SawStop & a Dial Indicator ???

[Michael Mahan]

Got a Sawstop & want to know about the best bang 4 buck &/or inexpensive BUT quality slot mounted Dial Indicators
IncremetalTools.con Incra site has the Woodpecker & the In-Line Industries’on sale for the same price

http://www.incrementaltools.com/A_Line_It_System_Kit_p/ilalineitkit1.htm



http://www.incrementaltools.com/Woodpeckers_Saw_Gauge_p/wpsg-wp.htm

both have $10.oo email coupons
that A line System just looks like a better tool
but if you have a opinion OR any feedback it would be great :D

[Bill Huber]

I have and love the Woodpecker one, the reason I like it is the fact that you don't have to tighten the block in the slot. There are 2 small rods that you drop in the slot and then the larger rod set on top of them, you then set the tool on the large.

You don't have to unscrew the main bar to change the position, just pick up the tool and move it.

It fits good in any slot that I have put it in, the band saw, the router table and the table saw.

[Kevin Womer]

I have the a line it, but for the same price I would get the other one. The a line it does the job, but when I bought it it was the cheaper of the two. With either one you can dial in to thousandths of an inch, probably overkill for woodworking but I tend to go there anyway. I use it to align the fence, blade to miter, chech flange runout and he arbor runout. On my Sawstop everything was pretty much dead on when I first got it put together.

[Michael Mahan]

I have the a line it, but for the same price I would get the other one. The a line it does the job, but when I bought it it was the cheaper of the two. With either one you can dial in to thousandths of an inch, probably overkill for woodworking but I tend to go there anyway. I use it to align the fence, blade to miter, chech flange runout and he arbor runout. On my Sawstop everything was pretty much dead on when I first got it put together.I heard that about the SawStop & I just figured that having one in the shop would be an asset for the TS & other machines as well .
I am wanting to start a good habit of keeping the machines tuned up at all times . Is that WoodPecker good for other machines besides the slotted tables ? ?
I don't mind spending $$ (within reason ) on a versatile indicator . so i'm not locked into buying either of those two on sale
Just want the thing to be easy to use , best bang 4 buck & versatile
I've never had one before

[Larry Frank]

I bought a dial indicator and a magnetic base which were pretty inexpensive. I also made my own jigs for checking alignment on the cabinet saw, jointer and planer and they work as well as the ones that you reference.

I have a SawStop and when I first got it I checked the alignment and such and did not require any adjustment.

[glenn bradley]

The one Bill mentions is sweet and would be my choice but, I'd already made one. I went with a $10 dial indicator from Harbor Freight and a shop made jig. The indicator doesn't need to be super accurate, just accurately repeatable. That is, I do not need to know what a specific measurement is, I just need to know the difference between here . . . and there. You are checking for a delta between two points. The jig does need to sit accurately in the slot but, I added screws that can be set flush or backed out a bit to create a reliable fit. Others probably have different opinions :D.

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I use the same gauge on my poor-man's Rotocator

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[Kyle Iwamoto]

Congrats on your Sawstop!

You can make an alignment jig for free. Clamp a used disposable chopstick on your miter gage. That can get your saw pretty close. IMO nothing takes the place of a test cut. When the back teeth of the blade stops hitting the wood, you're there. The Sawstop guys told me to do this. Set the top so the blade is dead square centered in the throat plate by eyeball. This already gets you pretty close, and adjust using test cuts from there.

I also have that top of the line 10 buck indicator from Harbor Freight. Works, but nothing really to brag about.

[Michael Mahan]

Congrats on your Sawstop!

You can make an alignment jig for free. Clamp a used disposable chopstick on your miter gage. That can get your saw pretty close. IMO nothing takes the place of a test cut. When the back teeth of the blade stops hitting the wood, you're there. The Sawstop guys told me to do this. Set the top so the blade is dead square centered in the throat plate by eyeball. This already gets you pretty close, and adjust using test cuts from there.

I also have that top of the line 10 buck indicator from Harbor Freight. Works, but nothing really to brag about.+1

ThanX I will try that for sure . :D

After Glen's post I backed off spending that $$ on those 2 , I like that home made jig Idea (ThanX Glen ;) ) .

I've got some AL bar stock that fits nicely snug in the SawStop miter slot & would like to try my hand at throwing a HF dial made jig together .

[Keith Hankins]

I have a sawstop and I have two dial indicators. The first one I bought years ago from grizzly and it's great. It comes with a magnetic base and a set of dial calipers. It's got a case and is about 42 bucks. Great tool and i've used it to check all kinds of tools.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Magnetic-Base-Dial-Indicator-Caliper-Combo-pk-/H3022

The second I got was the woodpecker one. High quality and will check the parallel to the slot. Not cheap but a great tool to have.

If I could have only 1 i'd go with the grizzly just because it's more verisatile. Quality of the woodpecker is top notch as is with all their tools!


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