# digital measuring devices



## brown down (Nov 20, 2014)

I need to get a digital angle finder as well as a digital depth caliper! anyone have any suggestions?

http://www.amazon.com/CMT-DAG-001-D...=1-8&keywords=digital+protractor+angle+finder

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_3d5xccigdt_b


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## ButchC (Nov 20, 2014)

I have a wixey digital angle finder that i think i got at rockler or woodcraft on sale. It works well and I've never had a problem with it.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## TimR (Nov 20, 2014)

The Wixie has been a good angle finder for me. I've got a depth gauge I picked up on sale, but have yet to use it.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ironman123 (Nov 20, 2014)

What is wrong with
*Johnson Level & Tool and Tool 700 Magnetic Angle Locator?*

*I have never tried the Wixley but have 2 other ones sitting on a shelf. *

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Kevin (Nov 20, 2014)

I started out about 8 years ago buying a Wixey and liked it, but promtply dropped it. It ruined it wouldn't work anymore. So I bought another and was more careful but eventually and dropped it after a couple years and it ruined it on the first drop too. So I bought a Beall tilt box which I have dropped several times and it still works like new. I also have that Johnson magnetic (a much older version) and it works for most everything re: table saw too but is not as accurate as a digital if your after thousandths. 

I just have a cheapo $40 General digital caliper that I bought at my local hardware store but it works great for my purposes.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Kevin (Nov 20, 2014)

PS Jeff the General caliper will readout metric or imperial fractions or imperial decimal with the push of a button very handy but I assume they all do that today.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## brown down (Nov 24, 2014)

@Kevin are you just using a caliper or one that has magnetic feet to rest on the surface? not sure if I am saying that correctly. I have one very good sterret digital caliber I use for reloading and countless others, metric and standard. do they make a piece that I can slide my already existing calibers into it? just the stand if that makes sense! 

@ironman123 Ive used those other dial type angle finders at work and are fairly accurate but I am having one heck of a time getting my table saw to cut 45 miter joints. I am just a few degrees off but is enough that it shows and is driving me bonkers! I need them to be exact thats why I need the digital ones! 

thank you all for the responses!


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## Mike1950 (Nov 24, 2014)

brown down said:


> @Kevin are you just using a caliper or one that has magnetic feet to rest on the surface? not sure if I am saying that correctly. I have one very good sterret digital caliber I use for reloading and countless others, metric and standard. do they make a piece that I can slide my already existing calibers into it? just the stand if that makes sense!
> 
> @ironman123 Ive used those other dial type angle finders at work and are fairly accurate but I am having one heck of a time getting my table saw to cut 45 miter joints. I am just a few degrees off but is enough that it shows and is driving me bonkers! I need them to be exact thats why I need the digital ones!
> 
> thank you all for the responses!



Throw the caliber away. Make very sure stock is square and straight. Take 2 test pieces- cut 45's put together on flat surface (table saw top) use a machinist square to check- adjust accordingly. If stock is not true/flat and square- forget all the above and use for firewood- you will never get perfect joints with crooked wood.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (Nov 24, 2014)

Mike1950 said:


> Throw the caliber away.



Jeff you didn't say what you're using a caliper for so not sure why Mike suggests throwing it away - although he seems to be suggesting you throw one of your guns away he just doesn't name a specific caliber.  (smartass Lepretexican)

If you want to use a caliper for whatever that's you business, but I guess I don't understand your question. I do use a caliper when making 3D cutting boards and it's indispensable.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## brown down (Nov 24, 2014)

I'll be using the caliber for setting height on both my router and table saw blades! I know they make a gimmick for the miter slots but want to get something for exact measurements for say sliding dovetails and ect. I have about 10 calibers and if they make something that is an attachment for the calibers I'd rather go that way then to have another caliber lol. 

I have my stock square and flat. I shoot it on my shooting board prior to taking it on the table saw. I for the life of me can't get it cut to a 45. I am even using my grandfathers machinist sterret protractor to set the blade at a 45 but when I cut it, it ain't a 45 lol. I need the digital angle finder for setting the blade to exactly the degree I want and the caliper for setting my blade height in a different application! 

throw one of my guns away  I am a gun hoarder as much as a wood hoarder lol I can't even sell the ones I no longer use, the collection just keeps growing like my wood addiction  altho I do think about it when it comes time every few months to clean them  I buy hoppes by the gallon lol


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## Kevin (Nov 24, 2014)

brown down said:


> I'll be using the caliber for setting height on both my router and table saw blades! I know they make a gimmick for the miter slots but want to get something for exact measurements for say sliding dovetails and ect. I have about 10 calibers and if they make something that is an attachment for the calibers I'd rather go that way then to have another caliber lol.
> 
> I have my stock square and flat. I shoot it on my shooting board prior to taking it on the table saw. I for the life of me can't get it cut to a 45. I am even using my grandfathers machinist sterret protractor to set the blade at a 45 but when I cut it, it ain't a 45 lol. I need the digital angle finder for setting the blade to exactly the degree I want and the caliper for setting my blade height in a different application!
> 
> throw one of my guns away  I am a gun hoarder as much as a wood hoarder lol I can't even sell the ones I no longer use, the collection just keeps growing like my wood addiction  altho I do think about it when it comes time every few months to clean them  I buy hoppes by the gallon lol



Jeff first let's agree that the difference between caliper and caliber is significant. 

You can use a caliper to determine what caliber a bullet is but in general you cannot use any caliber bullet to measure anything to do with woodworking. I guess you *could* but it wouldn't be an efficient way . . .

As to your question I'm not aware of any kind of attachment for a set of calipers nor for a digital caliper to do what you're asking, and I think that's probably because the gizmos to which you refer are much better suited for it, so there's just no demand for such an attachment.

When you use a digital box like the wixey or tilt box make sure to set it on your table right next to the blade (and make sure your blade insert is perfectly flush with your table) and zero the box, then place it on your blade making sure it doesn't come in contact with one of the carbide cutters. Make sure it's flat on the blade body, and make sure your blade isn't warped. It happens. 

As to your (and especially Mike's) constant incorrect usage of the word "then" as opposed to "than" and vice versa , well I gave up on that a one a long long time ago.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## ironman123 (Nov 24, 2014)

Isn't there a slight blade flex as the RPM's increase. I cannot get a true or close 45 cut when using a thin kerf blade. Might be me, but I blame it on blade flex.


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## brown down (Nov 24, 2014)

hahah I guess its a good thing this isn't an english forum then or than? haha I couldn't resist 
yea I meant to say caliper lol I have thought about using one of my calibers on the saw when I couldn't get it to cut at the angle I wanted lol but didn't want to risk hitting any of my burl  Well I guess I am going to have to order the set then/than they sell a wixey 3 piece set, digital angle finder, digital height finder and also digital T bevel gauge for around $70


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## Kevin (Nov 24, 2014)

Ray I never use thin kerf blades for that very reason. If you have good beef on both sides of the blade you can usually get a decent cut, but often we are are cutting near or at the edge of a board, and thin kerf blades will flew a great deal when it has a lot of meat on one side and little or none on the other. The savings in kerf width isn't worth the trade off.


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## brown down (Nov 24, 2014)

the blade I have on there now is a forest 80 tooth and is a thin kerf and have a blade stiffener on there for that exact reason!


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## Kevin (Nov 24, 2014)

brown down said:


> I have thought about using one of my calibers on the saw when I couldn't get it to cut at the angle I wanted lol


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## brown down (Nov 24, 2014)

even using a blade stiffener?


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## Kevin (Nov 24, 2014)

Blade stiffeners help but you still gonna get flex. I started out with forrest blades and still have the stiffener I bought with my first pair of blades that was back in early 90s. Forrest are good but IMO overrated because the $40 blade I have on my saw now cuts every bit as good as it's $120 forrest equivalent and zero flex.


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## brown down (Nov 24, 2014)

using the stiffener or whatever its called limits the thickness I can cut and have had issues using my sleds. I can only cut 2" off the table and less than that with the sleds

Reactions: Agree 1


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## brown down (Nov 24, 2014)

what blade are you running?


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## Kevin (Nov 24, 2014)

let me get a pic and check my amazon history to get you the link . . . .


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## brown down (Nov 24, 2014)

ok good deal man thanks BTW hows your climate as far as me shipping that timber to you now? the plum and burl?


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## Kevin (Nov 24, 2014)

My bad it's only a $32 blade lol. This is obviously a ripping blade but it cuts surprisingly clean crosscuts as well.





Unless I'm making something that demands perfectly clean crosscuts I just cut it with this ripping blade. For perfect crosscutting I throw my Freud Avanti on. here's the link for the Kempston best blade buy I know of it also gives you perfectly flat bottom cuts . . .

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013KTUQ6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## brown down (Nov 24, 2014)

heck for that price you can't go wrong and with the forest blade I have you can't get flat bottom cuts. so cutting groves or dados isn't an option with that blade! just looked at the freud blades and they aren't that badly priced either! better then forest for sure! thanks for the link kevin! I am going to order one of these as well and give it a shot

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (Nov 24, 2014)

Than. Better than. Oh never mind.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 2


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