use to square the head, those are the ones you loosen to shim.

After reading the manual again you will most likely find the information, it is easy to miss, if the manual is like the online one it is item 5.

Ed

If you are referring to my comment about a shim, I probably did not make my situation clear. The shim that I added is between an add-on fence and the built in miter fence.

reible · Post by **reible** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:36 pm

Here is a picture of where the shims go. If installed on the side shown it will correct the problem shown.

[ATTACH]14706[/ATTACH]

Does this make sense? Anyway that is the how it should be done, not by shimming between the add-on fence and the miter gauge.....

Ed

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 4:38 am

reible wrote:Here is a picture of where the shims go. If installed on the side shown it will correct the problem shown.

[ATTACH]14706[/ATTACH]

Does this make sense? Anyway that is the how it should be done, not by shimming between the add-on fence and the miter gauge.....

Ed

You are absolutely correct for the problem described in the initial photo posted by mountainbreeze.

The shim that I added was to correct tilt in the opposite direction.

mountainbreeze · Post by **mountainbreeze** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:47 am

reible wrote:I don't have that miter gauge but on the couple of incra's I do have the shim is NOT placed where you have suggested, it is instead installed between the bracket and underside of the protractor.

I would check the insturctions that came with your unit but I think you have 4 screws that you use to square the head, those are the ones you loosen to shim.

After reading the manual again you will most likely find the information, it is easy to miss, if the manual is like the online one it is item 5.

Ed

Ed, you are correct. The last sentence in step 6 states "Fine adjustments to the angle between the faceplate and your tabletop can also be made by loosening the same fasteners and placing a paper shim between the faceplate and the underside of the protractor".

I'm going to give that a try but I'm a little skeptical as to whether or not a few thicknesses of paper is going to correct the error. I'll let you know.