Wixey for the tablesaw fence?

[Jeff Monson]

Anyone use the wixey tablesaw fence readout? My local ww store is have a sale this weekend, $99 with 10% off and I'm wondering if its worth the money? I like my wixey tilt box but was wondering if the one for the tablesaw stays calibrated after it is taken off and on a few times.

[Myk Rian]

My tape strip on the rail works just fine.
I would spend the money for something else, but that's just me.

[glenn bradley]

I got one on sale and do enjoy using it. It will stay calibrated but that is not really an issue. I change blades a lot and when you can be as accurate as this thing lets you get, I zero it at each blade change. Just slide the fence up to the blade, lock it and zero the gauge. I also use the incremental function much more than I thought I would; cut a piece, zero the gauge and then move 21/32 to the left for the next piece. Stuff like that.

[Jim Kountz]

I installed one about two years ago, used the heck out of it for about a month and havent used it since. It does work as advertised however, its just not every day I need to cut something to within .001 of an inch so I find myself just using the tape on the fence.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

I've got one as well that I got cheap cheap off eBay along with the blade degree box. Rather like using it and had no real issues installing it on my R4511, short of replacing the pin in the fence with a bolt.

Calibration is a non issue, as Glenn says, just zero it any time you change the blade. All you've got to do is butt the fence against the blade and hit a button..

Yes, the tape on the rails works, but this is quick and accurate to any blade or fence setup regardless of what you change..

BTW, you never really "take it off" of the saw. Once it's there, there is no reason to remove it.. It's held to the fence with a bracket and magnet.. Just pop it off the bracket and then remove the fence as you normally would.

[Steve Clardy]

I use mine all the time. Great product.

[John Harden]

If you want my .02, I recently bought a Euro slider and opted for power blade height adjustment with LED (primarily for the shaper) and the same thing for the J/P.

I never once considered getting it for the rip fence or the crosscut stops on the outrigger. Cost was not a factor. Its just not something I ever envision using.

These seem to be imitations of the auto/digital settings found on SCMI, Format and Martin machines. They make sense for production environments where you're uploading dimensioned drawings right off AutoCAD files. Their saw fences are powered and will automatically slide right over to the proper dimension and the large LCD screen will tell you what piece to load for the cut. Very useful there. Not so much for a home shop.

My Powermatic 15" planer had a Wixey "digital" height gauge. Problem was, it was battery powered and lost its settings whenever you turned it off, which you needed to do all the time if you didn't want the batteries to run down. Even if it has a memory, move that fence while it's off and so much for your setting.

The Felder and MM offerings are at least wired into the saw's electrical system with battery backup. That is, they're always on and retain their settings even when the machine is unplugged with their built in back up battery.

My recommendation is unless you're a gadget guy, pass on this and spend your money on wood. If you are a gadget guy, then by all means get it and enjoy!!!! Bottom line is only you can decide. You certainly don't need it for fine woodworking.

Regards,

John

[Scott Hildenbrand]

You certainly don't need it for fine woodworking.

I think that sums it, and any other "toy" up rather well... Very little is needed for fine woodworking.. But some times they do make things just a touch faster.

[Leo Graywacz]

Putting the Wixey on my TS changed the way I work. I use the Wixey TS, Height, Angle and the planer gauge. It makes setups a breeze. What use to take me a few tries to get perfect I do on the first try. I also found out my tape on the TS is out by 1/32" after about 24". I suspected, but this confirmed it. If you are just doing hobby work it will probably be overkill. But for the professional like myself it is a fantastic tool.

[Paul Ryan]

I bought one last winter when they were on special the angle guage and the TS fence for $99. I use the angle guage more but the TS wixey is a nice tool. It is not necessary, buy it really comes in handy when you cut something and move the fence then a few minutes later want to move it back again. It is exact. So you can make repeated size cuts easier and faster. I dont know if I would spend $89 on it buy itself, maybe. But it is nice to have.

[Leigh Betsch]

I've got a battery powered digital fence on my MM Euro slider and I wouldn't ever be without one again. This one is not wired into the saws electrical system, there is no off button but I've only had to replace the battery once in three years. No more eyeballing to a line and guessing if I'm over a bit or under a bit. I just go to the number and know right where I am. It's very easy to zero, just move the fence up to the stop and press the preset button. I use the incremental feature quite often also. I'm thinking about retrofitting my cross cut fence with digital readouts also. I'm not sure if Wixey would be a good unit if it looses it's zero that easily, and sounds like they eat batteries.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

I dont know if I would spend $89 on it buy itself, maybe.

Having it packed with the angle gauge was a deciding factor for me as well.. I don't think I'd have picked it up if it was just packed by itself.

[John Harden]

Putting the Wixey on my TS changed the way I work. I use the Wixey TS, Height, Angle and the planer gauge. It makes setups a breeze. What use to take me a few tries to get perfect I do on the first try. I also found out my tape on the TS is out by 1/32" after about 24". I suspected, but this confirmed it. If you are just doing hobby work it will probably be overkill. But for the professional like myself it is a fantastic tool.

My post above notwithstanding, I agree with you on the Wixey angle gauge. That thing is just cool!!! I've had mine for about six months and it works great.

Regards,

John

[Peter Aeschliman]

I absolutely love mine. It's very accurate. Not necessary, but I use my TS so often that it's a very nice convenience.

[Richard Wagner]

Using mine makes me feel like I am doing really good work even though I am not.

Face it. If you are a fine wood worker, you don't need these gadgets. If you are not so fine, they do make you feel good. They must be okay, the retailers are selling a lot of them.:rolleyes:

[Leo Graywacz]

Using mine makes me feel like I am doing really good work even though I am not.

Face it. If you are a fine wood worker, you don't need these gadgets. If you are not so fine, they do make you feel good. They must be okay, the retailers are selling a lot of them.:rolleyes:

I disagree, they make life some much easier, faster and much more repeatable. I no longer "have" to do things in batches, I can do them hours apart and be guarantied that they will be within 0.005" of each other. It also makes a huge difference when you as stacking lots of parts.

[Glen Butler]

It is uncanny that this thread would appear, just as I was getting frusterated with my tablesaw measuring tape, and wishing there was something more accurate. I didn't even know these existed. It sounds like anyone who has one likes it. Gotta get me one.

[Jeff Monson]

Thanks guys, it sounds those that have them, like them. That was my main concern that it would stay consistent.

[Eric Gustafson]

I have the magnetic angle gauge and wouldn't be without it. I bought the fence readout and do not think it is as useful or accurate as a INCRA positioner. If I want to reset my saw and make an identical cut using the the Wixley, I have to bump bump and rebump untill the display reads close to what I desire. With an INCRA, you just set the fence by the numbers, one time, and you are within .002". Everytime. It is much faster to use.

[Gary Muto]

I bought mine about 2 yrs ago and I'm on my 3rd battery. It is very helpful when time in the shop is limited and interruptions are frequent (hobbiest/dad). Not a fair comparison to the Incra fences, but if you want, it's about 1/3 the price?

[guy knight]

had one on my jet loved it but i haven't bothered to put one on my ss i see they go on sale for 79 at times very tempting

[Cary Falk]

I have the Wixley angle gauge and think it is very handy. I never felt that I would get enough use out of the digital readout for the fence. I am doing fine with my tape.

[jim hedgpeth]

Got mine on sale $99 with angle box. I do like the fence scale, but not as much as the angle box. The main thing I use the fence scale for is "trimming" the fit of pieces that would take a while with hand planes. Combined with a micro adjustable fence it IS handy for that.

The angle box is now one of those tools I will replace right away if it ever gets broke. works great for setting blade angle of course, but also for miter gauge, and a multitude of other things.

To set a miter gauge with it just zero it on the very end of your table saw wing, then rest the miter gauge fence face down on the wing with the miter bar pointing down over the edge and "stick" the angle box to the side of the bar. Just keep the fence flat against the wing ( I use a small quick clamp) so it doesn't throw off the reading. The clamp also lets you get your hands "off" so you dont flex anything and throw off the reading. You may be surprised how much some things that feel solid flex, especially when measured down to tenths of a degree.

Also used the angle box with my old sharpening jig to set blade angle.
Then my wife got me the Veritas Mk.II Honing Guide "Just cause".:D

Still dont know how a schmuck like me keeps a woman like her.

If you got the money, go for it. If money is a bit tight, maybe just grab the angle box. Thats my .02 anyway.

Jim

[Glen Butler]

So I did pick one of these up, but I have to recalibrate it all the time. Several times a day. I will just suddenly lose an eight to a quarter. Worried me than one time I won't notice and go cut a bunch of stuff too short.

Does anyone have problems with theirs staying calibrated between blade changes?

[John McClanahan]

Go to the Wixley web site and look in the troubleshooting guide. When my calipers do this, they need a new battery.

John

[Leo Graywacz]

So I did pick one of these up, but I have to recalibrate it all the time. Several times a day. I will just suddenly lose an eight to a quarter. Worried me than one time I won't notice and go cut a bunch of stuff too short.

Does anyone have problems with theirs staying calibrated between blade changes?

I have this problem. The first thing I learned is to never put 100% trust in it. I use the tape to get me to the correct measurement and then fine tune it in with the Wixey. It is off by exactly .200". I talked to one of the techs about this problem and they immediatley sent me a new unit. That one worked well for a short while then it happened again.

I was looking at my green strip and it has a little scrape in it. This is the spot it usually looses calibration at. Maybe you have a scrape too.

[glenn bradley]

A mistake I quickly learned to avoid was getting "a deal" on batteries. All my digital unit's problems go away when they have a Duracell or Eveready that is reasonably fresh installed. A battery checker will show batteries as good long after they have lost the ability to reliably power my fence, tilt-box, etc.

Also, there is a 'speed limit' on the fence. If you shoot it down the rails, it will lose calibration.

[John Harden]

Another option is Accurate Technologies' units. Very nice and seem to be more substantial than those made by Wixey. Made in the USA and they make kits for Beisemeyer fences, etc. Another nice thing is it uses AA batteries, which will last a lot longer and are cheap/easy to get.

http://www.proscale.com/

Regards,

John

[Glen Butler]

Sorry it has been a while. My unit is new, but maybe the batteries need to be freshened cause the unit sat on the shelf so long. I will try new batteries, then see what happens. Does anyone else find it annoying that the green strip comes in two separate pieces? I tend to think that would cause accuracy issues.

[Steve Clardy]

Nope. Ships easier that way.

Just make sure to use the supplied metal gauge when installing the strips.

[Lance Feagan]

I own both a Wixey (on a Ridgid TS3650) and a Proscale (on a PM2000) for use with a table saw fence, I would not recommend a Wixey unless cash is incredibly tight. Here are some of the Proscale advantages:


Much larger display
Display is mounted directly to fence with a custom made bracket that is substantial vs the Wixey where I had to customize the metal bar to avoid obstructions.
The scale is a single piece along the entire length and is very resistant to flexing due to the C-channel / I-Beam type design.
Readhead is separate from display, makes it possible to mount the scale safely underneath the fence rail while the display is conveniently attached to the fence. Uses a short cable to connect the two.
Readhead supports up to 60 inches/sec movement. Even the most extreme case of sliding a fence rapidly won't likely see anyone going this fast.
Much more easy/accurate system of calibration. With Proscale you simply:

Cut a workpiece that you can measure with your calipers.
Measure with your calipers.
Use the +/- keys on the readout to adjust the calibration to match with the measured width of the workpiece.
(Optionally) lock the use of the +/-/datum keys to avoid accidentaly alteration of the calibration.


AA batteries vs watch batteries.
Ed Fiantaca, president of ATI, seems to field all of my pre- and post-sale emailed questions and phone calls has always been quick, courteous, knowledgeable and "gets stuff done".

Now that I have some vacation (first time this year) I plan on taking a few photos of the installs of Proscale products I have and posting up a few mini-reviews. They make great products.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

At the price of the Proscale though... Ugh.. There's tons of TOOLS that I could buy for that much..

If you're that high end though and have a table saw worthy of putting it on, more power to ya.. :)

I'm way too cheap for that though.. :D

[Lance Feagan]

The things I like apply to both Proscale and DigiFence models.

Wixey is $100.
Digi-Fence is $150.

I realize that from the perspective of percentages, that is 50% more. However, when compared with the cost of the equipment it is being attached to, $50 is generally rather inconsequential. The savings in batteries alone over the life of the scale would probably cover most of the difference.

On another note, perhaps someone can enlighten me. Why are people worried about being able to easily remove the fence from the table saw? When I want to use the area to the right of the blade for a mitre gauge, I simply slide it to the right with the 50" or so I can get it away from the blade. Am I missing something here?

[Scott Hildenbrand]

I must have found the wrong proscale then, because it was over 300% of the Wixey.

Have a product URL for those so I'm sure I'm looking at the right thing?

Me personally, I never remove the fence from mine.. Or at least hardly ever.

[Bill Huber]

I must have found the wrong proscale then, because it was over 300% of the Wixey.

Have a product URL for those so I'm sure I'm looking at the right thing?

Me personally, I never remove the fence from mine.. Or at least hardly ever.

Here is what he is talking about.

http://www.digi-kit.com/

[Scott Hildenbrand]

What about the Proscale one? It's what I found, but ran like $350.. Which was WAY out of my range... Guess I found the wrong one? :D

[Leo Graywacz]

On another note, perhaps someone can enlighten me. Why are people worried about being able to easily remove the fence from the table saw? When I want to use the area to the right of the blade for a mitre gauge, I simply slide it to the right with the 50" or so I can get it away from the blade. Am I missing something here?

So with the Proscale digital readout you can't take your fence off? That would blow the deal for me. I have a sled that I use to cut plywood with. When making kitchens I often will need to cut pcs that are greater than 52" (as far as my fence will go) so I need to take the fence off.

Is it possible to take the fence off with the Proscale or is in on for good?

[Lance Feagan]

The Digi-Fence is distinctly not on permanently. It uses a small plastic tab (called a guide clip) that flexes a bit vertically to move the readhead along the scale. For those familiar with the Wixey, the guide clip serves a similar function to the magnet on the wixey: it bridges beween the fence and the readhead.

I will now produce some lovely ASCII art to try to show the difference in the attachment point flow between the two. I had to pad with underscores so that the spaces didn't get vaporized.

On the Digi-Fence:
Fence <--> Bracket <--> Readout (Display)
___________________<--> Guide Clip <--> Readhead <--> Scale

On the Wixey:
Fence <--> Bracket <--> Integrated Readout/Readhead <--> Scale

@Scott
You likely found an absolute scale. For certain applications, absolute scales are awesome, such as sanders and planers. Wixey uses capacitive incremental scales for everything as far as I can tell. The Digi-Fence uses inductive incremental technology. With either incremental technology, if power is removed the device will forget its position along the scale. An absolute scale does not rely on the readhead being constantly powered to determine position. The readhead on an absolute scale can in fact read the exact position along the scale as the pattern below is unique.

I use absolute on the drum sander and planer. I use inductive incremental on the table saw. Absolute scales are quite nice to have when re-zeroing is time-consuming. Unlike inductive technology, with absolute technology loss of position due to electrical noise/static/etc is a non-issue. Reason: The readhead actually reads the position off the scale vs "counting" how far the readhead has been moved from the datum (incremental technology).

Capacitive incremental is the most susceptible to EMI. Until a few years ago Proscale/Digi used capacitive incremental. In 2007 they moved to inductive incremental, a superior technology at reasonable price. Wixey appears to still be using capacitive incremental.

The Proscale folks might benefit from putting together a few videos showing the operation of their products. Having a large display and buttons is just the start of their well-designed products. I doubt most people dig through the manuals to really figure out all that they can do.

As a final note, Digi-Fence == Proscale Model 280.

Where the scale/readhead look like this:
http://www.proscale.com/images/500%20pixels/901-2802-000.jpg
For reference, it is 2.02" W x 0.75" H.
http://http://www.proscale.com/images/500%20pixels/901-2802-000.jpg

[Daniel Shnitka]

Wixey versus Digi-Kit. I like the idea that the Digi-kit design uses. They have their track underneath the guide rail tube of the table saw. It is out of the way and out of way of any lumber or sheet stock from accidently hitting the electronic scale. I was surprised you hard core woodworkers had not picked up on the different design aspects of the Digi-Kit. Besides they are made in the USA.
The Wixey angle read out is made in China.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

I'll agree the Digi does seem to be the better of the two for several reasons.. Granted, I still like my Wixey though.. But you do have to be mindful of it to make sure you don't damage it with stock.. The Digi being out of the way is way better.

[Glen Butler]

I can't seem to figure out what causes it to lose calibration. I will move it rather quickly, out and back without the fence and let it hook back onto the fence and get the same reading a dozen or more times then all of a sudden it will be different. Typically, I don't lose calibration while moving it, but when it sits. When the fence is attached I can move it that fast.

I think it may be that the reader will pull away from the green strip, therefore loses its' ability to count the ticks.

[Bill Borchardt]

It may be in the posts somewhere, but I'm not clear if you can you remove your fence, then later put it back and still have the "DigiFence" be accurate.

Billbo
Smyrna, GA

[James White]

I can't seem to figure out what causes it to lose calibration. I will move it rather quickly, out and back without the fence and let it hook back onto the fence and get the same reading a dozen or more times then all of a sudden it will be different. Typically, I don't lose calibration while moving it, but when it sits. When the fence is attached I can move it that fast.

I think it may be that the reader will pull away from the green strip, therefore loses its' ability to count the ticks.

Glen,

I have the same problem occasionally. According to Barry at Wixey. The problem is the distance from the face of the green strip and the reader. The recommendation was to make sure the six screws on the back are snugged up. I also have a problem with the auto off not working. Barry sent me a new unit no questions asked. However the new one does not shut off either. I have stopped trying to pursue this since, it is not an essential feature. But but the occasional loosing of calibration is an issue for me. I may pursue it again one day. I just don't feel like bothering the guy.

James

[Ray Newman]

As one poster mentioned, all of that Wixey hardware hanging down from the fence could very well be an accident waiting to happen.

I also looked @ the Digi-Kit web page as I ‘nevva' heard of that brand. It reminded me of the old Delta “Electronic Measuring System," which was a very good unit. I wish Delta still offered it. Somehow, I lost my in an interstate move. See page 54 on the below pdf file:

http://books.google.com/books?id=quMDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA54&lpg=PA54&dq=%22Delta+Electronic+Measuring+System%22&source=bl&ots=u8dt2nTs-q&sig=nTx1S28eVjx1_n_1swnLZnx_UiY&hl=en#v=onepage&q=%22Delta%20Electronic%20Measuring%20System%22&f=false

[Matt Meiser]

I really like my Wixey, but I have the calibration problem as well and also received a replacement head. Mine always loses 0.2". It seems like the joint is involved but I'm still not positive of that. Barry told me static from DC can cause it too, which I suppose is possible but my saw's body, and therefore the fence rail is grounded. I suppose one possibility is that the fence itself not being grounded could cause an issue since the Biesemeyer fence rides on plastic blocks.

It doesn't happen a ton, but I'd look at the Proscale if its not that much more just because of that issue.

[Paul Johnstone]

On another note, perhaps someone can enlighten me. Why are people worried about being able to easily remove the fence from the table saw? ?


I usually remove my fence when I am using my sliding table.
Of course, I could just clear off all the crap to the right of my fence instead :)

[Lance Feagan]

It may be in the posts somewhere, but I'm not clear if you can you remove your fence, then later put it back and still have the "DigiFence" be accurate.

Billbo
Smyrna, GA

Hi Billbo,
If you look at the ASCII art diagram I put up in an earlier post on this thread, you can see that with the Digi the readout (display/computer) is separate from the readhead and is attached to the fence. If you remove the fence and leave the readout attached to the fence, then you will need to disconnect it from the readhead. If you move the readhead on an incremental technology without the readout cable being attached, the readout will be unaware of any movement that has occured while unplugged.

Here are some possible remedies, should you feel compelled to remove your fence:


Separate the readout from the fence before removing. This is quite easily accomplished if the readout is attached to the bracket with velcro rather than screws. Thankfully there is a very large bracket area where a good 4 to 6 in^2 of velcro could be used to securely mount it. So long as the readout stays connected to the readhead during any movement, calibration will not be lost.
Be willing to calibrate. With the Proscale you could in fact set an arbitrary datum measurement (non-zero value) and use an appropriate standard to recalibrate without actually cutting anything.

Hope this helps.

[Lance Feagan]

I usually remove my fence when I am using my sliding table.
Of course, I could just clear off all the crap to the right of my fence instead :)

Even though I have a drawer system below I still pile up various push sticks and guides on the right side. So, I think of this as compulsory good habits being enforced on occasion of cutting a large board. Usually motivates me to vacuum some as well. Works for me.