Well I use 2 Dubby jigs for most of my production cutting and cross
cutting. But because they do not have a flip up stop, I often have to
remove the Dubby and pull our my stock miter gauge. I hate using that thing
as it seems to always be a crap shoot as to whether it is going to cut at 90
degrees. All this just to square the end of a board and not up set the stop
setting on the Dubby.
Anyway, I decided to get a smaller precision miter gauge that would lock
down precisely at 0 degrees to do these in between cuts to square stock and
for quick crosscuts. I wanted a miter gauge that you did not have to look
at and confirm that it would be set to cut 90 degree. One that could not
easily be accidentally knocked off 0. So, I bought the Kreg miter gauge.
This was the FastTrac Miter gauge. I got the silver Kreg that has the Kreg
enhancements that the Silver Fastrac did not have. I assembled it and was
impressed with the fit and finish and ease of use.
Now the bad part. Even though the Kreg now has a brass indexing pin to lock
in the settings at the points most often used and the handle that tightens
the gauge, the gauge would not lock down at 0 degrees or any of the other
settings unless you visually and manually adjusted the gauge also. Way too
much play in the brass indexing pen to hold the miter gauge in one position.
Regardless of how tight the handle was, the gauge would still easily deflect
off 0 with the indexing pin in place at 0. I took the gauge back to my
local dealer and me being content was all they were interested in. They
pulled the New BLUE Kreg off the display to check the play on it. It was as
advertised as the miter was dead on 0 and even with the handle loose and or
off the gauge stayed dead on 0 degrees. The trouble here though is that we
needed a pair of pliers to remove the brass index pin. After getting the
pin out and tweaking it with steel wool the Gauge worked perfectly. The
locals were willing to let me have the New Blue Kreg in exchange for the
Silver Kreg for the same price. The Blue Kreg was $30. more. I almost went
for that but they would be loosing money on the deal, well may be just
loosing a percentage of gross profit. I was not looking for a "Deal", just
a gauge that I trusted and could rely on. I turned down the gracious offer
and put out another $40 for the Osborne 3. This gauge was my second choice.
I hope it works out.
So, if you are considering a Kreg miter gauge, go for it but I strongly
suggest you get from a local supplier and not order it. I suggest you take
the gauge out of the box and check for play at the indexing pin at the store
before you take it home. It will be easy to spot if this gauge has a
problem. IMHO any movement at all is not acceptable. I totally believe
that the Kreg miter gauge will work as advertised if the indexing pin fit
snugly. The Blue Kregs seem to have the better fitting indexing pin IMHO.
"Todd L" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:mY%[email protected]...
>
>
> have read a few complaints about the gauge face not being square
> to the table.
>
> Umm, that is adjustable you know.........
>
> Todd L
No, it isn't. I bought a V27 and had to re-build the S.O.B. The angle to
the blade is adjustable, but the face of the fence wasn't even close to
being 90 degrees to the table top. There is a 1/8" piece of steel that
attaches to the main part of the miter guage. The 1/8" steel is (supposed to
be) bent up at 90 degrees to form the face. The problem is that it isn't
bent at a true 90, it's about 92 or 93. The only way to get the piece tight
to the miter guabe is to pull it up out of the slot. I took mine apart and
tried to straighten it, but screwed it up. I ended up buying a piece of
right-angle aluminum from HD and machined the defective piece from that -
now it's square as can be.
Next time I was at the place I bought it, I mentioned it to the store
manager. He said, "Yeah, there's been a few complaints about that, so we
called the Incra rep and asked. The rep said they're made that way to help
hold the workpiece down on the table".
I said, "Hmmm..." and left. I'm sure the guy was talking out his a*s.
Gravity has always done a pretty fair job of holding my work on the table in
the past, I really don't think Incra would try to improve on that. I think
they just let QC get away for a moment, or a batch. I was pretty disgusted
at first, but after $3 and a couple hours work, I love it. If I happen
across someone with a capable brake I may try again to straighten the
original piece, but I'm happy with it (now).
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:mY%[email protected]...
have read a few complaints about the gauge face not being square
to the table.
Umm, that is adjustable you know.........
Todd L
"Jerry Shaw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Snip
I think they just let QC get away for a moment, or a batch.
Perhaps a large batch. The first time I heard about that problem was
probably 3 years ago, long vefore the V27 came out.
Leon,
Nice review of the problems noted. Have you had a chance to try or look at
the Incra miter gauges? I have two (models 1000 and 2000) with extra fences
and stops. There is no play - zip, zero, null...
http://www.incra.biz/index.html
Bob S.
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well I use 2 Dubby jigs for most of my production cutting and cross
> cutting. But because they do not have a flip up stop, I often have to
> remove the Dubby and pull our my stock miter gauge. I hate using that
thing
> as it seems to always be a crap shoot as to whether it is going to cut at
90
> degrees. All this just to square the end of a board and not up set the
stop
> setting on the Dubby.
> Anyway, I decided to get a smaller precision miter gauge that would
lock
> down precisely at 0 degrees to do these in between cuts to square stock
and
> for quick crosscuts. I wanted a miter gauge that you did not have to look
> at and confirm that it would be set to cut 90 degree. One that could not
> easily be accidentally knocked off 0. So, I bought the Kreg miter gauge.
> This was the FastTrac Miter gauge. I got the silver Kreg that has the
Kreg
> enhancements that the Silver Fastrac did not have. I assembled it and was
> impressed with the fit and finish and ease of use.
>
> Now the bad part. Even though the Kreg now has a brass indexing pin to
lock
> in the settings at the points most often used and the handle that
tightens
> the gauge, the gauge would not lock down at 0 degrees or any of the other
> settings unless you visually and manually adjusted the gauge also. Way
too
> much play in the brass indexing pen to hold the miter gauge in one
position.
> Regardless of how tight the handle was, the gauge would still easily
deflect
> off 0 with the indexing pin in place at 0. I took the gauge back to my
> local dealer and me being content was all they were interested in. They
> pulled the New BLUE Kreg off the display to check the play on it. It was
as
> advertised as the miter was dead on 0 and even with the handle loose and
or
> off the gauge stayed dead on 0 degrees. The trouble here though is that
we
> needed a pair of pliers to remove the brass index pin. After getting the
> pin out and tweaking it with steel wool the Gauge worked perfectly. The
> locals were willing to let me have the New Blue Kreg in exchange for the
> Silver Kreg for the same price. The Blue Kreg was $30. more. I almost
went
> for that but they would be loosing money on the deal, well may be just
> loosing a percentage of gross profit. I was not looking for a "Deal",
just
> a gauge that I trusted and could rely on. I turned down the gracious
offer
> and put out another $40 for the Osborne 3. This gauge was my second
choice.
> I hope it works out.
> So, if you are considering a Kreg miter gauge, go for it but I
strongly
> suggest you get from a local supplier and not order it. I suggest you
take
> the gauge out of the box and check for play at the indexing pin at the
store
> before you take it home. It will be easy to spot if this gauge has a
> problem. IMHO any movement at all is not acceptable. I totally believe
> that the Kreg miter gauge will work as advertised if the indexing pin fit
> snugly. The Blue Kregs seem to have the better fitting indexing pin IMHO.
>
>
"Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Leon,
>
> Nice review of the problems noted. Have you had a chance to try or look
at
> the Incra miter gauges? I have two (models 1000 and 2000) with extra
fences
> and stops. There is no play - zip, zero, null...
>
> http://www.incra.biz/index.html
Yes, I have looked at them for years and while you are probably quite happy
with yours I feel they are a bit pricey,although the Osborn is right up
there, and have read a few complaints about the gauge face not being square
to the table. I also have steered away form the large protractor heads that
use up a lot of table space behind the fence. And then there is the weight
issue. LOL. The Osborn has a lot of the issues that I don't like but it
has a lot of features that I do like. I wanted dead accurate and simple. I
would probably go for the Incra V27 as it is smaller behind the fence and I
really only want dead accurate and quick at 0 degrees. My Dubby sliding
jigs are what I use for angle cuts.
Again, I believe that the Kreg will be great once the engineering quirks are
ironed out.