Osborne EB-3 Miter Gauge deflection?

[Jay Yoder]

Good morning everyone! I purchased the Osborne EB-3 miter gauge this spring and finally got it out of the box on Sunday. I unpacked it and set it up to ride in the RH miter t-slot on my Craftsman 22114 TS. The bar was adjusted to eliminate any play, and I attached the fence. As I was trying to true it up to the blade, I noticed a deflection of up to 1/8” -3/32” maybe even more, across the length of the face as I was cross-cutting. Is this a common issue for these? I would think that spending that much $ it should be rock solid! Anyone else have experience with this issue? I am debating about returning it for a refund…

[Kyle Kraft]

Jay,

I have the EB-3 and it is rock solid. Did you put the sticky sandpaper stuff on the face of the miter gauge fence? If you didn't, the workpiece can slide during a cut, producing an inaccuracy.

[Brian Penning]

Are you saying the face is bowed or bent? If so, then that isn't normal.

I'm certainly not rich but for $109 I didn't think I was "spending that much $" for a quality gauge. Just my 2 cents.

[glenn bradley]

Hi Jay. I want to make sure I understand; are you saying that the end of the fence can be flexed an 1/8" or more? Or are you saying a cut made using the EB-3 will show inaccuracy of that much over 'x' length.

If the flex is in the fence, that would defeat the purpose of the tool. If the deviation is in the cut, how long is the board (how much leverage on the fence) and how long is the cut.

I guess what I'm trying to say is; a 20" long board, 6" wide should be able to be crosscut or angle cut and come out pretty darn close to perfect.

My Incra is steel with an aluminum extrusion fence. The steel body, etc is very tough. The aluminum flexes more than I care for but through practice, I've become reasonable at getting very good cuts. Anything over a couple feet long and I go to a sled. There's just too much leverage for a one miter slot tool.

[Bill Huber]

Brian ask the right questions, if the bar is bowing then you really have a problem, that hunk of aluminum is really thick and I can not see it bending.

So if it deflection it must be one of the pivot point are loose. One of the reviews that I read on Fine Woodworking said they had that type of a problem. I checked mine and there is no movement at any of the pivot point what so ever.

So I would say you need to tighten something or there is a defect in the unit.

When I installed mine on my old Craftsman I had a problem of it making marks on the top of the saw, I then put the tape on the bottom of the bar and that took care of that. That is the only problem I have had with mine.

[Jay Yoder]

I spoke with the mfg today, i was quite impressed...he is sending out a couple of pieces and told me that there should be NO deflection...we shall see...sure hope it works! I need something to make good crosscuts...

[Bill Huber]

I spoke with the mfg today, i was quite impressed...he is sending out a couple of pieces and told me that there should be NO deflection...we shall see...sure hope it works! I need something to make good crosscuts...

Even though I really like the EB-3 I still made me a sled, it is very nice for larger items and smaller items that I am cutting at a 90 degree angle.

Good luck on the parts, I sure hope they take care of your problem.

It would be nice to report back with what you find.