Wixey vs iGauging DRO for a planer (C3-31)

[Dan Friedrichs]

I want to mount a DRO on the planer of my new Hammer C3-31. I had a Wixey DRO on my old DW735 planer, and now can't live without one. I think I favor the DRO over the "analog" clock-wheel that Felder sells, as the DRO should take into account the backlash of the raise/lower screws (whereas the Felder analog clock is only accurate if you're always measuring it from the "up" direction).

Is there any real difference between these two models?

http://www.igagingstore.com/12-Magnetic-Remote-Table-Mill-Saw-Fence-Digital-p/203927.htm
http://wixey.com/remote-planer/index.html

I don't care about the battery type.

One thing that bugged me about my old Wixey was that it showed steps of 0.005" (ie - it would go from 1.000 to 1.005 to 1.010, etc). I know it's too small to matter, but as a guy who works in decimal inches all the time, the "am I on the 'high' or 'low' side of 1.125?" really bugged me. I want it to display changes at 0.001". Do either of these do that?

[Cary Falk]

I had a wixey on my lunchbox and then went with the Igaging on my 15" Grizzly. I accidentally smashed the screen on the Igaging and replaced it with Wixey. There isn't really a good way to "calibrate" the Igaging to the final thickness out of the planer. It works great if you want how much you took off. Otherwise it is a PITA. I like the ease in which the Wixey gets to the final board thickness. I think Matt Day posted a way to calibrate the Igaging for the planer some time ago.

I had to go out and check if the Wixey jumps in steps of .005" because it never bothered me. It does jump in increments of .005" not .001". I don't remember about the Igaging. If the Igaging did go to .001" I still wouldn't trade that for the calibration method. The non button batteries is nice on the Wixey also but not a deciding factor.

[Bill Space]

The iGaging DRO I put on my 15" Grizzly about a year ago changes in .0005 increments.

There is a little number 5 that appears between, for example, .750 and .751. The small "5" is about half the height of the normal display numbers.

I remember that when I bought this DRO there was an older and newer version. I bought the newer version. I can't remember the differences between the two.

I also think, but do not remember for sure at the moment, that I could calibrate the DRO to actual thickness of a board coming off the planer, so it gives an accurate setting for thickness of the wood coming out of the planer.

Bill

[Dan Friedrichs]

Thanks, Cary. I think the iGauging does show steps in 0.001" increments, as I see some pictures of it where the last digit is neither a "5" nor "0".

I agree that the calibration method on the Wixey is very nice. I'll keep that in mind.

[Dick Mahany]

I had the older version iGauging DRO on my Jet JJP12 and it was great. Batteries lasted a long time and I can't remember exactly how, but I had it set to read absolute direct thickness. This allowed me to simply gauge the board with a digital caliper, quickly dial in the first pass, and it was very repeatable to .001". I liked the remote readout as I could place it where it was most convenient to read. I don't have any experience with the Wixey. The last one I bought came from Grizzly and shipping was quick.
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[Jim Becker]

I mounted what was DigiKit at the time on my MM J/P (Accuview now from http://proscale.com/) I'll admit to not keeping up with it and changing the batteries as my shop time is not "a lot" and so forth. But it is quite accurate once zero is set.

[Mike Chalmers]

I have an IGaging on my 20" planer. Once I mounted it away from the on/off box, it works quite well. No experience with the Wixey.

[Art Mann]

I think it would be dishonest of Wixey to display a resolution of better than 0.005" if the instrument isn't accurate enough to justify it.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I see pictures of the new (remote-reading) Wixey showing digits other than "5" or "0" in the thousandths place, so perhaps it actually displays out to the claimed 0.002" accuracy (although it lists resolution as 0.005"? Not sure I understand that...)

[Art Mann]

I just installed a Wixey on my new planer about a month ago and the display changes by 0.005" increments. Maybe there is another model that is more accurate.

[Chris Parks]

You will be wasting your money if you already have the in wheel dial on your machine. I have used both and I can assure you that the Felder in wheel instrument is at least as accurate as the Wixey and most probably more so. I have found that I can repeat a measurement months later and it is within thousands of the original measurement which I find truly amazing. I have a Wixey for a planer and it is sitting in a drawer very unloved and I should sell it. BTW the in handle instrument is accurate both up and down, others should confirm that.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Chris, I don't have the dial wheel, yet, and it's something like $150. A iGauging is $40. The Wixey I had on my old planer was incredibly repeatable, as well, once I got it properly (securely) mounted.

[Rich Riddle]

I own both for different machines and it seems like the iGauging is slightly better than the Wixey.

[Chris Parks]

For the extra and I have used both I would buy the Felder. I fully agree, the digital is repeatable and that is the reason I like the DRO but it is not necessarily more accurate. Can the in wheel instrument be had in metric or imperial? To be honest I was all set to put the Wixey on mine but when I tried the Felder version I was blown away by the accuracy and repeatability of what is a mechanical instrument not needing batteries and it is just so easy to use. I just checked and it is $90 USD in Australia.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I appreciate the feedback, Chris. They do sell it in imperial (and while I'd love to switch to metric, I just can't - I work in decimal inches at work, so it's just too much confusion to mix them). The imperial wheel is $200, though :/

[Chris Parks]

And I thought it was expensive in metric!!

[Neil Gaskin]

I have the wixey on a 15" powermatic. I haven't been all that impressed. It doesn't seem to stay calibrated.

[Art Mann]

The Wixey I have now is the remote display model. I don't have a lot of experience with it yet. The one I installed on my Ridgid lunchbox planer 10 years ago was still working fine when I sold it last month. It's only drawback was short battery life. During all those years, I recall calibrating it twice due to drift. You could reliably set the thickness and plane to within the 0.005" limit of the display. I confirmed that hundreds of times with a digital caliper. That is the kind of accuracy I require for the CNC carving I do. The profile cuts (cutouts) I do are completely dependent on accurately inputting the thickness of the work piece I have to measure every single one. Too deep and the bit cuts into the spoil board. Too shallow and the bit won't cut all the through.