Shop made vs Rockler Micro-adjust?

[Jay Yoder]

I saw in a magazine recently someone had used magnets to build build a shop made microadjust for the table saw. Unfortunately, I can't recall where I saw it. Anyone remember?

Also any shop built micro-adjust pics would be great! Rockler has theirs on sale, but I wondered if it would be easier to build one that mounts to the top of the rail versus the front. Anyone have any experience with the Rockler version?

[Jeremy Killingbeck]

I bought the Rockler micro adjust for my table saw last month for $9.99. I have used it many times since then & it works great. I would think that it would be hard to buy all the parts to make a micro adjust for less than $10. I buy a lot of rare earth magnets for work & they will cost you about $10 alone. I would recommend going with the Rockler one if you can get it on sale.

[Steve Peterson]

I am not very impressed with how the Rockler micro adjust works with my PM66 saw. The quality is good, but the fence is so heavy that the magnets often slide while the fence stays in place. I recall that I had to sand off part of the plastic to get it to fit also.

A shop made micro adjust could be made to fit exactly. And you could clamp it to the rail with more force than the magnets provide. There are many ways to make it work better in a particular situation. The Rockler design is a generic solution that is OK in many situations, but not the best for any specific saw.

Steve

[Mark Carlson]

Me too. My fence must be too heavy because the micro adjuster often moves instead of the fence. I don't use it anymore.

~mark


I am not very impressed with how the Rockler micro adjust works with my PM66 saw. The quality is good, but the fence is so heavy that the magnets often slide while the fence stays in place. I recall that I had to sand off part of the plastic to get it to fit also.

A shop made micro adjust could be made to fit exactly. And you could clamp it to the rail with more force than the magnets provide. There are many ways to make it work better in a particular situation. The Rockler design is a generic solution that is OK in many situations, but not the best for any specific saw.

Steve

[glenn bradley]

the fence is so heavy that the magnets often slide

Had the same experience with my Bies. I can move it with one finger but the micro adjust needs more grip.

[Alan Schwabacher]

The Rockler fine adjust does not have sufficient reach to work with the Bies style Sawstop fence. I don't know about other fences.

[Josh Bowman]

I have an older PM66 and the Bie fence is tuned well in that it will move very easy. I love the Rockler Micro Adjust. Never have I had it slip, but again my fence moves very easy when it's unlocked. To be honest (not that I wasn't before :D), I can use my knuckles and do a very good micro adjust. I will agree it's not consistant, but with the micro adjust you have to get close with the fence, then put the adjuster on the rail. My knuckles are aways available....so I use them most of the time.
You know....I have an observation. My perspective is different in that I did a lot of wood work back in the early eighties to early nighties. Back then you got close and stuff. I retired last year and started back and find now there is more precision stuff available and don't get me wrong, I've bought my fair share. But more than once I've had to say or been told......it's only wood not metal.

[Kevin Gregoire]

I saw in a magazine recently someone had used magnets to build build a shop made microadjust for the table saw. Unfortunately, I can't recall where I saw it. Anyone remember?

Also any shop built micro-adjust pics would be great! Rockler has theirs on sale, but I wondered if it would be easier to build one that mounts to the top of the rail versus the front. Anyone have any experience with the Rockler version?

i have been googling my rear off and i cant find a rip fence micro adjust anywhere. i know i have seen them also but of course when you want it its nowhere to be found!

i was going to get the rockler unit awhile back and then read all the bad reviews on it so i didnt get it. but i wonder if it can be held better with a small clamp to the rail?

if anyone does find the article please post it here!
it was a simple little jig of wood, ready-rod, and a few nuts i think
and it was just a very simple micro adjuster.

[Josh Bowman]

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16755

http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/29387-03-200.jpghttp://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/29387-01-500.jpgOn sale today for 9.99

[Steve Peterson]

I can use my knuckles and do a very good micro adjust. I will agree it's not consistant, but with the micro adjust you have to get close with the fence, then put the adjuster on the rail. My knuckles are aways available....so I use them most of the time.

One big advantage of a micro adjust is that you can turn the handle a fixed number of turns and the fence will move the exact same amount each time. This would be usefull for ripping consistent thin slices off a wide board. A shop made unit could give you an indexing crank rather than a simple handle.

I still vote for a shop made unit.

Steve

[Josh Bowman]

One big advantage of a micro adjust is that you can turn the handle a fixed number of turns and the fence will move the exact same amount each time. This would be usefull for ripping consistent thin slices off a wide board. A shop made unit could give you an indexing crank rather than a simple handle.

I still vote for a shop made unit.

Steve
Don't get me wrong. I like the adjuster. And I agree a shop made one could be better. So how?

1) Indexing handle
2) A means of attaching where it doesn't have to be removed, just engaged. See how Laguna Band saw fences work, http://www.lagunatools.com/accessories/bandsaw-fences/bandsaw-driftmaster. You slide it as you wish, rotate a handle and it engages the micro adjust. Only make this one simple.
3) ???? your turn ???

[Floyd Mah]

What's the purpose of a micro-adjuster? It seems that some want it to tweak the width of a cut by just a tiny bit and others want to move the fence by a reproducible amount. The problem it seems to me is that your end point is often not measurable precisely and the backlash in most cheap devices can alter your subsequent cuts (although maybe not significantly in woodwork).

I find that I can move the fence by a few microns by a gentle tap with my fingers, although again by an unmeasurable amount. The same thing happens when I raise the tablesaw blade, hoping to correct a cut that's off by just a bit. As my eyes get older, I have trouble adjusting the saw blade visually against a ruler and I can't seem to align the blade so that the tooth is at its apex to judge the proper height.

So my suggestion is to get a dial gauge and a magnetic holder to fix it to the table. I am sure that you will get more reproducible and accurate results than relying on a micro-adjuster. Make a test cut on a piece of scrap and then position the dial gauge against the fence and bump the fence until you correct the error of the cut according to the gauge. You will be guaranteed that your cut will be precisely on target.

As for adjusting the blade height, make a test cut, measure the depth of the cut, lay a piece of wood on the teeth, position the gauge on the scrap and raise or lower the blade to correct the difference. You don't have to find the upper-most tooth to measure from as reference.

You can take the dial gauge over to your router table or bandsaw for similar measurements. You can use it to adjust your tablesaw trunnions. Your only limitation is that not all machine tables are steel or iron, so that the magnets may not hold, but the magnetic holders are also very heavy and often will work fine just by their weight.

[Rick Alexander]

If you couldn't just glue a small strip of 220 sandpaper on the microadjuster with the holes for the magnets cut out. That might help to keep it from sliding. That might lessen the magnet's stickin power but probably not.

I don't have one yet but with the wixey ts guide on there I sometimes wish I did. Most times I don't get so anal about a few thousanths here and there for sure but sometimes - you do need to get it right on.

[Jamie Buxton]

There is a built-in microadjuster on my fence, and I find it quite useful. I cut tenon cheeks on the table saw, so I'm aiming at accuracy of a few thousandths. My old technique -- whack the fence with my hand -- used to take a lot of whacks to get just right. The microadjuster dials the fence in easily. The fence is from HTC.

To make a shop-built add-on, the key part is the lead screw. You want a fairly fine thread, and little backlash. Kreg offers one for their bandsaw fence, but you could use it as part of a tablesaw microadjuster. http://www.woodcraft.com/Catalog/ProductPage.aspx?prodid=10597

[Kevin Gregoire]

i cant believe nobody has posted that shop built micro-adjuster yet?
i have been looking through magazines like crazy and still havent found it.
i have googled my rear off and cant believe nothing comes up for it?

one thing i would think when going to build one for those of you (myself included)
that are worried about backlash is to use one of those locknuts, cant remember
what they are called, the nut has a plastic crown. i want to say nylock but not sure
if that is right or not? i have been out of the mechanics game for way to long!

[Josh Bowman]

Well once again, while trying to make a planeing stop for my Roubo bench....I broke out the Rockler micro adjuster. I needed the odd sizes of 1 27/32" x 2 6/32". The micro adjuster allowed me to make them just a 1/64" larger. For the price you can't beat it. And I have the old heavy Bea. fence on my PM66 and it moves it like a dream.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/image.php?u=51675&dateline=1258317076 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/member.php?u=51675)
Of course Kevins looks like it would work better:D

[Bruce Page]

I made my Unisaw/Biesemeyer micro adjuster to hold a 1” travel indicator. When I want to fine tune my Bies, I slide the MA up to the fence, zero out and tap the fence into position. It works great.

I made this out of solid aluminum but it could be easily made out of hardwood.

I have a cad file (.dxf or .dwg). PM me with your email address if interested.

[harry strasil]

just put one of those magsquares or a magnetic featherboard as backup to add more resistance behind the magnetic adjuster.

[Josh Bowman]

I made my Unisaw/Biesemeyer micro adjuster to hold a 1” travel indicator. When I want to fine tune my Bies, I slide the MA up to the fence, zero out and tap the fence into position. It works great.

I made this out of solid aluminum but it could be easily made out of hardwood.

I have a cad file (.dxf or .dwg). PM me with your email address if interested.

Wow!!!! And Cool :cool:

[glenn bradley]

For those still going that way (I didn't) . . . Rockler's is on sale right now for $9.99 (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16755)

[Kevin Woodhead]

Jay and Kevin,

Check out FWW, December 1997 No. 127. It has a shopmade micro-adjuster for a tablesaw fence.

Cheers,
Kevin

[Kevin Gregoire]

Jay and Kevin,

Check out FWW, December 1997 No. 127. It has a shopmade micro-adjuster for a tablesaw fence.

Cheers,
Kevin

thanks for the post kevin, this is a good one but still not the one i seen

[Stan Wiley]

Kevin, I think the home made table saw Micro-adjuster you are looking for, is in the May 2009 issue 190 of "WOOD" magazine on page 12. It features using a couple of "MAGswitch" magnets to do the job. Just so happens I came accross this a while back, then I too forgot which magazine it was in, so I know what you are going through. I hope this is the one you were looking for. I have uploaded a PDF of the page. OOPPPSSS...... they removed the PDF, I did not realize I should not post the page here, sorry! But at least you know where to find it.

[Keith Outten]

Please be aware the images from magazines are copy protected and infringement of copyrights can be a severe penalty. You must have permission from the owner to include any copy protected image or plan here.
.

[ken gibbs]

Kevin,

I will give you five dollars for the Rockler microadjuster you are no longer using. Interested?

[Jay Yoder]

Kevin, I think the home made table saw Micro-adjuster you are looking for, is in the May 2009 issue 190 of "WOOD" magazine on page 12. It features using a couple of "MAGswitch" magnets to do the job. Just so happens I came accross this a while back, then I too forgot which magazine it was in, so I know what you are going through. I hope this is the one you were looking for. I have uploaded a PDF of the page. OOPPPSSS...... they removed the PDF, I did not realize I should not post the page here, sorry! But at least you know where to find it.

Stan,
that was the one I was looking for, but ended up getting the Rockler one. two mag jigs were much more than the 9.99 I paid. It works ok. Actually haven't really used it, only have it stuck on the fence. Only problem is the Jet fence faces must not extend as far rearward as the Biesi, the screw centerline meets the face right on the edge of the face. I haven't figured out a solution yet. Any thoughts?

[Kevin Gregoire]

FINALLY!!
[B]well i finally found the one i was thinking of but its for a router table
but it can be converted over easy enough!

its in American Woodworker Issue 142 jun/jul 2009 on pages 52-55

[Paul Saffold]

"My knuckles are always available....so I use them most of the time."

Josh, this isn't the Neander Haven forum! :D Are you lost?;)

I couldn't resist.

[Josh Bowman]

"My knuckles are always available....so I use them most of the time."

Josh, this isn't the Neander Haven forum! :D Are you lost?;)

I couldn't resist.
Yes I am lost! I got an electric saw for Christmas and am trying to figure out what that long black rope is for coming out of the handle. So I've been lurking here hoping to find the answer.;)

[Stan Wiley]

I built one, see the following thread to see description and photos. Stan.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=136348

[Chris Parks]

Stan, I see you have a Wixey digital head and am puzzled as to why a micro adjuster is needed, did the adjuster pre-date the Wixey? What I woke up to the other day was that if I wax the running surfaces of the fence rail I find it very easy to just push the fence as all the stiction has disappeared. With the Wixey on I steady the fence with one hand which also is resting on the rail and move it with the other. Because there is no stiction it is very easy to just ease it to a .1 reading. Prior to a bit of fence maintenance I had to softly tap the fence to get it right. Do not wax the clamping faces as the fence will move when clamped. DAMHIKT.;)

[Stan Wiley]

One way to describe the way I would use the jig is: Suppose I make a cut and for what ever reason I need to take a whisker more off. If I were to use the slap and tap method I would most likley go too far, because as you had said, the fence on the Griz G690/691 moves really easy. Then I would be slapping and tapping back the other way etc. With the jig in place I just make a very slight adjustment and look at the wixey to see what it's doing and stop when the read out is right. In the mean time even though I have released the rip fence lever the jig still holds the saw fence where it was, until I make the adjustment. The Wixey came first then the micro, could I have lived without the micro? Yes, but now that I have it and it is so easy to use and can stay on the saw when I am not using it (just unlock the right hand Magswitch) I have the best of both. Plus it was fun to build. Stan.