Digital Readout on Grizzly G0453Z Planer

[glenn bradley]

Alas, I used a Wixey DRO on my linchbox planer for so long that the convenience has become quite like electric side-view mirrors on my car; could I really do without them now :rolleyes:? The Wixey has a 6" range and for 99.99% of my planer use that would be fine. Knowing myself, I am aware that someday I would need to plane a 7" thick board and I would mindlessly crank the planer bed past the limit of the Wixey damaging it. :o

I contacted Grizzly for a recommended add-on but they did not have a recommendation. So for $35 I tried Grizzly's T23012, 12" DRO. The scale beam mounted conveniently to the magnetic switch control box mast. Drilled and tapped 2 small holes:

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The readout is wired and has various mounting options included. I used the built in magnets to keep it put. A piece of "wiremold", self stick surface conduit has replaced the blue painter's tape to control and protect the wire:

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A scrap of ash ties the table to the sensor (another drilled and tapped hole). A magnet catches the spoil and makes cleanup easier.

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There were some issues to work out regarding the ability to calibrate easily. The Wixey has this built in with a spring loaded beam that acts as a caliper of sorts for calibration. I found a fairly easy 3 step method of accomplishing this and the calibration has stayed since set (so far, so good).

The display is large and easy to read, does mm, decimal and fractions. Has a button for setting accuracy of fractional incremants; 1/32". 1/64" or 1/128". From experience on the Wixey/lunchbox combination, 64ths works fine for me.

Here's and overall pic of my mockup build using a different block or wood. Just to give you the overall view.

[Neil Brooks]

a) very well executed. I DO get the feeling that ... once you've gone digital planer gauge ... there's no going back !

b) Gotta' install my darned Wixey on my Ridgid planer. Lazy, lazy, lazy !

c) He crosses MacArthur park and walks into a great sandstone building.

[if I've mis-read the context of your sig line, then ... please just ignore (c) :D]

[glenn bradley]

[if I've mis-read the context of your sig line, then ... please just ignore (c) :D]

Nope, you are right on target. How did you get in here? You don't have a key.

[John Bush]

Hi Glen,
I've been considering a DRO for my Griz 20"er, but wasn't sure how they work and how well they work. It looks like you mounted the vertical "bar" on the machine frame and the sensor on the table. Seems too simple. I use calipers to measure, but if the DRO's are accurate and this easy to install it's a no brainer. Is this a Griz product? Thanks, John.

[Van Huskey]

Glen, how does the Grizzly stack up against the Wixey DROs?

[george wilson]

I'll just stick to reading my accurately calibrated scale that has nothing to go wrong,as long as the cursor doesn't get moved.

[keith micinski]

I'm going to guess that George is over the age of 50.

[glenn bradley]

I use calipers to measure, but if the DRO's are accurate and this easy to install it's a no brainer. Is this a Griz product? Thanks, John.

You can certainly get along with out one. I just got the Wixey for my DeWalt and then became accustomed to working with them. Often after re-saw I only need to take 1/32" or so off. My routine is to check the stock with a caliper, set the planer to just thinner than that via the DRO and run it through. It is an "iGaging" product sold by Grizzly. You see there name on several folks offerings that include digital readouts.

[george wilson]

I am WAY over!!!:)

[glenn bradley]

Glen, how does the Grizzly stack up against the Wixey DROs?

The Wixey has 1/64" graduations, the Grizzly can be switched from 1/32", 1/64" or 1/128" graduations. I find 128ths to be a bit of a pain. I will generally scrape, plane or sand that much off while preparing the parts.

It also reads in decimal and fractions simultaneously or millimeters. It runs on 2 lithium 2032 batteries so I imagine the lifetime is longer but, I never felt the Wixey ate batteries quickly anyway. Both have auto off and absolute/incremental readings for actual or differential measuring.

The Wixey calibrates easier but needs it seldom. I will have to run this one awhile before I can comment on it's ability to maintain calibration but, another iGaging product I have has been solid for about a year without adjustment so we'll see,

[glenn bradley]

I'm going to guess that George is over the age of 50.

I'm 55 :D.

[Robert foster]

Glen
How did you align your DRO? I purchased a G0454Z and the DRO from Griz. I have it temporarily hooked up but am interested in how you did it.
Thanks

Bob

[Neil Brooks]

Nope, you are right on target. How did you get in here? You don't have a key.

No.

Only half a key.

I had to split it with the sound effects man ;)

I wanna' party with you, cowboy :D

[Van Huskey]

The Wixey has 1/64" graduations, the Grizzly can be switched from 1/32", 1/64" or 1/128" graduations. I find 128ths to be a bit of a pain. I will generally scrape, plane or sand that much off while preparing the parts.

It also reads in decimal and fractions simultaneously or millimeters. It runs on 2 lithium 2032 batteries so I imagine the lifetime is longer but, I never felt the Wixey ate batteries quickly anyway. Both have auto off and absolute/incremental readings for actual or differential measuring.

The Wixey calibrates easier but needs it seldom. I will have to run this one awhile before I can comment on it's ability to maintain calibration but, another iGaging product I have has been solid for about a year without adjustment so we'll see,

Thanks, I have a couple of iGaging products and they have been fine no gripes.

[Alan Lightstone]

Los Angeles... He walks again by night...

NICK

(whistles)

ANNOUNCER

Out of the fog, into the smog...

NICK

(cough, cough)

ANNOUNCER

Relentlessly... ruthlessly...

NICK

I wonder where Ruth is?

ANNOUNCER

…doggedly… (bark bark)

NICK

Eh, get away from me…

ANNOUNCER

... towards his weekly meeting with... the unknown. At 4th and Drucker he turns left, at Drucker and 4th he turns right, he crosses MacArthur Park and walks into a great sandstone building. (smack)

NICK

Oh, my nose!

ANNOUNCER

Groping for the door he steps inside... (door opens/closes) (phone rings until pick up) (13 steps) climbs the 13 steps to his office, he walks in (walking/door opens)... he's ready for mystery, (door closes/walking) he's ready for excitement... he's ready for anything, he's...

NICK

(ends whistling) (pick up phone/one more ring) Nick Danger, Third Eye...

[glenn bradley]

Glen
How did you align your DRO? I purchased a G0454Z and the DRO from Griz. I have it temporarily hooked up but am interested in how you did it.
Thanks

Bob


To allow calibration I left at least 1/2" of unused scale beam above the thinnest setting that the planer can achieve. In my case about 3/16". Plane a piece of scrap and measure it with something reasonably accurate.

Zero the sensor. Remove the screw that holds the sensor unit to the wooden piece that ties it to the planer bed. Raise the sensor up the scale beam till it reads the same as the thickness of your scrap measured with your "reasonably accurate" device (I used digital calipers to 2 decimal places in inches). Zero the sensor unit again.

Lower the sensor till it reads the same as your "reasonably accurate" measurement in the opposite direction. Your sensor should now be back where you started but reading the thickness of your test piece as a positive instead of a negative.

Replace the screw that ties the sensor to the wooden piece and make a few test cuts at other thicknesses checking the DRO against your calipers. Adjust a few thou here and there by loosening the screw and nudging the sensor as required (I used a #10 screw in the oval hole). Once you are within reasonable accuracy . . . enjoy the DRO ;-)

P.s. If I did not explain that very well, PM me and I will try again :D.

[Robert foster]

Thanks Glen. I've done something similar but wanted to get a second opinion. I'm not sure I understand what the ABS setting is for.
Bob

[glenn bradley]

Thanks Glen. I've done something similar but wanted to get a second opinion. I'm not sure I understand what the ABS setting is for.
Bob

I don't use the ABS setting on the planer but use it all the time on the tablesaw. If I am at a fence setting of 3-9/16" and make a non-through cut like a dado; I will then press the ABS button to zero the DRO, move the fence 10-7/16" and make my second pass, hit ABS again and move the fence 8-3/16" and dado again, etc. I use it to make any kind of relative or differential move without having to do any tricky math in my head. ;)

[glenn bradley]

Just an update. The DRO from Grizzly holds calibration very well. I have only had to reset it once and that was due to my hitting the "zero" button by mistake. The planer sat idle for a couple weeks and was moved about the shop a few times. When I used it yesterday, the DRO was right on the money.

[Curt Harms]

and think the Grizzly product is superior to the Wixey planer gauge except for the simple calibration of the Wixey planer gauge. My Wixey seemed to have developed digital Alzheimers and I couldn't trust it. I have a piece of plywood glued to the edge of my planer table. I just put 2 threaded inserts in so they straddled the metal strap. A little piece of ok relieved on both ends is bolted over the metal strap. I did about what Glen did, get it close then plane a piece of scrap, measure it, loosen the bolts and slide the strap under the wooden clamp mechanism until the DRO reading matches the thickness of the planed piece. I found that by bracing my hand when moving the strap, I could get pretty fine adjustment. The DRO may move a couple thou when tightening the bolts so I set it a little over or under before tightening so once tightened it read correctly. I suspect these are intended for metal work so seem more fine grained (for want of a better term) than Wixey. It has 2 CR2032 cells so should have pretty good battery life. And yes, it does seem to hold its calibration well.
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