An Alternate to the TS-Aligner Jr.

[Pete Lowe]

In a magazine called "Table Saw Essentials" there is a device on page 37 the author uses to measure the distance from a table saw's miter slot to the table saw blade. It is an alternative to using a TS-Aligner Jr.

The measuring device has a round dial with an extended arm. Does anyone know the name of the round dial measuring device with an extension arm, and where you can buy one?

I've seen the TS-Aligner Jr. for sale, but it is expensive. Making a device for the miter slot, and attaching the distance measurer is problably less costly.

[Bruce Wrenn]

The round instrument is a Dial Indicator. Harbor Freight, Enco and others sell them for less than $10. The set screws that I used when building mine are nylon tipped and I bought them from Reid industries. Cost about $0.50 each. Try to get hold of a copy of John White's book, "Care and Repair of Shop Machines." He shows another method of attaching DI to miter gauge head.

[Dave Falkenstein]

Here is a quality alternative to the TS-Aligner Jr:

http://www.woodpeck.com/sawgauge.html

The advantage that the TS-Aligner Jr has over many of the competitive devices is that it can be used on a number of tools for setup, not just a table saw. Whether or not these things are worth the cost is a matter of individual perspective.

[Chris Padilla]

How about the SuperBar (http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2009/Main/316)?

[Mark McGee]

Here's one I made from aluminum. You could use hardwood. Just make sure it fits tight in the table slot. The Chinese dial indicator is from Enco and costs about 8 dollars.
107316

[Joe Scharle]

Not hard to make. As stated, these dial indicators can be found cheap. Make sure there is no 'slop' in the jig and it should be very handy for a long time. The adjustable slot lets you use it in a variety of miter track tools to check both blade and fence.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/194/Alignment_Setup.JPG

[Larry Edgerton]

You don't need to spend all that money at all.

Make a piece of hardwood that fits snugly in the miter slot. Glue another piece about an inch wide at a right angle that will go just beyond the blade. Start the saw and trim it off. Now rip it in half. position one peice at the infeed side of a good blade, and the other at the outfeed side of the blade. Use feeler gauges to adjust the blade/trunnions. Use the same point in the blade to check alignment. I put a mark on the blade with a permanent marker so I don't lose the spot. This takes any problems in the arbor out of the equation. I have one made for each saw.

You don't have to throw money at every problem, and just because there is a tool that can do a job does not mean that it does it better. I try to spend my money on things that allow me to do more and different work.

[Jim Becker]

It is very true that you can make what you describe somewhat inexpensively for table saw alignment. In fact, you don't really need a dial indicator....just an adjustable pointer that you can index to a single tooth on the blade.

But do remember that the TS Aligner Jr isn't just for table saws. For folks who want one setup to do a wide variety of alignment and setup verification, it's a very handy precision kit.

[Myk Rian]

I just connect my indicator to a piece of wood, and clamp that to the miter gauge. Simple and cheap.