TS Aligner Jr vs Align-It
Howard Abrams
I would like to purchase either the TS Aligner Jr or Align-It. I would
like to hear opinions of both and any comparisons that would help me in
my decision.
Thanks,
Howard
The Druckermans
Howard,
Might I recommend a dejanews search? You'll find that this was discussed
extensively around three months ago. I don't own either yet, but plan on
getting the TS Aligner based on my discussions with users and feedback
here. Note that the maker of the TS Aligner, Ed Bennett, is a regular
contributor to rec.woodworking. While he quite naturally is an endorser
of his own product, I've found Ed to be a pretty decent guy to deal with
overall.
One final comment: I'm tempted to see if I can get the TS Aligner without
the Chinese/Taiwanese/? dial indicator as I'm kind of a tool snob when it
comes to precision measuring instruments and only buy Starrett (my
problem...). By all reports, the indicator that comes with the TS Aligner
Jr. is good enough for woodworking, but I also do metalworking and want
the extra precision. I'll have to contact Ed to see what my options are.
FYI - You can buy the TS Aligner direct from Ed's company, through Garrett
Wade, and I believe two other mail order sources.
Dave Druckerman
Rick Fox
According to the Web site price list, the Jr. is $99.95 with the
indicator, and $81.95 without.
Check http://www.primenet.com/~ejb/TSprices.txt
Rick.
The Druckermans <Druck...@Worldnet.att.net> wrote in article
<6e5ssm$6...@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net>...
Ed Bennett
The Druckermans wrote:
>
> Howard,
>
> Might I recommend a dejanews search? You'll find that this was discussed
> extensively around three months ago. I don't own either yet, but plan on
> getting the TS Aligner based on my discussions with users and feedback
> here. Note that the maker of the TS Aligner, Ed Bennett, is a regular
> contributor to rec.woodworking. While he quite naturally is an endorser
> of his own product, I've found Ed to be a pretty decent guy to deal with
> overall.
Yes, I do participate from time to time in this group. I try to scan it
daily but don't always get the chance.
> One final comment: I'm tempted to see if I can get the TS Aligner without
> the Chinese/Taiwanese/? dial indicator as I'm kind of a tool snob when it
> comes to precision measuring instruments and only buy Starrett (my
> problem...). By all reports, the indicator that comes with the TS Aligner
> Jr. is good enough for woodworking, but I also do metalworking and want
> the extra precision. I'll have to contact Ed to see what my options are.
> FYI - You can buy the TS Aligner direct from Ed's company, through Garrett
> Wade, and I believe two other mail order sources.
If you order direct you can purchase the Aligner or the Jr. without the
dial indicator. It's difficult for the dealers to stock every option
and accessory so I still sell these things direct. Prices are on the
web page.
It's true, the indicator on the Jr. is not the world's best. But then,
a Starrett would cost more than the whole Jr. does! I shop around for
indicators that will provide accurate and reliable performance at the
lowest possible price. I realize that not everyone want's an indicator
from China so I offer the tools without so that you can use your own.
Both the Aligner and the Jr. can use any AGD Group 2 standard dial
indicator with a 1/4" lug back. Be advised, calibration of the Jr. is
specific to the individual dial indicator that you intend to use with
it. Not even two dial indicators of the same brand/type will calibrate
the same. So, units that come without the dial indicator are
"uncalibrated". Calibration is not impossible but can be troublesome if
you don't have the right setup. We can do it for you for $10 (shipping
not included).
We had to pull the products from Garrett Wade's catalog because I
couldn't keep up with the demand. Same holds true for the Eagle America
catalog. We're still in the Hartville Tool catalog but they only sell
the Jr. (and at a pretty darn good discount!). For the first time in
over a year we finally have some excess inventory! I'm implementing
some design and manufacturing changes that will increase production
drasticly. These changes are going into effect now. As an end user,
you won't see anything different from what is on the web page today.
None of the features or functionality will be affected. But, our supply
and distribution problems should just about dissappear completely.
I'd be more than happy to answer any questions that people have. It's
true, I'm somewhat biased when it comes to the Aligners ;-) But I have
purchased any and all "competitive" products (like the "A-Line-It") and
can answer your questions about them. Since we machine the Aligners
ourselves on CNC equipment in our own shop here in Idaho, overhead is
kept to an absolute minimum. So, one of the biggest benifits is that we
can offer you a lot more functionality for significantly less money.
--
Ed Bennett
e...@primenet.com
Visit my web site: http://www.primenet.com/~ejb
Thomas Gauldin
Ed- and others- its been a long while since Don Peterson and I actually used
a TS aligner and posted our unbiased review to this newsgroup. I think its
about time to do a repost, so it follows the .sig line of this note. For
the record, Ed LOANED us a TS aligner to evaluate. Don paid the postage to
ship it to me after he'd used it, and I paid the postage to return it to Ed
following my testing.
Its one mighty fine piece of equipment, IMHO. Review follows:
--
Tom Gauldin, Raleigh NC
-NetMeeting ils.four11.com, Live Birdfeeder Action
ICQ 7022136 fax (919) 676-1404
ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/pub/users/scoundrl/gauldin1.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------
Here's to the land of the Longleaf Pine,
The Summerland, where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong, and the strong grow great,
Here's to Downhome, the Old North State.
Review of TS-Aligner
A TS-Aligner system was loaned to Don Peterson
(do...@boi.hp.com) and Tom Gauldin (scou...@mindspring.com)
by Ed Bennett (e...@primenet.com) for an impartial review.
There was absolutely no consideration for the review, and the
machine was returned to Ed Bennett following the testing and
reviews. Postage for shipping the machine was paid by the
reviewers. The following reviews were independently written and
then combined into one article. Reproduction of the article is
permitted, but only with the understanding that no changes may be
made. A Price and Component list are are at the end of the article.
Tom Gauldin's comments:
I'm a recreational woodworker who loves to build furniture
and gifts in my shop. I appreciate accurate and sturdy tools
that are set up for reasonably accurate work. However, I
also find that my own style of woodworking still requires
frequent trips to the table sander to "finish" a piece that
might be miscut a bit. I know that the woodworker's
corollary to Murphy's law states that, "Cumulative errors
will always compound for the worst, and will never offset
each other." Therefor, reducing the mechanical side of the
errors in my shop helps, but does not eliminate, future
problems.
The TS-Aligner arrived in an extremely sturdy molded case,
with cut foam inserts to hold the pieces. Inside the case
was a VHS video, two booklets, a dial indicator with offset
probe, machined 30 degree wedge, machined 90 degree square,
micro adjustable angle wedge and the TS-Aligner frame.
I began by watching the video. It is very well produced and
virtually eliminated the need to read the booklet. Having
watched it, I felt that I could set the TS-Aligner up and
immediately put it to good use. At a price of $6, the video
is a great introduction to accurate table saw alignment even
if you never end up purchasing the Aligner.
Since I wanted to compare the video to the manual, however, I
then read the manual as well. It is very well written, has
good photography and contains advice on how to use the TS-
Aligner, together with wisdom about the setup of table saws
in general. Since the TS-Aligner can be used on any brand of
table saw, there is no specific information in the manual for
any specific saw. This is not a problem, since most
woodworkers have their saw's own manual giving locations of
adjustment screws and bolts.
One misconception that I had before viewing the video and
manual, was that the TS-Aligner was a device devoted solely
to aligning the blade to the miter slots of a table saw.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The basic device is
also great for adjusting the blade to a very accurate 90
degrees to the table, and for adjusting the rip fence to be
parallel with the miter slots. With the optional square and
angle wedges, it is also quite easy to adjust the blade and
miter gauge to very accurate angles.
The TS-Aligner is a machined plate with vertical guide rods
that permits a dial indicator, with probe, to be raised or
lowered about 3". The device slides along the miter slot on
the table saw top. There are three bearings on the bottom of
the plate that can be adjusted to the precise width of the
miter slots. There are also three leveling screws on the
plate, which are necessary for the initial setup of the
device. Once set, it should hold its adjustment for a very
long time.
My first impression of the TS-Aligner, carrying case, dial
indicator and supplied accessories, was that it was a very
durable, well-built and accurate tool. This impression was
only enhanced during my setup and use of the tool.
The first step was to adjust the three bearings on the bottom
of the plate to the width of the slot in my Powermatic 66.
Because of the distance between the slot and the blade, it
was necessary to move all three bearings from their central
location (as shipped) to their forward location, to increase
the distance between the TS-Aligner and my blade. This was
accomplished using two different Allen wrenches. The outer
bearings are held in place with one size screw, and the
center, adjustable, bearing is adjusted/relocated with
another. However, no wrenches were present in the supplied
kit, so I had to locate and use my own. I later learned that
the actual kit does supply three wrenches missing in the kit
I tested.
Once the bearings were moved, adjusting the center bearing to
the width of the slot was easy. The only complaint is that
the location of the center Allen screw makes the use of my
"T" handled Allen wrenchs impossible; however a standard bent
wrench can be used, as can a Bhondus, rounded tip Allen
driver, which permits you to "angle" the wrench comfortably.
The next step was to attach the dial indicator to the Aligner
frame and then attach the probe. You guessed it! Again
there were two different Allen wrenches needed, and I had to
again locate them in the tool chest before I could proceed.
Remember, however, that the actual kit does include the three
sizes of wrench.
Service personnel, or folks setting up different saws in
factories, might consider purchasing a good set of Bhondus
ball tip Allen drivers and simply keeping the appropriate
sizes in the ample case for the TS-Aligner. There is plenty
of room, and the savings in time and effort would make the
minor cost worthwhile.
Once set up and adjusted, there is little need for further
use of the Allen wrenches, however.
I adjusted the leveling screws (more Allen screws) as
directed in the book. The adjustment was made using the
6.5" (inside measurement) machined square, and was both easy
and fast. Without adjusting the plate to hold the guide rods
at right angles to the table surface, measurement of the blade's
angular relationship to the table surface would be impossible.
I will not go into great detail describing each of the
"adjustments" that I made to my saw, other than to list them
and give my observations. I can categorically state that the
TS-Aligner made each adjustment faster and more accurate than
I had ever done them in the past.
Blade flatness/arbor flatness: The blade is rotated while the
TS Aligner holds the dial indicator probe against the blade.
Any variations are noted. The blade is then rotated on the
arbor and new measurements made. This indicates both blade
flatness and any arbor runout. The test was very easy to do
and quite revealing.
Blade to table alignment: The saw table is adjusted to have
the blade parallel the miter slot. The TS-Aligner showed up
a variation on my saw of a small 002". The tiny misalignment
came from originally adjusting the heavy top with table
extension and Biesemeyer fence attached, when tightening
the bolts to the table top. The indicator proved to more
accurate than my ability to make the adjustments. That is
the fault of the saw manufacturer and Tom Gauldin; it is not
the TS-Aligner. After struling for almost a half hour, I
finally got the variation down to an indicated .001". If the
TS-Aligner becomes a standard setup tool, I suspect that the
saw manufacturers will have to begin installing finely
threaded adjustment screws in addition to merely slots with
jamb bolts.
Square blade to table (90 degree. cut): The TS-Aligner's
ability to be raised or lowered on the two guide rods makes
this a snap! I found that my previous setting of 90 degrees
was more like 89 degrees! Again, I wasted more time locating
and adjusting the stops on my saw than I did in making the
measurements and checking the results.
Check arbor bearings: Similar to checking the blade for
square, nudging the blade sideways and verifying that it
returns to the same vertical setting indicates any arbor
wear.
Adjusting blade tilt: Here, I was at a bit of a loss. The
supplied angle wedge and micro adjustable wedge I found in
the review kit were used together to measure a 30 to 35 degree
angle. However, most tablesaws have stops at 90 degrees and
at 45 degrees. I would have anticipated a 45 degree wedge in
the kit on the assumption that most folks would adjust both
"ends" of the bevel to their stops and then use the scale for
intermediate angles. Once measured, I did scribe a line on
my scale in the proper locations.
In later correspondence, I learned that the TS-Aligner
"starter kit" comes with the 45 degree wedge rather than the
one supplied. However, no square or wedges are included in
just the basic kit. The kit I reviewed was Ed's personal TS-
Aligner and he had merely added an angle wedge from his
collection without attempting to duplicate an "out of the
factory" kit.
I also found that measuring the blade tilt was made more
difficult by not knowing exactly where the top dead center of
my blade was. I used the dial indicator as a height marker
to locate TDC, and then marked the spot on the TS-Aligner and
table top. A permanent marking "index mark" on the TS-
Aligner might be beneficial for this, when mated to a scribed
line on the table top.
If the combined angle blocks were off of top dead center, the
readings changed. With practice and a SINGLE angle block for
desired angles, I suspect that the TS-Aligner could be a very
useful tool for the most precision angles. However, as
supplied in the kit, I found this to be its weakest
performance. I suest that Ed consider magnetizing the
wedges and supplying a small clamp for the blade to prevent
rotation. I found that two old clothespins worked extremely
well to prevent blade rotation, without distorting the blade.
Fence alignment: This was easy, extremely accurate and very
helpful. The TS-Aligner merely slides along the fence
while anchored in the miter gauge slot. The test also
indicates any bending/wear/warpage of the fence.
Adjusting saw's miter gauge to square: This is another of the
better features of the TS-Aligner, in my opinion. Using the
supplied square and the dial indicator, it is possible to
square the miter gauge to great precision. Since most miter
gauges get dropped, banged and adjusted repeatedly, the
ability to adjust it rapidly and accurately is an advantage.
Having now squared each of my miter gauges to perfection, it
is tempting to weld the oldest one in place at 90 degrees and
use the others for adjustments and other angles.
Adjusting angle of miter gauge: As in adjusting the miter
gauge to make it square with the fence, inserting angle
blocks between the fence on the miter gauge and the dial
indicator changes the desired angle, causing the side of the
square to parallel the miter slot in the saw top. The dial
indicator, when run along the edge of the square, thus
permits very accurate adjustment; indicating anything out of
parallel with the miter slot.
Again, I would have appreciated a 45 degree angle block
rather than the 30 degree block and the adjustable wedge that
was supplied for review.
Poor Man's Angle Set: This is a supplement to the Owner's
manual and includes a booklet and height measuring device to
adjust a blade to any desired angle, without using angle
wedges. The theory is that if two legs of a right triangle
are known, the angles can be readily determined from a table.
The precision size of the supplied rod limits the vertical
movement of the TS-Alignment tool, while the dial indicator
indicates the length of the other leg. There is a table
supplied to determine the angle. While it works, I doubt if
many folks would go to the trouble very often to use this
method for anything but a production line setup or the
infrequent extremely critical cut.
As stated earlier, the TS-Aligner that I reviewed was a
high quality piece of equipment and gave good value for the
price. I found the directions and video tape to be well
presented and informative; not only in the use of the TS-
Aligner, but also in why and how the adjustments are made.
The TS-Aligner does nothing that has not been accomplished
for generations using squares, angle blocks, candlelight,
and the simple finger "feel" of a saw tooth kissing the tip
of a combination square blade. However, the TS-Aligner makes
these adjustments easier, more repeatable, less subjective and
faster. To me, this means that I would probably make the
adjustments more frequently, and thus increase the accuracy
of my work.
Who do I consider to be the best prospects to buy the device
and its accessories, the angle sets? I think that the most
logical purchasers would be stores that rent tools, folks who
repair table saws or make house calls to adjust them,
maintenance people at furniture factories/cabinet shops,
stores selling table saws to the general public (to loan/rent
for initial setup) or for the type of woodworkers that I
affectionately call the "machinists". Machinists are the type
of woodworkers who takes a great deal of time to prepare each
cut, have everything clamped perfectly and strive for
perfection in every joint. This device could be their best
friend!
While I appreciate the quality of the system, the ease of its
use and the quality of the results, I doubt if too many
casual hobbyists would part with the $179 that the most basic
system costs for occasional use. In fact, unless the
purchaser already has a precision square and angle blocks,
buying anything less than the entire "$259 Starter Kit" or
even the "$384 Complete Kit" is like buying a Porsche with no
seats and with bias belted tires on it. You fail to get the
full use of an excellent machine. However, if you already
have these expensive and precise items in your shop, Ed does
not force you buy them again with his TS-Aligner.
Very serious hobbyists who already have basic tools,
retailers, professionals and tool rental places might do well
to consider the long-term benefits of having such a sturdy
and accurate machine around. For individuals, the TS-Aligner
is a tool that will be passed on to children and
grandchildren. It will certainly outlast the saws that it
aligns.
When I bought my Powermatic 66 locally, I would have readily
paid as much as $25 to rent the device for initially setting
up the saw. Failing to have done that, I would have called
around to rental places and paid $25 to rent it for a day to
make the adjustments, had I known what it was and how easy it
was to use. As my saw wears, I will definitely call around
to try to locate one to again bring my saw back into
adjustment.
The comments I have about the items I received are minor.
1) I would have appreciated a set of Allen wrenches that
matched the various Allen screws for setup and adjustment.
I later learned that they were included in the actual kit.
2) Most users at home or in a shop would want to leave the
TS-Aligner set up for fast use. Since the dial indicator can
easily become "infected" with dust, the TS-Aligner should be
kept in a case or cabinet away from the normal dusty shop
environment. This means that unless there is a dust-free
cabinet that the optional carrying case is virtually a
necessity. It is designed to hold either the components or
the assembled device and its accessories, including the video
tape. This is perfect for tool rental stores, where the video tape
would benefit customers renting the tool for a weekend.
3) The utility of the basic TS-Aligner is minimal without the
square and angle wedges. I think that these should be
included with the basic set, or strongly recommended to
buyers who might not order them otherwise. Typical "try
squares" do not work well, since one blade is thin while the
handle is thick. Ed's optional precision squares have
adequate thickness on BOTH limbs that they can stand alone on
the table surface, while leaving adequate width vertically
that the dial indicator probe can follow them up and down.
This would be virtually impossible with the thin leg of a
typical precision try square.
4) Ed might consider another option for a magnetic base for
the dial indicator. This is minor, since magnetic bases are
in virtually all woodworking catalogues and many woodworkers
already have them.
On a final note, mention is made in the video of some
other uses for the TS-Aligner. With the exception of
adjusting a bandsaw table, these uses are essentially for
just the dial indicator, which still makes sense. Here, a
magnetic base would be useful. Since an integral part of the
TS-Aligner is the very high quality dial indicator, using it
to adjust planer blades, jointer blades, measure runout on
drill presses and lathes and even setting up radial arm saws
is a reasonable function that helps to offset some of the
cost of the system. On bandsaws, running the dial indicator
up and down the blade indicates whether the table is square
to the blade, as on the table saw. If you do this a lot in
even a home shop, the high cost of the TS-Aligner is
amortized over a wider range of tools, and thus becomes more
reasonable.
A final thought is that if a hobbyist can afford the "finer
things" of our hobby such as $80 Freud blades, Powermatic/
Delta/ General tools, use $6.00 per board foot lumber, do
precision jointery or simply MUST have tools that are set to
ultra precision, the TS-Aligner is a great tool to add to a
Christmas list. Tool rental stores, factory/cabinet shop
equipment people and even local retailers of saws should also
consider the tool. Ed Bennett should be congratulated on
seeing a need among woodworkers, and filling it with a
quality tool.
Review of TS-Aligner Tool
Don Peterson 31 May 1995
1. Introduction
---------------
This is a review of the measurement tool called the TS-Aligner. I
had seen some references to it on the rec.woodworking newsgroup, so
I e-mailed the designer and manufacturer, Ed Bennett. It turned out
that we lived near each other, so Ed invited me over to see the
tool in his shop one night. I was impressed with the design and
Ed's manufacturing.
A week or two later, on my own initiative, I asked Ed if he'd loan
me a TS-Aligner so that I could evaluate it. I also asked Tom
Gauldin if he would like to evaluate it with me. Tom said yes, so
I sent him the tool after I was finished with it. I told Tom
nothing about the tool, so that I wouldn't influence his
judgments.
My motivation for doing this was firstly to get a chance to
evaluate the tool in my own shop because I was considering buying
one. Secondly, since I typically put notes on these kind of
evaluations into my notebooks, it wasn't that big of a deal to put
them into the computer and make them available to folks on the net.
I start off with the summary of my investigation and the
conclusions I made. I give this first because this is how I like
to see things done. The details follow for those who are
interested.
Realize that I'm only a woodworker by hobby, and I don't consider
myself a very experienced woodworker. But I've had an interest in
measurement tools all my life, both as a hobby and professionally.
Nevertheless, I haven't worked as a professional woodworker, so
you'll have to take that into account when you're forming your own
opinion of the comments below.
2. Summary & Conclusions
------------------------
TS-Aligner is a tool that does exactly what it is supposed to do:
align your tablesaw. With the proper options, it performs the
following setup tasks:
1. Checks that the blade is parallel to the table slots.
2. Checks the runout of the saw blade.
3. Checks the play in the spindle bearings.
4. Checks that the fence is parallel to the table slots.
5. Checks that the miter gauge is perpendicular to the table slots.
6. Checks that the saw blade is perpendicular to the table top.
7. Sets the saw blade tilt to a known angle.
8. Sets the miter gauge tilt to a known angle.
After a little practice, these tasks can be done quickly. What
impressed me most was how easy it was to set the tilt of the blade
to an exact value. With a little practice, I'd imagine you could
get to the point where you could set any angle between 45 degrees
and 90 degrees in less than a couple of minutes. And you'd know
that the blade was set to the correct angle, the first time.
2.1. Commercial Shops
For regular use of the TS-Aligner in a commercial shop, I would
recommend you purchase the TS-Aligner Complete Kit for $384. This
includes the 6 inch square, the angle measurement block set, and
the carrying case. I believe you would quickly see that purchase
price saved in setup time and reduction in scrap. I would
unhesitatingly recommend the tool to folks who make a living with
their tablesaw. If setting up quickly and correctly the first time
are important to you, then this tool is easily worth its purchase
price. With the cost of time and some of the woods we work with,
it won't take too many mistakes or lost time to pay for the tool.
Since the video is only $6, I would highly recommend getting it too
since it's probably the best way to train people on how to use the
tool.
2.2. Home Hobbyists
Home hobbyists (like me) are typically strapped for cash.
Personally, I won't be buying the tool for my own use, mainly
because I already have machinist tools that can make such
measurements. Truthfully, you can buy an inexpensive dial
indicator (the cheap ones can be gotten for $15 or less) and mount
it on a chunk of wood that slides in the table slots and measure
parallelism of the fence and blade to the slot. While not fancy,
it would do this particular task approximately as well as the TS-
Aligner. The real engineering value added of the TS-Aligner is in
the low friction vertical movement that can be set quite perpendicular
to the table.
If you have a need for such vertical measurement, then an
alternative would be buying an inexpensive height gauge, which can
be made to hold a dial indicator. (the height gauge can also be
used to set the saw blade height and router bit heights on the
router table, among other things). Looking in the 1994/1995 MSC
catalog on page 1420, they have a 12 inch height gauge made in
China for $80. On page 1393 there's a $17 dial indicator with a 1
inch travel. By drilling two holes in the height gauge and
inserting two pins, you could convert it to a tool similar to a
toolmaker's gauge and measure blade and fence parallelism to the
table saw slot edges.
So for $100, you could purchase components (and probably have to
make some small pieces yourself) that could do substantially the
same things the TS-Aligner can do. Other companies (such as Enco)
may even have lower priced stuff. But, of course, with some of
this economy stuff, the buyer must be wary. If you're going to use
it, make sure you can try out the stuff or at least have the option
of returning it if you don't like it. I personally have no
experience with these inexpensive tools, so I have no idea how well
this stuff is made. My guess would be that you can get a great
deal for casual use if you're willing to shop around and look
through a dealer's stock.
Thus, for hobbyists, I don't think a purchase of the TS-Aligner
makes a lot of sense. If you buy it, you won't be disappointed,
but there are numerous other tools I'd like to spend my $200 on
first. As always, your mileage may vary...
3. Evaluation details
---------------------
Generally, I followed the instructions in the TS-Aligner manual.
My notes below are substantially what I had written down while I
was making the evaluation. Ed Bennett kindly supplied the text
of the relevant section of the instruction manual, which are
attached to the end of this document.
Equipment used:
TS-Aligner: serial number 000206
Saw: Delta Unisaw, serial number 89D18536. It was new in early 1991.
Fence: Delta Unifence
Blade: Matsushita 60 tooth carbide blade 3/32" thick and 10" in diameter.
Toolmaker's indicator: Mitutoyo 0.010 inch range, 0.0001 graduations
TIR = "total indicated runout". This is typically gotten by
subtracting the minimum reading from the maximum reading.
1. (Adjustment to width of slot) I adjusted the TS-Aligner to
fit in the right slot of the saw with no slop. The adjustment
is much easier if you use a Bondhus style ball end hex driver
rather than a standard Allen wrench.
2. (Measuring parallelism of blade to left hand slot) On the
left hand side of the table, I found that the slot was just a
bit narrower than the slot on the right (I measured it as 1.5
mils narrower than the right hand side). But the tool moved
OK in the slot, just tighter than when it was on the right. I
found the tool would repeat to as good or better than 0.2
mils; that is my estimate of 20% of one division. Set to 0 on
a black mark on the blade near OD. Went to center of blade.
Read +12 mils. The back surface of blade read +8.8 mils
without rotating blade. Rotated black mark to the stylus,
read +4.5 mils. Back to center; read +12 mils. Back to the
front and it read -0.75 mils. Rotated the black mark back to
the front and it read -0.2 mils again. Good repeatability.
Note the stylus was in its lowest vertical position.
3. (Measuring blade runout) From the left hand side and front, I
measured the TIR of the blade. It went from -2.0 to +3.0
mils. This is thus 5.0 mils TIR. I verified this with the
Mitutoyo indicator.
4. (Measuring tilt of blade from left slot) From the center of
the blade, I raised the indicator up to the top of the blade,
just under the radius where the blade appears to be bead
blasted. I got: 0 to -6.5 mils; two repeats gave 0 to -7.0
mils, 0 to -6.8 mils. Note: measurements in both slots were
negative when the indicator approached the saw blade.
5. (Measuring parallelism of blade to right hand slot) Turned
TS-Aligner around and put in the right hand slot. Made a new
mark on the blade (it wasn't directly opposite the mark on the
other side since the blade wouldn't stay put). I measured the
front at 0.0 mils, the back was -6.5 mils with no rotation of
the blade. The reading went back to 0.0 mils at the front.
Then I rotated the black mark to the back and got a reading of
-4.2 mils. I zeroed the indicator at the back and moved to
the front and rotated the blade. I read +4.5 mils (repeated
within 0.3 mils).
6. (Measuring tilt of blade from right slot) I put the indicator
stylus at the lowest spot at the middle of the blade and
raised the indicator vertically. From the bottom zero
position, I measured to the top: +6.5 mils, +6.5 mils, +6.0
mils. Note these measurements are consistent with the
measurements in step 4 above. The center of the stylus at the
bottom is about 0.15" above the table surface. At the top
measurement point, the center of the stylus was 2.55" above
the table surface (both measurements were made with a rule).
Thus, the saw blade is tilted to the right by an angle whose
tangent is 0.0065/2.4, or 0.15 degrees. I put my combination
square up to the blade and found that this angle is quite
noticeable.
7. (Checking squareness of TS-Aligner to table top) I checked
the TS-Aligner for movement perpendicular to the table top. I
did this by using the precision 6" square shipped with the unit
(labeled as the 6.5" square in the price list). On the long
edge, I measured 0 at the bottom of the square and -2.0 mils at
the top. I held the square in place by using a magnetic dial
indicator base. I easily adjusted this offset out by turning the
one screw farthest from the stylus. It took less than 1/4 of a
turn. I found that I could adjust it to about 0.4 mils of
movement over 3.7". This is an angle of 0.006 degrees, or about
20 seconds of arc. This is near the square's accuracy (0.88 mils
over 8 inches), so the squareness of the TS-Aligner is mostly
dependent on the squareness of the square used. The nylon tipped
screws could be removed and replaced easily when worn and the
tool could be quickly adjusted back to it's factory condition in
a couple of minutes. This three point suspension method is
excellent and is based on good mechanical design principles
(i.e., a three point stance won't rock on an uneven surface).
8. (Aligning blade parallel to slots) I followed procedure 6.2
on page 14 of the manual. For 6.2.3, I got the front to back
difference to be -3.0 mils and -2.2 mils repeat. I decided
this was good enough, so I left it alone. Note that on a
following evening, I decided to try to adjust this out by
loosening the socket head cap screws holding the table to the
base, but I was never able to get the reading below 2.0 mils.
9. (Aligning blade square to table) For section 6.3, I repeated
the measurements made above. I got +5.0 mils on the right
hand side, -5.0 mils on the left hand side (those are
consistent readings). This translated into an angle of 0.12
degrees tilt to the right.
10. Section 6.4 tells you how to measure the play in the arbor
bearings. My saw had 1.5 mils of total play.
11. (Checking blade flatness and hub runout) Section 6.1, step
5: I rotated blade 180 degrees from the first position. I
still got 5.0 mils of TIR. The high spot did not stay at one
location on the blade. I took the blade off and cleaned the
blade and spindle parts. I also measured the runout of the
precision ground hub surface on the spindle and found that it
was 0.9 mils (measured with the Mitutoyo dial indicator). I
rotated the blade a couple of more times and repeated the
measurements. The high spot definitely didn't follow the
spindle (I marked it each time), so I hypothesized that the
blade was warped and perhaps some of the clamping force also
caused the blade to warp.
12. I checked the parallelism of the fence to the right hand
slot. I adjusted it to read 0 at front, +1.5 mils at middle,
and -1.5 mils at the back. This was the best I could make it.
Note that I can easily flex the locked fence 4 mils in either
direction by hand pressure at the back.
13. I checked the perpendicularly of the fence to the table. It
was off by 2 mils over 2.2", or an angle of 0.05 degrees.
14. (Test cut) I made a cut on a scrap chunk of fir 2X4. I
intentionally let the blade sit in one place in the cut while
I was getting the push sticks. If my saw is not adjusted
correctly, that almost always leads to a burned spot on the
workpiece. This time it didn't, in fact, I could barely see
where the blade had sat for a bit -- it had slightly burnished
the wood. There was no burning at all. I haven't seen my saw
perform this well before. Ed notes in his manual that 0.005"
of misalignment can reduce the quality of your cuts. Since my
saw blade was about 0.005" out of parallel before starting,
and about 0.002" after adjustment, I'd have to concur with
Ed's statement because my saw has caused burning on such a cut
before I did this adjustment.
15. (Setting 30 degrees of blade tilt) I used the 30 degree
angle block to set the blade tilt. I quickly set an
approximate setting by leaning the angle block on the blade
and setting the vertical side on the block next to the
precision square. When I got it about parallel to the square,
I checked it with the indicator. It was 2 mils off; a quick
adjustment set it right on. This whole procedure took less
than one minute, so setting the saw blade tilt will be fast
with the TS-Aligner, especially after you've practiced a bit.
I made a cut into the scrap piece of fir and measured the
angle with a Starrett precision protractor. The angle was 30
degrees within 5 minutes of arc by the protractor, which is
equal to the resolution of the protractor. Short of setting
up my sine bar to check the angle to a higher accuracy, the
TS-Aligner and angle block did what they were supposed to.
16. (Adjustment of 90 degree stop on the saw) I decided to use
the TS-Aligner to set the blade to be perpendicular to the
table top. This involved adjusting the stop bolt on the saw's
worm gear. It took me three tries, but I finally got it to 1
mil of movement over 2.5", or 0.02 degrees. This is at the
measurement abilities of the TS-Aligner.
17. (Observation of small amount of hysteresis) Note during the
measurement of perpendicularly of the blade (this also
happened during the measurement of the perpendicularly of the
fence), I found that the indicator would behave a little
strangely. From the bottom to the top of the movement up the
side of the blade, I'd see, say, +3 mils of movement. Then as
soon as I started moving the sliding member back down, the
reading would increase by 1 mil. It would zero out again at
the bottom. I suspect that this is play in the linear
bearings, because I could cause this movement by putting a
torque on the sliding block. Is this significant? Well, it's
measurable, but we're talking about an angle effect of a few
hundredths of a degree for the measurement I was making, so I
deem it unimportant, even for fussy woodworking.
18. (Informal check of dial indicator) Measuring the distance to
the fence and setting the indicator to zero, I stuck a 0.250",
0.450", and two 1.000" gauge blocks between the indicator and
the fence. The .450" and 1.000" blocks measured exactly their
values, but the 0.250" block was indicated as undersize by
0.001". There was also about +/- 0.0005" deflections from
just pulling the indicator plunger back and pushing it a
little side to side. This is acceptable performance for such
a tool.
4. Comments & Observations
--------------------------
1. The knurled knob on the end of the dial indicator spindle
rubbed against the aluminum block. Ed warned me about this --
it's just on this particular dial indicator and not on the
production models.
2. To quickly measure an angle on the miter gauge, use a square
and a stop in the other slot (I found one of my magnetic bases
for a dial indicator was highly suitable). Then use the stop
to move the TS-Aligner 1" with the ground rod to measure the
angle of the miter gauge. This is exactly the same technique
as the "Poor Man's Angle Block Set" method.
3. It is refreshing to read comments such as number 1 in section
8.1 of the manual: "It is difficult to tighten the middle
guide bearing from the top of the TS-Aligner. We are aware of
the difficulty and are working on alternative solutions. Feel
free to contribute any realistically economical ideas". I
agree the mechanical design of the bearing adjustment could be
improved, but I was unable to come up with a better solution.
I came up with three or four concepts, but they would all be
substantially more complicated to make, and that would only
add to the cost of the tool. The adjustment is fairly easy
with a hex driver of the Bondhus style, so I don't feel it's a
downcheck on the TS-Aligner.
4. Note that if the fence is parallel to the slot, you can adjust
the miter gauge square to the saw blade by putting a square
against the miter gauge and squaring it with respect to the
fence.
5. The manual is excellent. Except for a couple of places that
required a second reading or a double-take, it was written in
very understandable English.
6. The dial indicator didn't have the "snap" that a higher
quality indicator has. I also noticed 1 mil hysteresis in one
of the measurements. However, this is still good enough for
woodworking. If it were my tool, I'd replace it with a little
better indicator. But I think most folks will find it usable
as it is.
7. The 3 point suspension is a good design. It would be easy to
replace the three screws and reset the device. You'd do the
front two screws first, getting the height correct. Then the
back screw would be adjusted to make the movement on the
slides perpendicular to the table.
8. A concern over time would be wear in the linear bearings,
leading to degraded repeatability. This is perhaps the
weakest point of the design; I don't know how it will hold up
under shop conditions (there will be sawdust getting into the
bearings). On the other hand, the bearings are a good design,
providing low friction with low cost of manufacture, which
keeps the cost down.
9. I did notice that the TS-Aligner moved with more resistance in
the left hand slot of my saw versus the right hand slot. A
measurement with an adjustable parallel and micrometer showed
why: the left slot was 1.5 mils narrower than the right.
10. Ed included the video of the TS-Aligner in the package he
loaned me. The advantage of the video is that it will
introduce you to the tool's capabilities very quickly. I
suspect most folks can learn the capabilities of such a tool
better from a video than from the printed instructions. I'd
recommend its purchase to help you get up to speed quickly.
However, if you learn easily from printed instructions, save
your money and just use the manual -- it's excellent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Attached is the text from the TS-Aligner manual that details how
to perform the tasks I did above. Note that some of the pictures
are not here, which makes it hard to understand the material if
you haven't seen the TS-Aligner. Thanks to Ed for letting me put
this in here.
6. Aligning and testing your table saw
Whenever you make adjustments or test your saw, there are just a few things
to keep in mind.
1. Make sure the power is disconnected or disabled. TS-ALIGNER was not
intended to be used under any circumstances where power is applied to the
saw. This is dangerous and may lead to severe injury and possibly death.
2. Make sure the table surface is clean and free of sawdust or other
contaminants. This will ensure accurate setups and also preserve the life
of your TS-ALIGNER (dial indicators and bearings are sensitive to dust
contamination and can be easily damaged by it).
3. Table saws are not perfect. Some saws, because of table flatness, blade
warp, arbor runout, bearing play, and a host of other variables will never
be aligned better than +/-0.010". That's not bad when you consider the
stability of wood. However, TS-ALIGNER can tend to make the +/-0.010" mole
hill look like a mountain. That error of +/-0.010" spans 20 divisions on
the dial indicator! Rest assured, most quality saws can easily be aligned
to within a few thousandths of an inch.
4. Your table saw owner's manual is an invaluable resource to guide you in
making various adjustments. Since each manufacturer has different methods
for adjusting the various parts of the saw, we cannot give specific
instructions. However, we can tell you how to measure the error and what
needs to be adjusted to correct it. It will be up to you to read the saw's
owner's manual to find out how to do it.
6.1 Checking the flatness of the blade
There are no perfect blades. Every blade will show some amount of surface
flatness variation. Good quality blades available today should show no more
than 0.004" variation across their entire surface. Symptoms of a warped
blade include rough cuts or regularly spaced burn marks. Severe warp can
induce blade vibration which could produce an extremely dangerous situation.
It is also important to be able to tell the difference between a warped
blade, a bent arbor, runout, and dirt on the arbor flange. TS-ALIGNER can
help you to determine exactly what's wrong.
1. Always make sure that your saw is disconnected from power.
2. Place TS-ALIGNER in a miter slot and extend the rod so that the stylus is
against the blade and reads somewhere in the middle of the dial indicator's
range (small hand pointing near "2"). Rotate the scale so that the large
hand points to zero. This is your reference point.
3. Rotate the blade by pulling the belt, or turning the motor pulley (be
careful not to pinch your fingers!). Avoid touching the blade if possible
because this is dangerous and could also invalidate your readings if you
flex the blade. Cabinet saws connected to dust collection systems usually
force you to rotate the blade by touching it.
4. All parts of the surface can be checked by rotating the blade and moving
TS-ALIGNER to various positions in the slot. There is no need to raise the
block assembly or hold on to your TS-ALIGNER as you rotate the blade.
Observe and record the greatest amount of change and its position on the
blade (for example, you could mark the lowest reading spot with a felt tip
pen).
5. Loosen the arbor nut and rotate the blade to a new position on the arbor.
Re-tighten the nut and measure the blade again. If you notice the same
reading at the same location marked on the blade, then the blade is warped.
If the location changes you are viewing an arbor/flange problem. Clean the
arbor, flange and blade completely and perform the measurement again. If
the problem persists, you should consult a machinist for further assistance.
6.2 Aligning the blade parallel to the miter slots
This adjustment is where most woodworkers will see a vast improvement in the
quality of their cuts. It takes almost no time to check for blade
parallelism, and is usually a simple matter to correct if it is off. Blades
are not always perfectly flat and arbors are not always perfectly true. If
you detected a blade or arbor problem in the previous section, you would be
well advised to correct these problems before attempting any further
alignment.
1. Place TS-ALIGNER in one of the miter slots and extend the rod so that the
stylus contacts the surface of the blade and the dial indicator reads
somewhere in the middle of it's range. Tighten the knob so that the rod
will not slip.
2. Slide TS-ALIGNER along the slot so that the stylus is at one end of the
blade as shown in the photo. Rotate the scale on the dial indicator so that
the large hand points at zero and mark the spot on the blade where the
stylus touches. This will be your reference point. Be careful to avoid
hitting carbide teeth with the stylus tip as it can cause chips and
micro-fractures in the surface of the carbide.
3. Slide TS-ALIGNER to the other end of the blade and rotate the blade so
that the same spot is under the stylus. Check the reading on the dial
indicator to see how much it has changed. The change will indicate how much
mis-alignment there is between the surface of the blade and the miter slots.
4. As little as 0.005" change in reading can adversely affect the quality of
your cuts. Some saws require that you move the table surface. Others have
you shift the trunnions. Refer to your saw's manual to determine how the
adjustment is made (it is sometimes referred to as adjusting the "heel" of
the blade). You can leave TS-ALIGNER in contact with the blade while you
make the adjustment so that you can watch the change.
5. Keep in mind that you are changing your reference point when you make
this adjustment. You will need to re-establish the reference point and
check again (steps 1-3) after each adjustment.
6.3 Aligning the blade square to the table
Everyone wants square cuts. Half of the battle is getting your blade square
in relation to the table.
1. Raise the blade as far as it will go. Place the stylus against the blade
as shown in the photo. Always adjust the rod so that the indicator is
somewhere near the middle of it's range. This will give you the greatest
accuracy. Rotate the scale so that the large hand points to zero. This is
your reference point.
2. Raise the stylus by placing your finger under the knob. Do not allow
TS-ALIGNER to move or tilt (you may need to hold it down). Do not allow the
block to touch the top or bottom plates as these are areas of inaccuracy.
Observe the change in reading from bottom to top. The change indicates how
far from square your blade is tilted.
3. Adjust the blade tilt mechanism to minimize change. With practice you
will be able to hold the stylus at the top of the blade and adjust the tilt
mechanism at the same time. This will allow you to watch the adjustment as
it takes place.
4. Remember, the reference point changes when you tilt the blade.
Re-establish it by rotating the scale so that the large hand points to zero
when you are at the bottom of the blade.
5. Re-check your adjustment by raising the stylus back to the top of the
blade. If needed, adjust the blade tilt again. Two or three adjustments
should zero you in on nearly perfect alignment.
6.4 Checking the condition of the arbor bearings
Over time, the arbor bearings of any saw will wear. When this happens, the
accuracy of your cuts will decrease as blade vibration and wobble increase.
The manufacturer can tell you how much play is acceptable before the
bearings need replacing. TS-ALIGNER can tell you how much play exists on
your saw. DANGER: This test requires that you touch the blade. Make
certain that there is NO WAY that the saw can start unexpectedly by
disconnecting the power source. Position TS-ALIGNER as shown with the
stylus close to the center of the blade. Establish a reference point
(rotate the scale as before). Press one side of the blade. The reading on
the dial indicator will change as the blade is flexed. When you release the
pressure, the reading should return to zero. If it does not, the amount of
play can be read as the difference between the new reading and zero. Press
on the other side of the blade and note any non zero reading. If this value
seems excessive check with the manufacturer to determine how much play is
acceptable.
6.5 Adjusting the blade tilt
Many a woodworker has discouraged their customer from compound angle joints
because of the time consuming trial and error method of setting the saw to
cut those perfect angles. Even simple miter joints can take hours to
prepare. Certainly the scale on the front of most saws gives nothing more
than a rough estimate.
This adjustment requires a set of accurate angle blocks such as the ones
offered by us as an accessory. It may also require that the guide bearings
in TS-ALIGNER be moved into the front position to allow more room for the
stylus when the angle blocks are used.
The bearings can easily be removed by using a hex wrench (supplied) to
remove the screws that secure them. The center bearing is secured in a slot
using a hex screw and an "Allen nut". This little nut can be loosened from
the top with a hex wrench as well. Don't lose the Allen nut. It's
expensive!
Tilt the blade to the approximate angle and place the angle blocks against
the blade as shown in the photo. The blocks will cancel out the angle of
the blade when the blade is tilted to the correct angle. The edge that
faces TS-ALIGNER will then be perfectly square with the table surface.
Therefore, running the stylus up and down the edge of the angle blocks
should yield no change in reading. If it does, then you simply change the
blade tilt until it doesn't. Use the same technique that was described
earlier for squaring the blade. Be careful that the angle blocks remain
flat against the blade and that they are not resting on any teeth.
6.6 Aligning the fence parallel to the miter slot
Probably one of the biest reasons for burned edges when ripping is the
alignment of the fence relative to the blade. The blade should already be
aligned so that it is parallel to the miter slot. If you skipped that
step, or there is any question about the blade alignment, go back and check
it. We are going to align the fence so that it is parallel to the miter
slot as well. When the blade and the fence are both parallel to the miter
slot, they will be parallel to each other. Remember, the miter slot is one
of our two unchanging references.
Start by placing TS-ALIGNER as shown in the photo. Adjust the rod so that
the dial indicator reads mid-scale. Rotate the scale so that the large hand
points at zero. Slide TS-ALIGNER down the miter slot and observe the
reading on the dial indicator. If the front end of the fence reads
differently from the rear end, you may need to adjust it so that the two
ends read the same. If your blade manufacturer recommends that you leave a
small gap at the rear end of the fence, you can make this change very easily
by adjusting the fence until the dial indicator displays the proper amount
BEWARE: BE VERY CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO NOT ADJUST THE FENCE SO
THAT THERE IS LESS SPACE BETWEEN THE REAR OF THE FENCE AND THE BLADE. THIS
IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT WILL CAUSE BURNED EDGES AND CAN
CAUSE A KICKBACK.
If you find you are having trouble because the fence surface is not flat,
skip ahead to the section on fence flatness. It is potentially very
dangerous to attempt to use a warped fence for rip cuts. If the board you
are cutting becomes pinched between the fence and the blade, you will be
lucky if you are not seriously injured. Don't try to align a warped fence.
Repair or replace it and then align it.
6.7 Aligning the fence square to the table
Whether you cut thick or thin boards, you want to be sure that when you set
your fence for a certain width of cut, that all boards come out to that
width. If your fence is not square with the table surface, then the top
will be closer or further away from the blade than the bottom. It might not
seem like much difference until you use part of your fence as a stop for
shoulder cuts on a tenon.
Place TS-ALIGNER as shown in the photo. In the same way the blade was
checked for squareness, raise and lower the stylus and observe the changes.
Some fences are not adjustable for squareness and you may need to fashion a
new face for your fence that adjusts (or at least compensates for the
error).
6.8 Checking the flatness of the fence
While aligning your fence to the miter slot or squaring it with the table,
you may have noticed the reading on the dial indicator was not entirely
consistent. Perhaps it began to rise, and then fall back to zero as you
moved from end to end. This would indicate that the fence surface isn't
flat but is bowed away from the blade. Similarly, if the reading began to
fall and then rise back to zero, the fence surface is bowed toward the
blade. Perhaps you noticed that one end of the fence was square with the
table surface but the other one wasn't. This would indicate that the fence
is twisted. These problems could explain why poor rip cuts persist even
after careful alignment with TS-ALIGNER.
If the flatness is less than 0.005", you're fence is probably fine.
Anything greater than that and you should see if you can get the problem
repaired or get the fence replaced. You may have to bring your fence to a
machine shop to have it milled or ground flat. The danger here cannot be
minimized. Fixing a fence flatness problem will not only make your saw
safer, but you will re-gain control of your rip cuts. They will not wander
away from the fence, or be pinched between the fence and the blade.
6.9 Micro adjusting the fence position
There are times when you need to move the fence "just a hair". So, you
loosen the locking lever and...tap tap tap...Oops! Too far! Then you try
to find where it was before you moved it! It could keep you busy all
afternoon. However, if the stylus on TS-ALIGNER was against the fence when
you moved it, not only would you know how far you moved it, but you would
have known how far you needed to move it in the first place.
You would also find it no trouble at all to restore the fence to its
original position. Just make sure you start by setting the scale so that
the big hand on the dial indicator points to zero. Using this technique, I
regularly cut aluminum and composite materials on my saw to within 0.001".
Most tablesaws really can do accurate work when used with TS-ALIGNER.
6.10 Adjusting the miter gauge for squareness
For this adjustment, you will need an accurate square. We recommend a
square similar to the one we offer as an accessory: Class II or better with
an extra thick blade. If you can't find one with a thick blade, you can
place the thin blade against miter gauge and use the beam (the wide part)
against the stylus of TS-ALIGNER. Make sure you perform this adjustment
after you are sure that the blade is parallel to the miter slot. We are
going to adjust the miter gauge so that it is square to the miter slot. If
the blade is parallel to the slot, then the miter gauge will be square to
the blade.
Place the beam (or blade) of the square on the face of the miter gauge as
shown in the photo. Position TS-ALIGNER as shown and adjust the rod so that
the indicator reads mid-scale. Slide the miter gauge and square down the
miter slot together. Make sure the square doesn't slip around on the face
of the miter gauge. You will be able to determine very quickly if the miter
gauge is square to the miter slot. Watch for a change in reading and adjust
the angle of the miter gauge to obtain the minimum amount of change. Always
move the miter gauge and leave TS-ALIGNER stationary. If you move
TS-ALIGNER and leave the miter gauge stationary, you will be aligning the
miter gauge so that it is square with the slot that TS-ALIGNER is in.
6.11 Measuring parallelness of the miter gauge slots
Using the setup described in adjusting the miter gauge for squareness you
can check to see if your miter slots are parallel. If you move both the
miter gauge/square combination and the TS-ALIGNER down the slots at the same
time, any change in reading will indicate a change in distance between the
slots.
While it is very rare that the slots would not be parallel, it does explain
why you might have problems on only one miter slot. Symptoms of this
problem include: burning of end grain or cuts that aren't square over their
entire length. You may be forced into aligning your saw to one slot and
using it exclusively.
This sort of defect can be repaired by a machinist but it will be a rare
one that will have a milling machine big enough. In addition, the end
result would leave you with larger miter slots.
6.12 Adjusting the Miter gauge to any angle
If a square can be used to set the miter gauge to 90 degrees, then an
accurate
angle block can be used in the same manner to set the miter gauge to any
angle. The key here is to use accurate angle blocks (like the ones we offer
as accessories). Use the photo as your guide in setting up. As you slide
the miter gauge/angle block combination down the slot, watch for a change in
reading that would indicate that the miter gauge is not at the correct
angle. Carefully adjust the miter gauge until there is no change in reading
for the entire length of the angle block. Again, make sure you move your
miter gauge and not your TS-ALIGNER. Otherwise, you will be aligning to the
slot that the TS-ALIGNER is in. Unlike the square, the angle block is small
and light. You will probably need to hold it down more carefully and may
find it useful to clamp a block behind it. Be careful that the edge of the
angle always remains in contact with the face of the miter gauge and that
there is no dust between them.
6.13 Checking the miter gauge for play
Probably the first thing you noticed when you squared up or set the angle on
your miter gauge is the amount of play. Just when you think everything is
perfect, you shift the bar of the miter gauge in the slot and perfection
goes out the window. Not many miter gauges have an adjustment for play. If
yours does that's great. If it doesn't, then you will have to figure out a
way to remove the play or cope with it (i.e. always pushing the bar to one
side, etc.). It is, however, good to know how much play exists and what
effect it will have on your cuts.
Price and Component List, as supplied by Ed Bennett
Item Number Description
Price
905-2000-001 TS-Aligner - fits miter slots between 5/8" and 7/8"
179.00
Includes dial indicator and Poor Man's Angle Set
905-2000-002 TS-Aligner - for miter slots outside above range
179.00
Please specify size requirements when ordering.
905-2000-003 TS-Aligner - without dial indicator
161.00
TS-Aligner can use any standard AGD type 2 dial
indicator with a 1/4" lug back and a 4-48 stylus tip
thread.
906-1000-001 TS-Aligner Starter Kit
259.00
Includes TS-Aligner as above, six inch precision
square, 45 degree angle block and a custom molded
storage case. Save $35.00!
906-1000-002 TS-Aligner Complete Kit
384.00
Includes TS-Aligner, six inch precision square,
complete angle set and a custom molded storage
case. Save $50.00!
905-2001-001 5 Degree Angle Block
25.00
905-2002-001 10 Degree Angle Block
25.00
905-2003-001 20 Degree Angle Block
30.00
905-2004-001 30 Degree Angle Block
30.00
905-2005-001 45 Degree Angle Block
30.00
905-2006-001 Micro-Tangent Bar (Variable 0-5 Degree Angle Block)
60.00
906-1002-001 Complete Angle Set
170.00
Includes all of the angle blocks above in a fitted
storage box.
905-2020-001 6.5 Inch Precision Square
25.00
905-2021-001 8.5 Inch Precision Square
35.00
905-2022-001 10.5 Inch Precision Square
59.00
905-2023-001 14 Inch Precision Square
72.00
905-2024-001 18 Inch Precision Square
100.00
905-2030-001 Custom Molded Storage Case
60.00
905-2040-001 TS-Aligner Video
6.00
Receive $25.00 off the purchase of TS-Aligner when
you purchase the video before (or with) TS-Aligner,
the TS-Aligner Starter Kit or Complete Kit.
To order, call toll FREE 1-800-333-4994
Ed Bennett wrote in message <3506F4...@primenet.com>...
Peter Shull
I recently purchased the TS Aligner Jr., and have nothing but favorable comments. The instructions were clearly written and easy to follow, and I was easily able to accurately set up my new TS in the course of a leisurely afternoon. In terms of context, my mechanical aptitude is minimal, my manual dexterity is sometimes positively clam-like, I had never heard of a 'dial indicator' until I started reading this NG, and I have no ties with any manufacturer or vendor of woodworking equipment.
The purchase was made through Hartville Tool, another company I would recommend in a heart beat.
DeloID
I have to agree as well about the TS aligner Jr. Wonderful tool which is
inexpensive considering its value and quality. Additionally, it is manufactured
in the great state of Idaho!
Dean--- in Boise
Rob
ok .. I must have missed the discussion...
please pass on the info for me...
Thanx...
Rob
bb...@velocity.net
Keith Bohn
You could as easily consult Dejanews and filter the search to include
only those articles noted in the subject line. You'll pull up around
two dozen recent posts. Pay special attention to Thomas Gauldin's
review.
Keith Bohn
b2d
Arthur M. Schneiderman
Although Thomas Gauldin's aticle is subjected "Re: TS Aligner Jr vs
Align-It" it doesn't really compare the two products. It is a very detailed
review of the TS Aligner. I have an Align-It and have been very pleased
with its performance. I'd be interested in an impartial comparison of the
two products including their relative strengths and weaknesses.
Keith Bohn wrote in message <6ek836$g...@newsops.execpc.com>...
Ed Bennett
Arthur M. Schneiderman wrote:
>
> Although Thomas Gauldin's aticle is subjected "Re: TS Aligner Jr vs
> Align-It" it doesn't really compare the two products. It is a very detailed
> review of the TS Aligner. I have an Align-It and have been very pleased
> with its performance. I'd be interested in an impartial comparison of the
> two products including their relative strengths and weaknesses.
We could probably put something together that would satisfy this need.
If Tom is willing to do another review, I would have no problem at all
loaning him a Jr. for testing. I could also send him the Align-It that
I have so he could do the comparison. Tom would be much more objective
than myself but since everything would be coming from me I could
understand why some people might still question the results. Perhaps we
could get two volunteers to submit units to Tom for review? I'm open to
any and all ideas. In fact, if you want to do the review yourself, I'll
loan you a Jr. I just want to make sure that some realistic objectives
are met:
1. The products would be carefully tested and evaluated by someone who
is qualified and willing to do a very thorough and objective job.
2. The review is done in a timely manner and the results are posted to
the newsgroup.
3. The reviewer receives no compensation.
What do you think?