Which Miter Gauge to Choose?

[Cary Falk]

I did this tomy 1000HD to get around the screw driver thing. I got the idea from another forum.
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[Bill Sutherland]

I have the 1000HD and 5000 sled. Like em both and did the same upgrade as Cary. However I got the Miter Set segment plate and I use that as my "go to" double check for my 1000HD. Works perfect. I got tired of checking the calibration on my 1000HD when using a sacrificial fence on it. I may sell my 1000HD and just use the Sawstop miter gauge with my Miter Set.

[Lee Schierer]

I have the Kreg miter gauge and really like it. If anything happens to it I would get another one. I have cut numerous picture frame moldings and get no gaps in the joints.

[fred everett]

I also have the Incra 1000 hd. Track play is easily dialed out and the unit I have can be quickly shimmed so it's dead on with my saw. Took me about 5 mins to get it within .001 to my saw. The flip stops are extremely useful and the mitres are always dead on. I am happy with the Incra 1000 hd.

[johnny means]

Plus 1 on the Incra. I liked mine so much that I converted one for use on my slider.

[Wayne Cannon]

Ok. I have the Incra 1000, Kreg, Woodhaven, & Osborn. My choice in order of preference:
1. Kreg or Woodhaven (they are almost identical in use)
2. Osborn
3. Incra 1000

I don't need the Inca's rapid setting to arbitrary 1/2 degree values. It's heavy and has lots of sharp points on it. My Incra sounded like a great product when I got it, but hasn't been used in years in favor of my Kreg & Woodhaven.

The Kreg & Woodhaven have easy-to-change calibrated pin-and-hole settings for all of the common angles, are lightweight, are easy to adjust without tools, and are easily customizable with readily available generic fences, stops, jigs (e.g., box joint), etc.

The Osborn is a great unit, but it is big, heavy, cumbersome, and trickier to store Those are the only reasons I don't use it more often.

[Jacob Reverb]

Thanks for the tip on the Woodhaven, Wayne. I had not seen that one before, and it looks good.

[James Brown]

I just posted and deleted this under a different branch of this thread. Meant to +1 the Osborne. Here's what I said:

When I was starting woodworking 15 years or so ago I bought the Osborne EB3. I'm pretty sure Norm used one on TV at some point, so I had to have it. In fact I think we bought it from his website. It's rock solid at the most common angles, and I use it almost every time I use my table saw. Can't recommend it enough.

But that's not all I came to say. I almost never post, but coincidentally today I came on to Sawmill Creek to PRAISE my experience with Osborne Manufacturing. Yesterday--Saturday afternoon--I noticed that in a shop reorg I lost some of of the hardware that tightens the Osborne's extension arm. I wrote to the company and within an hour on a Saturday afternoon heard back from David Osborne, who created a custom ordering page for my particular need. Parts were cheap and shipping is INCLUDED (attn big manufacturer service departments).

No affiliation, but if the above matters to you (stuff like that matters to me more every day), my experience may be relevant. And as I said, I love the Osborne. 90% or more of my crosscuts are 90 or 45 ... micro adjustment and half-degree angles aren't a part of my workflow, but absolute rock-solid precision 90s and 45s are helpful.

[Marshall Harrison]

I'm still appreciating the comments. I haven't made my purchase yet but maybe tomorrow if my local Woodcraft has my choice in stock.

I'm now leaning towards the Incra V120 as I don't really need hundreds of angles. So the current thinking is to get the V120 which gives me any angle I could conceive of using as well as some room to grow if my needs ever change. I like the way the Incra gauges remove any wiggle from the miter slot. I'll add a wooden sacrificial fence and stop but I can always upgrade to the Incra models later if I so desire. I also would have compatibility and growth with their sled components if I ever need (or Want) that capability.

Keep up the suggestions as I am refining my choices up until I actually make my purchase.

[Jim Becker]

If I recall, I had the Incra for the cabinet saw I owned years ago and it was a quality product. Since they have different versions as you note, if you go with that brand, you'll just need to carefully consider the type of work you do to match up which model is going to serve you best over time. Don't write off a feature that you might not be using now...consider "what if I could do that", too.

[Tony Pisano]

I always thought the price of incra stuff was high and out of my range, but I had some gift card money and finally bought a 1000hd and don't regret it. It cost more than the secondhand craftsman table saw I got in the 70's, but it turned it into and accurate pleasure to use. All the features others listed. I have recently loved using the double stops while cross cutting dados that needed more than one pass. Bump on stop, take a cut, flip the stop up and slide to next stop. I think we've all rigged up various ways to do things on the tablesaw with our miter gauges. This one incorporates many of them. I also love being able to easily slide the fence right up alongside the blade.

[Jon Nuckles]

I like the way the Incra gauges remove any wiggle from the miter slot.

Just wanted to note that the Kreg also has this feature. If I recall correctly, Fine Woodworking did a test of various miter gauges some years ago and chose the Osborne as the top choice. I haven’t used one of those.

[Earl McLain]

I have the Kreg and also the Incra 1000 HD.

Kreg--bought used, and it was missing a few bits (notable the brass pre-set). I couldn't figure out how to buy parts on their site so finally called them. They didn't "sell" parts, but shipped them at no cost despite the fact that i had bought used!! Accurate, and works very well. Top-notch service in all they do. I eventually bought a second flip stop for use with sacrificial fence.
Incra 1000 HD--bought never-opened box from a kid whose father passed away, gave $75 for it if i recall correctly. While the 1000 SE would have been more than enough stops, it was too good a deal to pass up. As mentioned earlier, the flip-stops are great, and easy to switch positions depending on whether i'm using a sacrificial fence or not.

Both are very good, though different tools. To me, the weak spot in the Kreg is the stop--tends to rack just a tick when setting. The Kreg production stops are rock solid though--and there have been times when i used those with a solid spacer to get two stops. I'd agree with Tony Pisano's observation that the Incra seems to have built some of my rigging into account.
earl

[Ray Newman]

I run the INCRA 1000SE on my SawStop and previous to that my ol' Uni-saw utilized it. I find the Flip Stop, which has a micro adjustment capability, convenient along with a 3/4" MDF sub fence attached to 1000SE fence.

As the sub fence extends 'bout 6" to the right, it acts as a sweep as well the saw blade kerf providing an accurate registration point to place the cut line on the work. I keep several sub fences on hand for different blades and dado usage. Wood slices glued into the kerf extends the sub fence useful life.

[Marshall Harrison]

Just wanted to note that the Kreg also has this feature. If I recall correctly, Fine Woodworking did a test of various miter gauges some years ago and chose the Osborne as the top choice. I haven’t used one of those.

The Kreg has the adjustable feature but you have to take the bar out of the TS miter slot to adjust the little plastic screws then put it back to test the fit. With the Incra the adjustment is done while the bar is in the miter slot which seems to me would be a lot simpler. Not sure how the Osborne adjusts.