Unifence/saw cursor accuracy and adjustment.

[Michael J Evans]

Hi All

I'm gearing up for a project and haven't touched my tools in a long while. Long of the short I decided to check blade/miter/fence alignment, as well as my unifence cursor accuracy.

Some questions for all, before I make any more adjustments.

1) how accurate should my cursor be? I messed with it a bit and got it to .006ish of my measurements. Example I set cursor at 1" and test piece was .995-.996" in width. The adjustment on the unifence is just done by loosening two screws and manually moving the cursor. Not sure I can accurately adjust .006" of a inch by hand. Is this accurate enough / do you think I can do better?

I obviously would like to see 1.0" on the dot. Just not sure that's achievable.

Thanks
Michael

[Ron Citerone]

Seems to me if you need a piece that has to be super accurate you could cut a little big and sneak up on the exact measurement. I have always set my fence with a steel rule with well marked lines although many use the cursor. A little trial and error on that cursor would probably help dial it in closer?

[Bill Dufour]

Put a 0.006 shim next to cursor plastic then clamp a board next to that. Remove shim. Loosen plastic cursor and slide it over until it touches the wood. Tighten screws and tesat cut. Rinse and repeat.
Auto parts store will have shim tool for valve adjusting or spark plug gapping.
Bill D

[Michael J Evans]

Seems to me if you need a piece that has to be super accurate you could cut a little big and sneak up on the exact measurement. I have always set my fence with a steel rule with well marked lines although many use the cursor. A little trial and error on that cursor would probably help dial it in closer?

Hi Ron
I think your right. Just get it very close then bump fence from there. Only thing is I think I'd rather have the cursor cut a little fat then skinny.

[Michael J Evans]

Put a 0.006 shim next to cursor plastic then clamp a board next to that. Remove shim. Loosen plastic cursor and slide it over until it touches the wood. Tighten screws and tesat cut. Rinse and repeat.
Auto parts store will have shim tool for valve adjusting or spark plug gapping.
Bill D

Bill
Great idea. I just have no idea how I'd accurately clamp anything in that tiny space. Likely I'll just have to do lots of trial and error to get it any better. Likely need some luck too. Whenever the screws are tightened it slightly moves the fence.

[Bill Dufour]

I was trying to say clamp the stop board to the tabletop. Just put it so the shim is on the correct side. remove shim, slide the entire fence over. Then zero out the cursor.
Bill D

[Bruce Wrenn]

I always cut test piece first, then set cursor to match width of cut of test piece. So much easier.

[Michael J Evans]

I was trying to say clamp the stop board to the tabletop. Just put it so the shim is on the correct side. remove shim, slide the entire fence over. Then zero out the cursor.
Bill D

Ahh gotcha.
Thanks for clarifying.

[Doug Garson]

Agree with Ron, if extreme accuracy is required cut slightly oversize and sneak up on it. If your going to adjust don't use a .006" shim, check your math, 1.000 - .995 = .005" not .006". That said, I'll bet if you adjusted it and got it bang on and then tried to set the fence at 1.000" several times you would be out by .003" to .004" more often than not and if you left the piece in your shop for a week it would grow or shrink by a few thou. It's wood, not aircraft grade aluminum.

[Brian Runau]

I always cut width and final plane for thickness pieces for a project in groups, so if there is any variation it is the same for all. Brian

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi All

I'm gearing up for a project and haven't touched my tools in a long while. Long of the short I decided to check blade/miter/fence alignment, as well as my unifence cursor accuracy.

Some questions for all, before I make any more adjustments.

1) how accurate should my cursor be? I messed with it a bit and got it to .006ish of my measurements. Example I set cursor at 1" and test piece was .995-.996" in width. The adjustment on the unifence is just done by loosening two screws and manually moving the cursor. Not sure I can accurately adjust .006" of a inch by hand. Is this accurate enough / do you think I can do better?

I obviously would like to see 1.0" on the dot. Just not sure that's achievable.

Thanks
Michael

That’s plenty accurate enough for woodworking. I bet the rule on your fence isn’t that accurate along the length of it.

Consider that you normally measure with a rule, or even worse, a tape.

If my desk width winds up 59.995 instead of 60.000 I don’t think it will matter.

In fractions 1/64” would be more than required…….Regards, Rod