Digital Planer Height Gauge

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

I am thinking to put digital height gauge on my Jet J/P combo. can not find anything which give me idea which one and how to do that. Is anybody already did it with this combo? I would appreciate any advices on this matter. Thank you, Ed.

[Philip Glover]

Ed,
Give Accurate Tech a try. They have kits for all types of machines.
http://www.proscale.com/
Regards,
Phil

[M Toupin]

http://www.wixey.com/

[Paul Johnstone]

I am thinking to put digital height gauge on my Jet J/P combo. can not find anything which give me idea which one and how to do that. Is anybody already did it with this combo? I would appreciate any advices on this matter. Thank you, Ed.

If you go with the Wixey, here's the main gist of it..

If the top of the planer moves up and down.. then you can follow the directions. If the bottom part of the planer moves up and down (like mine), you must rig a bracket to allow the bottom of the height adjuster to move up and down while the top stays fixed.. Seems obvious after looking at the Wixey web site, but it took me awhile to figure that out..

I haven't seen one of those combo machines, but I imagine you might run into difficulty when you change modes.. It seems like it would be a pain to attach and unattach the digital height gauge when you change modes.
On the plus side, you can easily recalibrate the Wixey at least (don't know about other brands).

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

If you go with the Wixey, here's the main gist of it..

If the bottom part of the planer moves up and down (like mine), you must rig a bracket to allow the bottom of the height adjuster to move up and down while the top stays fixed..
I haven't seen one of those combo machines, but I imagine you might run into difficulty when you change modes.. It seems like it would be a pain to attach and unattach the digital height gauge when you change modes.
On the plus side, you can easily recalibrate the Wixey at least (don't know about other brands).
You are right Paul about this. I look over all possible ways to put digital readout to planer, but can not get it strait in my mind how to do that.
I did sent message to Accurate Tech with a questions, did not get answer yet. As I understand, with lower part of Jet combo planer moving, I can nod put any digital readout permanently.:confused:
Is anybody has other idea, please?:confused:

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Just got message from Barry Wixey. it is amazing what WW people can do. Now going back to shop and will stare on my Jet combo until got some idea.
Thank you all for advices and recommendations.:)
Ed.

[Neal Clayton]

i've got a spare one, ordered one for my woodmaster planer and they mistakenly sent me 2.

i suppose if you found a way to mount it near the analog guide and have the analog guide push it, it could work.

it reads to 10ths of an inch, positive and negative directions, i find it to be accurate within .002 or so at exact 1/10th readings.

if you're interested in it you're welcome to it if you wanna paypal me a few bucks to ship it. i don't have anything else that's feasible to put it on so don't have any use for it.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

thanks for the offer. They have a new one with auto shut-off. which I will be interested.
Ed.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Yes, it is doable

[Larry Prince]

As I understand, with lower part of Jet combo planer moving, I can nod put any digital readout permanently.:confused:
Is anybody has other idea, please?:confused:


In your case you need to devise some brackets that will make the readout remain in a fixed position and the scale move up & down with the table. (The scale is the long rod-type thing that moves thru the back of the readout).

The Wixey readout is shown, in most cases, to have the scale fixed and the readout movable, but it works fine in the reverse configuration. In my situation (grizzly planer) I used some smal pieces of aluminum angle stock to make brackets, and it required that I drill & tap some holes in the side of the table, but it's definitely possible to do.

[Curt Harms]

Yes, it is doable
I'm trying to do the same thing and thught I'd have to wait for the Wixey 12" that's in development. So you have enough travel to go from 0" to 6 1/8" needed to change the dust hood over? That's looks very nice.

Curt

[Alan Schaffter]

As Larry says you can rig it so the bracket moves and the readout is fixed. I did that with my 20" planer. When I get around to it, the next thing I am going to do is remount it so the bracket is lower and the readout is higher. I am also going to move the calibration from the bottom to the top by adding a small arm below the finger lift- calibration will be done between the finger lift and the new arm.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P1190035.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P1190036.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P1190040.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P1190038a.JPG