Wixey Digital Height Gauge Problem

[Darrin Davis]

I recently purchased 2 wixey gauges for my 13" and 15" delta planers. The one the 13" works great. The one I'ved placed on the 15" X5 planer is acting very weird. Sometimes it just reads 0.00 constantly and sometimes it adjusts up and down in large increments not keeping with the planer. I might move it 1/4" and it moves up 2.135 or something like that. It just flat out doesn't work on this planer. So I swaped gauges on the other planer and the one that wasn't working on the 15" does work on the 13" and the one that was working on the 13" doesn't work on the 15". So it's got to be the 15" planer without a doubt. Not sure what it is though. I unplugged the machine, plugged it back in and it worked for a few minute and then went haywire again. Both machines are hooked up to dust collection but are not properly grounded. I'm wondering if static is causing the problem with the machine. I know it's there becuase some fine shaving that don't get sucked into the dust collection will come out on top of the wood and the wood shavings will attract to the dust colletion hose above the outfeed table (sometimes). Any ideas out there?

["Gary Brewer"]

Hi Darrin: I don't know what the problem is with the gauge but at my last woodworkers meeting a member told of having a problem with his Wixey angle gauge and he called the owner. I know you are having problems with the planer gauge instead. But our member said it is owned by a very nice gentlemen ( a mom and pop type of operation ). The owner took a lot of time with him, explained what was wrong and sent him out a replacement free of charge. There must be number on the package and you could call the owner. He formed a company with his son and would be worth a call. Just FYI. If you can't get the phone number I could probably get it from the member.
Gary

[Alan Schaffter]

Hi Darrin: I don't know what the problem is with the gauge but at my last woodworkers meeting a member told of having a problem with his Wixey angle gauge and he called the owner. I know you are having problems with the planer gauge instead. But our member said it is owned by a very nice gentlemen ( a mom and pop type of operation ). The owner took a lot of time with him, explained what was wrong and sent him out a replacement free of charge. There must be number on the package and you could call the owner. He formed a company with his son and would be worth a call. Just FYI. If you can't get the phone number I could probably get it from the member.
Gary

I agree. Email Barry at digital@wixey.com, he'll take care of you. When you were doing your troubleshooting did you just swap the readout or the whole readout/track assembly? The trouble could be with your track- there is a circuit imbedded in the track that the readout uses.

[glenn bradley]

Ditto what Gary said. Go to their site, click 'contact us' and send them an email. I got a great response from them and they are taking good care of me.

[Darrin Davis]

I actually contacted him before I posted this message. He encouraged me to post here becuase he had never heard of this before. We emailed back and forth trying to figure it out by unplugging the machine and plugging it back in etc. He was very quick to respond to each email but he said he had just never heard of it before. He did say that static is a problem with the readouts and since we have a dust collection system that can be it. But I thought the machine was grounded when you plug it in. Am I wrong?

[J.R. Rutter]

So does it work when the planer is off? That would answer the static question.

Is the mounting system set up so that it moves without any binding, etc? Maybe you could use some rubber washers to try to isolate the gauge from vibration a bit.

Every time my gauge went wonkers, it was batteries...

[Bailey John]

I too recommend dealing with Barry directly. Apparently there may be an issue with manufacturing the readout. My initial purchase from Woodcarft experienced the same issues you described. He sent up a replacement with thorough instructions for replacement. I also exchanged several emails to get it just right. Very pleasant despite the problem.