Table saw leveling

[Jason Victory]

Hey guys so I was thinking about purchasing a saw blade angle gauge and as I was thinking through it I came across a question I wanted to ask. Wouldn’t your table saw need to be perfectly level in order for the gauge to be accurate? If so, what do you guys use to make sure your table saws are level and just as important stays level?

[Charles Wiggins]

Any digital angle finder worth buying will have a "zero out" function so you can measure the angle between two surfaces even if neither surface is perfectly level. You will set it on your reference surface, and if the scale does not read zero you press the button or sequence to zero the scale, then move the device to the surface you want to measure in relationship to the reference surface.

[glenn bradley]

Like Charles I will assume you mean a digital gauge in which case the zero function applies. To that I will add that the Igaging 'tilt box' ate batteries at such a furious rate that I returned it. I had run a Wixey for years but, it finally passed on after a traumatic impact incident :o. I have been very happy with the Beall "Tilt Box II" version for a number of years.

[Jason Victory]

Any digital angle finder worth buying will have a "zero out" function so you can measure the angle between two surfaces even if neither surface is perfectly level. You will set it on your reference surface, and if the scale does not read zero you press the button or sequence to zero the scale, then move the device to the surface you want to measure in relationship to the reference surface.


Like Charles I will assume you mean a digital gauge in which case the zero function applies. To that I will add that the Igaging 'tilt box' ate batteries at such a furious rate that I returned it. I had run a Wixey for years but, it finally passed on after a traumatic impact incident :o. I have been very happy with the Beall "Tilt Box II" version for a number of years.

Thanks guys! I suppose I should have looked up the products first that probably would of answered the question. Other than the “tilt box II” would you recommend any specific one? Is the wixey a good product?

[Jim Finn]

I have a Wixie and it works well. It does use up batteries so fast that I remove the battery between uses. If I were to buy another I would get one that uses 9V batteries. I think Grizzly had one.

[Lee Schierer]

I have the original Tilt Box and wouldn't be without it. I use it whenever I need to tilt the blade or bring it back to perpendicular. Battery life is excellent. I can't remember the last time I changed the battery . It does have a zero function which allows you to measure relative angles between the blade and the table even if your table isn't level.

The tilt box II has an auto off feature which mine doesn't have. I'm not sure I would like magnets on the bottom as it would stick to the table when I'm getting ready to tilt the blade.

[David Helm]

I've been using the i-gaging for several years and am still using the original batteries. I do shut it off when finished.

[Cary Falk]

I have the wixey. Haven't used it in awhile. Worked as advertised last time I used it.

[glenn bradley]

I've been using the i-gaging for several years and am still using the original batteries. I do shut it off when finished.

The one I had must have been defective. This is good to hear as I couldn't imagine anyone would make something that ate batteries that fast ;-) I have other Igaging products that work fine.

[Tim Bueler]

I have the Wixey. 2 ish years old and still on original batteries. Granted I rarely change angles on the TS. Pretty sure it has auto off function but I always turn it off manually. I also use it to set bevel when making compound cuts on the miter saw.

[Alan Schaffter]

Ok, something everyone should know- while the display on most digital angle gauges can be shut off manually or automatically, the angle sensing/measuring circuitry stays powered up so it stays in calibration. The only way to truly turn the entire mechanism off is to remove the batteries. Circuits in most newer devices draw less current and therefore have longer battery lives.

The original Wixey, the Model WR300, which is now discontinued, though some retailers may still have some in stock, used small button batteries which had shorter life. However, the newer WR365 and the recently-introduced Model WR300 Type 2 use AAA batteries which, from my experience last up to 2 years! My first set lasted longer. The WR365 has a tilting display and, unlike most other "tilt boxes", can measure absolute level as well as relative tilt angles. In addition to using AAA batteries the WR300 Type 2 has a backlit display.

Original (discontinued) WR 300: http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/images/wr300-1_main.jpg

WR 300 Type 2 w/backlit diplay: http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/images/wr300-2_main.jpg

WR365: http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/images/wr365_main.jpg http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/images/wr365_feature02.jpg http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/images/wr365_feature01.jpg

If you are handy, you can use a Wixey to give your tablesaw precision angle setting capability without constantly moving the tilt gauge from saw top to the blade. Do a quick one-time calibration of the angle gauge and you have a way to quickly set blade angle precisely with easy-to-read numbers! The simple angle gauge mounting arm moves with the manual pointer. The gauge temporarily attaches magnetically to a piece of steel mounted on the arm.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/2161/medium/IMG_3526.JPG

[Frederick Skelly]

I bought the Wixey about 3 years ago. It works well. I take out the batteries between uses. (As a result, I'm still using the firsr set of batteries I bought for it.)

Fred