I would recommend an osborne gauge. I was choosing between the incra and a few others, and went with the osborne. I love it. it's all about what you can relate to and utilize.
Contributor
I would recommend an osborne gauge. I was choosing between the incra and a few others, and went with the osborne. I love it. it's all about what you can relate to and utilize.
"The element of competition has never worried me, because from the start, I suppose I realized wood contains so much inspiration and beauty and rhythm that if used properly it would result in an individual and unique object." - James Krenov
What you do speaks so loud, I cannot hear what you say. -R. W. Emerson
Member
Dan, I agree with you 100%, I had one for a week and sold it.
Why is the thing so bulky, you put a 3/4 inch MDF fence with sandpaper on it so things wouldn't slip and it is just so bulky it is not very pleasing to use.
Why should I have to readjust it every time I want to tilt the blade over to a 45.
Even with the screws that Glenn used they are not very easy to adjust.
I will keep the old EB-3 and love it.
Contributor
I'm not crazy about mine, either.
Jason
Originally Posted by Dan Friedrichs
Contributor
Some people love it and others don't. I do not have any problem with using the hex screw driver as it keeps things tight. I know that others really dislike this part. I guess this is why there are several different ones on the market. If I had to replace mine, I would buy another one.
I never use the rule as it is not accurate enough. I measure and mark each piece to get exact cuts. The stops do work very well for cutting several parts to length.
The only thing that I dislike is that I have not always been smart enough to readjust the fence after making an angle cut and have put a couple of knicks in the fence. I have read that I am not the only one to do this.
Member
I have learned not to trust the rulers on most tools. They are mearly a guide. The tape on my table saw is always right on but I still don't trust it. I either use my tape measure which I have tested and is accurate, or the wixey on my fence. When using the saw for mutiple cuts at different lengths I use the wixey, it has never failed me. As far as the loose tapes on the miter guage. I really dont use them because I still use my tape or the stops on the guage. It is still night and day better than a stock guage.
Member
I have the 1000SE and love it. I had a magnet with a mounting plate with a hole in it. I removed the left screw on the protracter scale and bolted the magnet there. It holds the hex driver when I'm not using it.
I use the flip stop as a single stop all the time. I really like the micro adjuster for sneaking up on a cut.
The flip stop can be mounted to allow an aux 3/4" fence to be used.
Member
I am very happy with the 1000hd I recently got. It has been very accurate. I am constantly using it. The only disappointment is need the screwdriver but I just keep it close by so no big deal.
Member
Comments interspersed above.
Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA
Member
HRUMFF !! You couldn't please some people if you hung 'em with a brand-new rope .. .. ..
Seriously .. the 1000SE has worked just fine for me and I've had it for several years now. It just depends on how you use it and how it works for you. Seek out a friend or fellow woodworker and ask to try his stuff .. in HIS shop, of course .. and evaluate how it would work for your applications. Nothing like a hands-on feeling for a tool before making a purchase decision.
I've got a big Exactor sliding table that has been dead on every time I've checked it, but when doing small, precision cuts, I keep going back to the 1000SE .. it just doesn't FEEL like something that big can be accurate on small, precision cuts .. but it is. It's all a state-of-mind coupled with (probably prejudiced) personal preferences.
Member
This is my only complaint about it.
It's good that it is his way. If you want to use it on the left miter gauge or right you want to replace the ruler accordingly.2) The rulers are not affixed - they simply slide in a channel. I think I will have to be careful not to bump the gauge and accidentally shift one of the rules.
As I said, if you use it on the left miter gauge it is not upside down,3) The rule on the extended fence reads upside-down. Incra apparently didn't want to print a rule that read right-to-left, so they took the standard left-to-right rule and slid it in upside down. How cheap!
perhaps they could put in two of these rulers...
I have tied them together and didn't feel the need to use both of them.4) The flip stop has two independant "arms". I think it would be convenient if they were some integer value of distance apart (so I could say, "Stop 1 is at 20" and stop 2 is at 24"). Unfortunately, Incra spaced them 3 26/32" apart. Why?!
It's a fine piece of equipment and IMO it's well thought as well, but not everybody might like it.
Member
The only thing on mine that I didn't care for was the socket head screws and the need to keep the wrench handy. The handle on the wrench stripped, so I replaced both screws with ratchet-style clamps, and all is well. I have since "discovered" those little cam-style clamps from Rockler, and have been putting them on just about everything I own.
I just checked, and they have 'em on sale .. 4 clamp assemblies for about $9.00 .. .. .. your choice 1/4-20 or 5/16-18
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...602&filter=cam
Last edited by Bob Wingard; 01-05-2010 at 1:01 AM. Reason: additional information
Member
I have an Incra 1000SE as well.
I found this tool difficult to understand when I first purchased it but soon found many of its awkward attributes to be very useful. I'll disect some earlier posts:
Upside down ruler: mine does not have this. Call them up, they are friendly.
Ruler moves: I wedged a tiny piece of sawdust under it and now it is stationary
Flip-stop arms: a diamond in the rough! That bar joining the two arms has lots of adjustment potential. It is very useful when you want to trim both ends of a length of lumber. I usually cut one side square with the more distant arm down and the metal rod adjust to lenght and then drop the closer arm down to make the final cut. This is especially useful when the end of the board has rough cuts and you might trim a couple inches from both ends. It is also nice when cutting shoulders for mortises.
Hex-screws: I never questioned these. In fact, I prefer them to adjusting those little knurled thumb screws. I feel like I have greater control.
Slide Extension: I calibrated the extension so that when the part containing the arms was placed on the zero (0) on the ruler of the top of the extension, the lower rule would give the proper lenght.
Angle bracket not true 90 degrees: I determined it to be about 0.1 degrees off center, but I figured it was due to my Crapsman table saw and not the guage.
Over all, the Incra 1000SE helped me bring my woodworking to a new level through improved miters.
Member
My only issue with the 1000SE is that the fence is so slippery that the pieces being cut tend to creep along the fence while cutting--especially on angled cuts. Any ideas how to prevent the wood from moving? I put an aux fence on that has sandpaper on it to stop the movement, but as stated by someone else this eliminates being able to use the stop and makes the assembly awkward.
Steve
Contributor
+1 on the Osborne! I love mine.
Contributor
Yes, yes, yes, and yes. I agree. That's why mine collects dust and my Woodhaven and Kreg (almost identical) get all the use.
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