Bill Tarbell Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 Has anyone tried one of these yet? I have the iGaging digital protractor and absolutely love it. I have pretty high hopes for this marking gauge but there aren't many reviews on amazon so i thought i'd see if anyone here has one. It looks like it would allow for a very quick and precise setup. here's the digital marking guage - $35 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GBXX9F8 and here's the digital protractor that i have and really like - $18 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AEIB3Y0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 I really like my digital angle box. Stick it to the saw table and zero it then stick it to the blade and crank until it reads the exact angle you need. I had a job with 59. 6 degree angles, 60. 2 degree angles and about 4 other similar or complimentary angles and it worked fast and accurate ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Tarbell Posted November 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 Those angle boxes do look neat. I have a sizable soft spot for tech gadgets like these but i just haven't been able to talk myself into buying the angle box now that i already have the protractor. The most common things i use the protractor for are to calibrate the jointer fence, check if a cut is square, and calibrate my table saw blade. It seems you could do all of those things with either the angle box or the protractor. Do you have anything you use the box for that the protractor wouldn't be able to do as well? I also bought the igaging depth gauge so i could do quick depth checks in mortises, dados, and just checking the bit depth on the router. I haven't actually used it yet, but i was slightly sad to see the arms were plastic instead of metal. I suppose metal would make it a bit too heavy. For the price ($20) i guess it's fine that it's plastic. Actually, now that i look at the image again, the depth gauge looks very similar to the marking gauge... just pluck off these legs and replace it with a cutting wheel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 You can use the angle box to set a crosscut square to any angle as well. You hang the head from the saw and stick the angle box on the steel bar, tilt it to your angle and tighten. I've got one of those height gauges too. Haven't used it much. The Wixley digital scale on my table saw is great ! Hardest part is zeroing it accurately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcarswell Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 No but it's on my wish list please update us when you get it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 I have a digital angle box and digital calipers both of which get a lot of use in the shop. I've seen plenty of iGaging products but that particular one isn't for sale in the UK yet.... Only a matter of time. Looks good to me. The reviews on Amazon.com are mixed about it. 1 reviewer complained that the installed battery was flat (not a deal breaker) even though the other that came with it was OK and gave it 2 star. The reviewer also mentioned something about the rubber gasket in the battery compartment "fits poorly" and thought it might give long term problems. Probably never heard of that shop favourite - blue tape. Most of the other reviews were favourable though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 The digital protractor makes sense to me, but the marking gauge seems like a gimmick. Most of the time you'll be taking the measurement off of the adjoining workpiece anyway...and you don't need numbers for that. I have an iGaging digital caliper...I give it about a 5/10 on the durability scale. A solid "mediocre" rating. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 Cracked the screen on my iGaging calipers plus they can be kinda finicky . I have my eye out for a better digital caliper. The analog dial calipers that read in fractions are still in constant use in my shop. I had a recent project where the client had detailed plans that were all in Millimeters. I bought a metric scale for the Excalibur sliding table crosscut, flipped the Wixley digital on the table saw to MM for ripping and used Fastcap's True 32 metric tapes. It was a little odd at first but after a while it's just numbers. MM are so small I frequently was using my magnifying headset ( like the ones jewelers use) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 ==>Has anyone tried one of these yet? Yet??? I know many confuse digitial with accuracy and accuracy with precision... and the rest.... I don't see any utility at all for a digital marking gauge... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 Yeah, I'd recommend using that $35 as a down payment for one of these... http://www.glen-drake.com/Tite-Mark.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 ==>Has anyone tried one of these yet? Yet??? I know many confuse digitial with accuracy and accuracy with precision... and the rest.... I don't see any utility at all for a digital marking gauge... This is the benefit of petitioning someone who has used one and can testify accuracy or inaccuracy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 ==>^^^ Absolutely my go-to... However, for mortises, I use a traditional gauge retrofitted with knife cutters... I have a TM outfitted with a 1/4" double cutting wheel (my most common mortise), but rairly use it over the knife gauge... I should memtion that I've started to use Cosman's mortise layout technique on a trial basis... His technique facilitates using a single cutter gauge (ie. TM)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 I use the little box for all sorts of things, even putting the angle on a saw to be filed in an antique saw vise that tilts, a set of calipers, and ones shown in this thread-the angle gauge, and the depth gauge, but I've never even thought about needing, or having any benefit, from having a marking gauge with that kind of accuracy. Even after seeing it, I see no need for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 ==>^^^ I use the digital angle box around the TS... I've got a 6:1 and 8:1 FTG dovetail blades -- handy to get things dialed-in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcarswell Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 Yeah, I'd recommend using that $35 as a down payment for one of these... http://www.glen-drake.com/Tite-Mark.html Damn that's pretty. Any other places to get one ? (Cheaper places ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 Yeah, I'd recommend using that $35 as a down payment for one of these... http://www.glen-drake.com/Tite-Mark.html I picked up a Glen Drake Titemark for 40 bucks brand new with 2 adjustable mortise blades from this guy who liquidated his stuff for cheap. Got a GRR Ripper 3D for 25 bucks new and some other misc things. Gotta love craigslist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcarswell Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 That's why I check everyday lol. Just got a few of the new freud fusion table saw blades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrylR Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 How accurate are these digital gauges? Are they something you van calibrate? -Darryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 You can zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Tarbell Posted November 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Their digital protractor is seemingly very accurate. I tested it against a couple squares and a drafting triangle and it was within .1 degrees of all of the angles. To zero it you simply close it so that the edges of the two blades are flush and then press/hold a 'zero' button. I assume the marking gauge zeros with a similar button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Jimerfield Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 I've been using one of these for years - works perfectly every time - the non-graduated one, because the setting almost always comes from the work piece. 1) no battery required and 2) i don't have to use my fraction to decimal mind bending skills. http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=59455&cat=1,42936 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Jimerfield Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 I bet this one works just fine. http://www.amazon.com/iGaging-Wheel-Marking-Gauge-scale/dp/B00B3ZS2J2/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_text_z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcarswell Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Solid reviewss... until I saw the digital one I was all over this igaging model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 The Veritas gauge is a solid unit... You could do a lot worse... For those who haven't used a Tite-Mark, the micro-adjust is the killer feature -- if you’re scribing dovetails, the ability to move the cutter 'just a hair' is really nice... Do you NEED a TM to do good work, nope... It’s the same with Blue Spruce, BadAxe, Gramercy, Benchcrafted, Bridge City, Ray Iles, Nishiki Kinari, Tasai, LN, Auriou, Starrett, Woodpecker’s, Festool, Snap-on and countless others… I’ve got kit from all of them – do I need it, nope… Could I execute projects just as well with value-proposition gear, sure… Would I enjoy myself as much? Don’t know... My father once told me that there’s something satisfying about using a well-made tool – I’ve always agreed…. I derive satisfaction working wood with a well-made tool sporting a sharp edge… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Well said Trip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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