Digital /angle Gauges

[Ruperto Mendiones]

Recently I found i had difficulty matching a stair stringer angle to my miter gauge. The little Wixey cube angle gauge read out tenths of a degree but I had difficulty matching the readout to a mitre gauge. I'd like to hear from others experience who use digital angle gauges [with arms].

[Aaron Rosenthal]

I'm having some difficulty in understanding what you're trying to measure.
If it's the rise and run angle of an existing stringer, lay a straightedge or long level along the noses of the stringer and your angle finder should read the angle Remember, you are looking at it as if you were checking the blade angle of your table saw.
I'm spoiled by having a 5' electronic read-out Stabila level that gives me that information, but I can't imagine using it to build stairs. The only thing I could get for building using that method would be a ramp, and there are formulas for that.

[Lee Schierer]

Recently I found i had difficulty matching a stair stringer angle to my miter gauge. The little Wixey cube angle gauge read out tenths of a degree but I had difficulty matching the readout to a mitre gauge. I'd like to hear from others experience who use digital angle gauges [with arms].

Those digital angle checkers only work if the case is in a vertical direction. You would need to hold your miter gauge in a vertical orientation while trying to set an angle. You also have to have the same "horizontal reference surface."

Some photos of what you are doing would help.

[Brian Holcombe]

I’d use a sliding bevel for this, digital isn’t going to be much help since you’re better off just matching the gauge to the cut than to assume the angle on the machine will recreate the angle called out by the digital gauge.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I'd like to hear from others experience who use digital angle gauges [with arms].

You mean a digital protractor like this?
I have a couple of them.

They work - but - they are only good for a few specific tasks.

For what you're trying to do, either a sliding bevel or a Starrett ProSite is going to work better.

[Jim Becker]

I’d use a sliding bevel for this,

^^ Brian beat me to it. Sometimes, an actual physical measurement with a tool that mimics that angle is the best solution and most accurate solution. No numbers involved. That said, you "May" need to take extra care locking your miter gage to the specific exact angle if it's not in a detent, so take care doing that so it stays set during the work. This may be a good time to consider making a dedicated sled which cannot change angle with use.