Wixey Wondering

[sapwood]

I've heard several folks praise the Wixey angle indicator. Rockler has it now for $39.99 and free shipping.

"Super strong magnets hold it to any surface for zeroing blah, blah." Will it work in a horizontal plane???? Fr'instance, could you attach it to mitre face (metal of course) on tablesaw/bandsaw and use it to set the angle accurately???

Thanks in advance,
Roger

 

[chris99z71]

I think it will as long as you lay your saw on it's back first...
Zero it on the fence then use it to check your blade. I don't see why it won't work. :dontknow:

 

[FredP]

hey roger. im not exactly figurin out what you are askin BUT i got one and dozer and I are planin a trip by there this weekend. soooo i could try to remember to bring it along and we will see! :-D hope you are around.

fred

 

[chris99z71]

Unless I'm misunderstanding, Roger wants to know if you could use the Wixey angle gauge to check the squareness of a miter saw cut.

 

[scott hamm]

hi roger,
i just got one on sunday and it's a eyeball saver.
it will work in any angle.
to use mine on the saw blabe, i lay the unit on its side and zero it in,
then attach it to the blade and set the angle.
you can also zero it flat(magnet down) and attach it to the blade.
it will read 90 deg off but it's still accurate.
i really do like mine.
i also bought the planer gauge, but hav'nt installed it yet.
i've been reading up on wixey for a few years and finally got the extra cash to get one.
another satified wixey customer.:eusa_danc
scott

 

[FredP]

Unless I'm misunderstanding, Roger wants to know if you could use the Wixey angle gauge to check the squareness of a miter saw cut.

ahh yes i gets it now!:rolf: not sure bout that. its out in the shop and the wheather aint too hospitable right now so maybe i will check later. maybe i will bring it with me on sat anyway. nice to see and touch tools before ya buys em!

fred

 

[dancam]

I'll second Scott' comments. The angle meter is dead on and it is real easy to use. I also ordered and received the planner model but have yet to install in on my DW planner.

It's a gadget that's well worth the money.


Dan C.

 

[sapwood]

Guess I've got some 'splaining to do!
Or perhaps you are all just confused

Mitre Gauge (Miter for Brits?)

Yep, this one is probably plastic and most of them have stops . . . though their accuracy isn't guaranteed. Assume I set the mitre gauge 90º to tablesaw blade. Attach Wixy to mitre gauge face (assuming it's metal) and zero. Now loosen mitre gauge and rotate to desired angle using Wixey readout to achive, say 23º with guaranteed accuracy.

Is that better? Sorry for the cornfusion,
Roger

BTW, thanks fredp. I look forward to seeing you and Dozer Saturday. :mrgreen:
I have BIG plans for you . . . Grizzly relocation :lol:

Roger

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

It's got to be done in a vertical plane- the internal mechanism is gravity driven. But you can still use it to set your miter gauge perpendicular to the miter bar.

First hang your mitre gauge off the side of the tablesaw (or any flat surface), gauge face facing down and bar hanging down over the edge of the table. Place the wixey gauge on the table nearby and zero it out. Then attach the gauge to the side of the bar and read the setting. I'll try and take some pics.

Random angle setting. NOT MY 45 deg. detent

FYI, someone has a digital miter gauge on the market- VERY EXPENSIVE, I think around $300. Barry Wixey is looking into selling a much cheaper digital protractor.

 

[scott hamm]

i used to be a welder/fabrictor in a welding/machine shop and we would get some jobs that required tollerances in decimal degrees and near zero measurements.
the inspectors ussed one of the electronic unit, he told me they cost thousands of dollars but were a neccesary for his job.
i wish i'd had one of these back then.
we had to take sheetmetal and get it within their tolerances.
it's a good deal for the wixey gauge adn hope it will last me for a long time.
woodcraft in mathews had several on sunday when i got mine.
i use mine on all my machines for setup as my eyes are not as good as they use to be.
scott

 

[bonewood]

Your gauge is off at 90 and 45:eusa_thin:lol::lol::lol:

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Your gauge is off at 90 and 45:eusa_thin:lol::lol::lol:

1/2 right- It was set at 90 for the first pics, but set arbitrarily for the second. I was just waiting for someone to say that :lol::lol::lol::lol:

By the way- left mine on the mitersaw blade and turned on the saw!!!! The guage first slid then was flung out- still works though.

 

[DavidF]

hi roger,

to use mine on the saw blabe, i lay the unit on its side and zero it in,
then attach it to the blade and set the angle.
you can also zero it flat(magnet down) and attach it to the blade.
it will read 90 deg off but it's still accurate.

scott

Uh?? you meen you zero it with the reading facing up from the table saw surface? I thought the only way it works is magnet down (display perpendicular to table) and then attach to blade with magnets and read angle. They also say (because of gravity) that the unit should be perpendicular to the ref surface. I.E put it on the saw blade at 90 deg to table and then rotate blade - display will show wrong angle.

 

[scott hamm]

the unit is made from machined parts and is square.
i lay mine on it's side and zero it in and attach it to the blade and chack the degree.
it's accurate this way as i have a machinist protractor square i was using and it's dead on after using the wixey.
i just can't see the markings on the protractor square too well.
it works as well on the jointer.
i'll try to get a pic later showing how i use it for setup.
scott

 

[sapwood]

Zounds, have I started something here :lol:

Whatever, many thanks for the uh, expounders ;-)

My understanding is greatly increased :mrgreen:
Zeroing is gravity based.
Accuracy of Wixey is astounding for the price.
Alan always figures out a way solve the problem/question. I definitely would not have thought of placing mitre gauge face down on flat surface :BangHead:

I want one! (b-day coming up and LOML is looking over my shoulder :eusa_whis)

Roger

 

[DavidF]

the unit is made from machined parts and is square.
i lay mine on it's side and zero it in and attach it to the blade and chack the degree.
it's accurate this way as i have a machinist protractor square i was using and it's dead on after using the wixey.
i just can't see the markings on the protractor square too well.
it works as well on the jointer.
i'll try to get a pic later showing how i use it for setup.
scott

It could be the "on its side" bit I am not quite grasping:eusa_thin

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

It could be the "on its side" bit I am not quite grasping:eusa_thin

David- the only reference the Wixey has is whatever you tell it. The box doesn't care which way is up, down, or sideways, but the internal mechanism always knows where "down" is and can measure angular displacement. You can place any side (not the front or back) wherever you want at whatever angle and hit "Zero" That establishes a reference- when you rotate it to a new orientation the readout shows the difference between the referenced and new orientation. That way you can set a tablesaw, mitersaw bevel angle, jointer fence, etc. without having to worry if your machine is level. The only restriction is that if you need to attach it (not hold it) to something the unit will only self attach (has magnets) on one side.

 

[DavidF]

. You can place any side (not the front or back)

That's what I thought was being said by "on it's side" I.E display up (or on it's back" Only because using any "side" other than the magnetic one doesn't seem to make sense. And in one of Scot's posts he takes note to say that an alternative is to place it magnetic side to the metal. It could just be a matter of semantics and that Scott is doing it the way I would do it! I just stick mine to the table magnetic side down, zero it, stick it to the right hand side of the blade (left tilt saw) and tilt the blade; everything reads true; 90 when vertical and 45 or any angle when cranked over . I wouldn't have considered doing it any other way.

 

[scott hamm]

no i'm not saying face dowm.
i saying the side of the unit with the face out where you can read it.
if you want the reading tobe in the actual degree, but if you zero it with the magnet down on the table of a table saw for example and then place it on the blade it will read 90 degree and still bbe an accurate reading.
i'll get some pics for an example tommorrow.
scott

 

[DavidF]

no i'm not saying face dowm.
i saying the side of the unit with the face out where you can read it.
if you want the reading tobe in the actual degree, but if you zero it with the magnet down on the table of a table saw for example and then place it on the blade it will read 90 degree and still bbe an accurate reading.
i'll get some pics for an example tommorrow.
scott

Quote "but if you zero it with the magnet down on the table of a table saw for example and then place it on the blade it will read 90 degree and STILL bbe an accurate reading."

Whats wrong with that? the blade IS at 90 degs to the table!! Why NOT place it with the magnets down on the table?? Why the "side"

Isn't this fun??:lol: :lol: