Tool Nut is Pre-Ordering the Polygauge

[Rich Riddle]

For those of you who drink the Woodpeckers Kool-Aid, Tool Nut is offering a pre-order of a poly-gauge that measures several common cuts for your saw. I don't drink the Woodpeckers Kool-Aid but will purchase a few items that appear useful. This one does appear useful to my application and doesn't cost a fortune.

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[Ben Rivel]

Yea no thanks.

Got a kick out of this when I saw it: LINK (http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=32521&cat=1,330,49237&ap=1)

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[John Gornall]

I guess the Lee Valley patent expired - had one of these for 20 years

[roger wiegand]

I bought one at least 20 years ago. I never found it particularly convenient to use and have not touched it since getting one of the magnetic electronic gauges.

[Rich Riddle]

That's why I post here.....the wealth of information.....and from young men.

[David T gray]

the woodpeckers one is much more accurate. the lee valley one is about as accurate as a digital miter gauge the wood peak is about 10x more accurate then both of them so double the price Really isn't over priced. .083 vs .008

[Nick Decker]

All the stuff I make has only four sides. I'll pass.

[John Lankers]

I too have the LV polygauge and find it to be very accurate, I don't use it much though.

[Frederick Skelly]

the woodpeckers one is much more accurate. the lee valley one is about as accurate as a digital miter gauge the wood peak is about 10x more accurate then both of them so double the price Really isn't over priced. .083 vs .008

David, what are you building out of wood that needs 0.008 accuracy?

[David T gray]

David, what are you building out of wood that needs 0.008 accuracy?

maybe i am just picky or don't mind paying more for accuracy peace of mind knowing that you cut something and it will go together is always a good feeling . i dont have any use for this and dont plan to ever buy such a thing :)

[Frederick Skelly]

maybe i am just picky or don't mind paying more for accuracy peace of mind knowing that you cut something and it will go together is always a good feeling . i dont have any use for this and dont plan to ever buy such a thing :)

I gotcha. Was wondering. :D

[Chuck Nickerson]

David, what are you building out of wood that needs 0.008 accuracy?

Also don't forget a 12-sided frame is 24 angle cuts. If the error is always in the same direction, the cumulative effect adds up.

PSA: I own none of these; I adjust in other ways.

[Roger Feeley]

Fredrick,

I get your point that accuracy might not be that big a deal in wood. So why do I have a stop on my cutoff saw that I can adjust to .001"? Crazy, right?

But if you have a gauge that's dead on and you adjust a saw blade to it with .5% variance, you will be within .5% one way or the other. If, however, you have a gauge that is .3% off in one direction, then your variance would be -.2 to .8. Sometimes you will correct the gauge and sometimes you will make it worse. I choose to have reference devices that are as accurate as possible. Why add someone elses errors to my own?

Back to the cutoff saw. I have a stop that moves on a 1/2"x20 threaded rod. I use a Morton Quill stop which 'can' be adjusted to .001". I don't do that. But if I want to take off just a bit, it comes in really handy.
I also have a DRO on my table saw fence and router table height. I don't use them for absolute measurement but I do use them for relative measurement. It sure helps when I am tapping the fence and overshoot. The DRO helps me go back and hit my target.

[Frederick Skelly]

Fredrick,

I get your point that accuracy might not be that big a deal in wood. So why do I have a stop on my cutoff saw that I can adjust to .001"? Crazy, right?

But if you have a gauge that's dead on and you adjust a saw blade to it with .5% variance, you will be within .5% one way or the other. If, however, you have a gauge that is .3% off in one direction, then your variance would be -.2 to .8. Sometimes you will correct the gauge and sometimes you will make it worse. I choose to have reference devices that are as accurate as possible. Why add someone elses errors to my own?

Back to the cutoff saw. I have a stop that moves on a 1/2"x20 threaded rod. I use a Morton Quill stop which 'can' be adjusted to .001". I don't do that. But if I want to take off just a bit, it comes in really handy.
I also have a DRO on my table saw fence and router table height. I don't use them for absolute measurement but I do use them for relative measurement. It sure helps when I am tapping the fence and overshoot. The DRO helps me go back and hit my target.

Hi Roger,
Thanks for the note. I get what you mean. What I'm poking at I guess, is that sometimes one can't actually use the full accuracy that a tool is capable of providing. For example, in the case of the tool the OP is showing. Put the reference angle up against the tablesaw blade and turn the wheel until they look to be perfectly aligned. Can your eye tell whether the blade is flush against the reference surface to an accuracy of 0.008? Does the gearing on your tablesaw let you adjust the blade angle to 0.008? I'm guessing I can't adjust mine to fractions less than 1/10 of a degree. So, in my mind, I'm buying accuracy that I can't make use of. Does that make sense?

It's always great to have really good tools, and good measuring tools are key. But I can see a point of diminishing returns for this particular type of tool, for working with the average tablesaw or miter saw. But of course, like everything else, whether it's worth it is a personal choice.

Have a good one!
Fred