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I guess my novice question is this: How would that work on a Shopsmith table saw? The blade does not tilt? And it does not use included angle between table and blade - so how does this help me?

Mgdesigns, assuming your saw blade is square to the table, one method would be to take a relative reading off of the table by pressing the "zero" button on the tiltbox and then tilting the table to whatever angle you needed as shown on the tiltbox. What the tiltbox is doing here is measuring the relative angle between the two different table positions. However, since the table is aluminum, you'll have to hold the device in place when tilting the table.

More direct, attach the device to the blade and 'zero' it.

Then hold it on the table(it will 'stick' the the miter bar(loosely)) and adjust the table to the desired angle to be cut.

Care must be taken to ensure the device face remains parallel to the front of the table in both instances.

Lacking a 'zero' function, you can add/subtract angles as appropriate.

mgdesigns wrote:I guess my novice question is this: How would that work on a Shopsmith table saw? The blade does not tilt? And it does not use included angle between table and blade - so how does this help me?

A couple pictures to answer your question:

[ATTACH]14994[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]14995[/ATTACH]

The first images shows the Wixey being zeroed. Once that is done, the Wixey depicts the angle at which it sets. When rested on the tilted table, it depicts the angle of tilt.

Remember: the Wixey must be calibrated to the "reference surface" before it can be used to measure the table angle. In this case, the reference surface is the blade.

Note the miter bar in the track. This is the magnetic surface to which the magnetic Wixey attaches.

JPG40504 wrote:More direct, attach the device to the blade and 'zero' it.

Then hold it on the table(it will 'stick' the the miter bar(loosely)) and adjust the table to the desired angle to be cut.

Care must be taken to ensure the device face remains parallel to the front of the table in both instances.

Lacking a 'zero' function, you can add/subtract angles as appropriate.

I know that what you say is with good foundation but can you explain why the Wixey must remain facing in the same direction to make comparative reading? and Is this true of others?



The title of this thread was originally Beall Tilt Box II so I suppose we could be rightly accused of highjacking still another thread.

Dusty, in the two photos you posted, shouldn't the second one show a reading of 121.8 degrees, not 22.7, given the orientation of the Wixey in the first photo? I'd think you'd get the 22.7 reading if you zeroed the Wixey on the table (not the blade) and then tilted it to get the second reading.

pennview wrote:Dusty, in the two photos you posted, shouldn't the second one show a reading of 121.8 degrees, not 22.7, given the orientation of the Wixey in the first photo? I'd think you'd get the 22.7 reading if you zeroed the Wixey on the table (not the blade) and then tilted it to get the second reading.

Yes, you are correct and very observant. What I most probably did when I was taking these measurements (and photos) was to first zero the Wixey and then used that to confirm (or set) the table to be at 90°. Then with the table at 90° I zeroed the Wixey which was subsequently used as shown in the 2nd photo.

The advantage then for the Tilt Box is that it has magnets on the sides as well as the bottom so that you don't have to do any math. Although adding or subtracting 90 shouldn't be a problem either.

pennview wrote:The advantage then for the Tilt Box is that it has magnets on the sides as well as the bottom so that you don't have to do any math. Although adding or subtracting 90 shouldn't be a problem either.

The Tilt Box has another advantage over this version of the Wixey. The Tilt Box has the ability to measure the absolute position. That is - if you turn it on and place it on the work bench (as an example) it will tell you whether it is level or not. The Wixey number that displays when you turn it on will be in reference to the last time the Wixey was zeroed (which may have been in any position).

I know my work bench is level so when I get ready to use the Wixey, I either set it on my work bench and zero it OR if working on Shopsmith, I attach it to the blade and zero it. From that point on, all measures are with respect to the last zero.

Craftsman sells (sold) a device that looks like a digital bullet level that was the same features as the new Tilt Box plus it displays shop temperature when you first turn it on and it lights up so you don't have to work in the dark:rolleyes:. That was 47°F when I went out this morning.

pennview wrote:Dusty, in the two photos you posted, shouldn't the second one show a reading of 121.8 degrees, not 22.7, given the orientation of the Wixey in the first photo? I'd think you'd get the 22.7 reading if you zeroed the Wixey on the table (not the blade) and then tilted it to get the second reading.

Between pix 1(bottom against blade) and pix 2(bottom against tilted table, the wixey has been rotated 22+° counter clockwise.


Belay that! The wixey has been rotated 68-° counter clockwise!!!!!o:o