# The perfect miter gauge.



## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

With a miter gauge the most important thing is a good close fit in your table saws miter slot. Without that the accuracy of the angle setting part is useless. Being able to adjust it to the slot on your individual table saw is a must.

The* Osborne *does a great job of it but the angle setting feature isn't the best.

The *Incra* doesn't do that good a job,(the plastic thingies wear too quickly) but does an excellent job of setting the angle.

My dream miter gauge is combining the two into one excellent one!

The perfect one would have the *Osborne miter bar*, with the *Incra angle setting part* and again with the Osborne for that angle setting rod, but just used to support the fence for long stock and lastly the fence from the Incra. The stop on it is superior for a lot or reasons.

That will give you a great ability to set the gauge to your miter slot, fantastic angle setting accuracy, the strength that the reinforcing bar would provide to keep things from flexing and a great fence with a great stop.

So it comes to taking two parts from each to make the perfect miter gauge.

I have both of them, so one day I will see if I can do it.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

Gary, I have the incra miter gauge. how is the osbourne bar different? how does it adjust to the miter slot better?


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

I have the Osborne 3 (I think)... got it on sale… seems to work ok… when I use it…
... I don't want to buy an Incra to merge the two together to get ONE good one… LOL

I'll stay tuned to see how it goes with you… LOL


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

PurpLev - The Osborne has 3 slots down the length of the bar with a screw centered on each slot. As you tighten the screws the bar expands providing a lot of bearing surface. That steel bearing surface wold take a long time to wear out, requiring another adjustment.

The incra has small plastic washers with little bearing surface and the wear VERY quickly as you probably already know.
Plus the adjustment screws are small.


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## tenontim (Feb 24, 2008)

I have the Incra and switched the original miter gauge, that came with my Delta saw, to my band saw. I used a center punch to peen each end of the miter gauge bar, so that it fits tightly in the slot of the band saw. I did this years ago and it still fits tight. Granted, the band saw doesn't get as much use as the table saw, so I'm sure that it would wear quicker and need to be repeened. I guess that since we're talking about it, I should try to peen the Incra bar and see how it holds up.


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## sIKE (Feb 14, 2008)

I have the Osborne 3 and love it. To me the main drawback is the fence is in the middle of the bar. Wide stock menas I have to move back to the stock miter gage. The angle setting feature is a bit of a cludge, but is accurate and solid once set.


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

*tenontim* - The difference between my slot and miter bar on my Incra is .020. That would mean some real big dimples.

*sIKE* - you said "The angle setting feature is a bit of a cludge, but is accurate and solid once set."

The "once set" part is what I don't like. The "solid" part is what I like about it. That's what I like about that angled part.
It creates a triangle for rigidity.

If a board is really wide I just use my sled.


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## weedsnager (Sep 25, 2011)

any of you guys using the kreg miter?


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

*weedsnager* - I have seen it and and I'm not all that impressed. It's all aluminum for one thing, including the miter bar, and that's not good.

I do have the Kreg fence for my band saw which I like.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

I have the Woodhaven Miter Gauge. It has four nylon screws in the bar for making it tight to the slot. I just replaced all 4 of my screws because the alllen wrench was slipping in the allen screw.

It seems to do a great job. I notice that they have a vernier scale so I might have to upgrade the scale to my gauge.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

Have you checked out the review on the Ridgid? Looks pretty nice.
I have an Incra SE, Woorks okay.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

nice cr1 - albeit, your hammer saw costs just a tiny bit more than the discussed $100 miter gauges…

*Gary* - I actually have my miter gauge in a sled (MiterExpress) which I can't remember now but probably uses the same (since it's incras) uhmw bearings but I've never experienced them wearing out. either it's because I don't use the saw as much as you do, or something else might be happening there. just a note.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

What am I missing? My Incra 1000SE has been a real keeper.
Bill


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## ScoFF (Sep 23, 2008)

My plastic Incra washers haven't worn out at all, I love my Incra.


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## weedsnager (Sep 25, 2011)

i wainting till next month for the chicago woodworking show, maybe someone will have a deal on one, for now i'm looking at the incra 1000SE


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