# Digital readout



## AaronRC4 (Feb 27, 2012)

Is anyone using an after market digital readout? Is it worth it? I was trying to route some lock joints this morning . One Horizontal and one vertical cut required. A very fussy set up to get it dead on. I get lost when using my scissor jack lifter . I think a digital readout would make it easier to zero in.

Seems like Wixley and Quint make units for Table routers but not sure how they tolerate dust,especially MDF which I use for test cuts.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI 

Wixley are nice but you don't need to put out the big bucks for one.

I use one on the router table and the planer and they work great.

http://www.amazon.com/iGaging-DigiM...ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1331234030&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ools&field-keywords=Digital+readout&x=15&y=15

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AaronRC4 said:


> Is anyone using an after market digital readout? Is it worth it? I was trying to route some lock joints this morning . One Horizontal and one vertical cut required. A very fussy set up to get it dead on. I get lost when using my scissor jack lifter . I think a digital readout would make it easier to zero in.
> 
> Seems like Wixley and Quint make units for Table routers but not sure how they tolerate dust,especially MDF which I use for test cuts.


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## del schisler (Feb 2, 2006)

I have the beall tilt box and like it here is a good read about the waxey also i bet you will go with the beall tilt box 

http://www.routerforums.com/tool-reviews/8292-beall-tilt-box-versus-wixey-angle-gauge.html


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## benjamenjohnson (Mar 8, 2012)

*Digital readouts*

I use the same digital readout that bobj3 mentioned. I mounted it directly to my router lift. I find it most useful when I am setting cut depth. I'll set the router for the final depth, hit zero, then lower it and make several passes until I get back to zero. 

It works really well. The sending unit is sealed I believe it works the same was a set of digital calipers do. I haven't had a problem with dust yet.


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## WillMatney (Oct 6, 2011)

I just bought a 12" DRO, myself, to use on a miter fence. I've not mounted it yet, but I have tried it out, and it works okay. It comes with mounting hardware, and mine was made by iGauging. I bought it from a seller on eBay, and got a good price on it, new in the box for around $40.00. The inch scale reads out in 1000'ths and fractions, plus it has zeroing, and metric capability. On these, you can mount the digital readout anywhere you want, and I think it has around two feet of wire to connect the two pieces.

I wanted a miter fence that I could split hairs with, and I'll put some photos on here when I get it done. I'm using an Incra V27 miter gauge to put the fence on, and constructing the fence from wood, and aluminum T-Track. It will have a fine adjustment on it, so I can adjust it to 0.001" anywhere along its length. Using a fine adjustment, I should be able to do joints with precision spacing by just centering the work stop with the bit.


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## john880 (Aug 18, 2010)

Have you tried a zero clearance insert for your fence. Had the same conserns years ago, When I built the inserted wood fence for the front of my router saw's fence i built in to the inside of both a means of installing different inserts, & then labeled them and set them into the storage drawer.. The very importain key here is to make sure the insert has a base line level off of your table top. Then after you have set your bit to it's EXACT tried & true height, slowely bring your fence forward making a zero clearance insert, and,,,a template for later down the road set-up.
i do not, nor can not, understand for the life of me, why there isnt more guys that use zero clearance inserts for the router fence. It is not something new just out of the box. Once a fence is designed to accept a certain L & W to lock them in, its just a matter of sawing several (Lots) out on the TS.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

john880 said:


> Have you tried a zero clearance insert for your fence. Had the same conserns years ago, When I built the inserted wood fence for the front of my router saw's fence i built in to the inside of both a means of installing different inserts, & then labeled them and set them into the storage drawer.. The very importain key here is to make sure the insert has a base line level off of your table top. Then after you have set your bit to it's EXACT tried & true height, slowely bring your fence forward making a zero clearance insert, and,,,a template for later down the road set-up.
> i do not, nor can not, understand for the life of me, why there isnt more guys that use zero clearance inserts for the router fence. It is not something new just out of the box. Once a fence is designed to accept a certain L & W to lock them in, its just a matter of sawing several (Lots) out on the TS.


Do you (or anyone here) have a picture? That would help.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Just rcvd email on this deal.. thought I'd pass it along!

T21577 0-6" Digital Fractional Horizontal / Vertical Remote Scale


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## john880 (Aug 18, 2010)

rw17532,
Yelp, just so happens that this guy is by far a beter teacher than I. Asuming you had never been exposed to zero clearance, its used on table saws, skill saws, band saws,,,,,, 

Although his method,,,,,ahhhhh, well is not quite what I did, but once you set up the table saw for a cut to make for his type of fence, why not run threw several extras while standing there. But also his works very good indead !!! I have a center locking into place piece, by the wedgeing of sliding the two sides into the center & screwing them down tight. Then when thru, simply remove the section label and store.

Zero Clearance Router Table Fence - YouTube

Now here is a company that had the for site many years ago that included a method of a quick & easy (and similar to mine) of zero clearance inserts, contrary to that rip off company,,, Incra.,,,,,,,,At the site, drop down and click on, "Smartfence with 4 pro file inserts,,,,"

Jointech Router Table Fence - iTools Company

What'ch think ?????????


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Jointech is pretty much out of business as far as I can tell. Requested literature, never received a reply. Google search not encouraging!

Just sent off another request for catalog/inquiry. Will update if any response. By the way their website has not been updated since Nov 2011.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

about Jointech

iTools Company Business Review in San Antonio, TX - Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin BBB


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## AaronRC4 (Feb 27, 2012)

I ordered a digital readout for my Hitachi M12V . This will be a big help I hope. I'm from the dark ages and haven't updated my shop or even looked around. Things started to wear out and break forcing me to up date. I had no idea of the cottage industry that has developed around routers. It's a fascinating to look at on the net. Most of this stuff one can build. I like to tinker some don't so what every you like is OK with me.

My router table is very old also but still current. In fact a lot of tables and fences don't have the features mine does. I use a split fence with throw away MDF split faces . I simply slide the MDF in tight, next to the cutter. Instant zero clearance. I also keep a supply of old cuts as samples for set ups. See no reason for a complicated insert fence to do this.

My biggey is a groove cut into the fence about 1.5" off the deck. This locks into my coping sled and keeps it from rising off the deck. I think Joint Tech had something like that but I had it first. Anybody else do this?


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## john880 (Aug 18, 2010)

Your post describing how you did your zero clearance inserts, just goes to the saying that, there is more than one way to do the same job. I and good friend many years ago, the year or the second when Incra & Jointech first came onto the market. He bought the Jointech, I bought the Incra the same day, my mistake !!!! Well any way at that time, the Incra never had a sacrificial fence, along a bunch of other things his Jointech did. So in my attempt to create a zero clearance, I copied his/jointech's idea of an insert, into my shop made two piece fence. Some time later I learned about the longer style 1/2 length of MDF run into the blade type, as you have, but in my case as it worked out, it was a whole lot easier to label & drop smaller inserts into the storage drawer below in my router tables drawers, than to try and store a 1/2 length of MDF router fence, Same results ether way.
The Incra sled hooks over the top of their metal fence into their notch system, but with any sacrificial fence attached forward that makes every one of their fence attachment's useless. Plus with my Incra's metal fence opening, any bit larger than 1/2" in circumstance will collide with the metal of the fence. I installed a T track above on top of my shop made sacrificial fence & had to come up with all attachment's since. How did you work out your sleds attachment ???


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## WillMatney (Oct 6, 2011)

Grizzly just sent out a sale, by e-mail, for their 6" DRO, and it looks to be an iGauging, for around $23.00


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