I have used a "Fastrack" fixed 90degree miter for 10 years, believing that it was quite accurate . . . more fool me! Frequently my crosscuts were slightly non-square, but I've always assumed that the problem was not the miter gauge. Bottom line is that the non-adjustable Fastrack isn't accurate and I've decided to replace it with a tool which hopefully is accurate, or can be tweaked to become accurate.
My question: Does anyone in the group have direct experience with:
Incra
Kreg
JessEm
Are they as accurate as the promotion would have you believe?
I use a geared protractor with long arms to verify accuracy on various tools, and I wonder if all those who rely on that Wixley Digital angle gauge are going to be bitten by the same misplaced trust in modern manufacturing and marketing hype. As for the mitre gauges, after being bitten by inaccurate stops - as well as drooping router plates, non-linear tapes, etc. - I have resigned to making my own jigs for common angles, or tightening tolerances on and aligning stock parts.
Not a very useful answer to your query, I know, but verify, then trust. I have noticed that many items vary by run. Try them all 'till you find one that IS accurate - it should stay that way barring physical damage.
Incra is, at any rate. My first aftermarket miter gauge was an Incra 1000, and I'm currently using an Incra 3000. Both are as close to dead-on perfect as I'm able to measure, and, what's more, they're repeatable, too: make a few cuts at
90 degrees, then change it to 45, or 30, or 15, then back to 90, and it's still dead nuts square.
Never used either of the others, so can't say if they're as good.
Don't waste money trying to buy an accurate 90 degree gizmo. Tune the one you've got.
I have a Starret combination square that isn't true. It wasted a lot of my time and effort until I checked and found the fault. Check your squares ALWAYS, and perhaps even often.
Like Greg's response, mine doesn't address your question, but offers another viewpoint.
My saw didn't come with a mitre gauge. I made a crosscut sled to run in the two slots. The only other angle I've needed to cut on my TS is 45, so I made one of those sleds too.
I'm sure if I were doing a lot of other angle cutting, I'd be looking at the list above, but for my needs the sleds do the job.
IIRC, Kreg bought the FasTrack miter gauge and sells it with the Kreg name.
I went through this a few years ago, I wanted a miter gauge to be dead on accurate and stupid simple to set on common angles. While the Kreg does lock in at predetermined settings it has a Vernier scale and can be zeroed in with out the indexing pin if need be.
I went through 2 or 4 Kregs before being satisfied with the 90 degree locked in setting. Kreg worked closely with me to get this problem resolved. I will add that Kreg had just bought the FasTrack miter gauge and was still in the process of getting consistent results in the product when I bought mine. I also tried Osborne and was greatly disappointed in the product, Osborne 3, and disappointed with the owners comments with the inherent problem it has. He has since sold the company. Basically the gauge has/had lots of slop when the gauge was in the 45 degree setting with the adjustment arm fully extended. You could wiggle the far end of the fence about 3/16" in that setting and that was true with all of the ones in my suppliers stick. Other than that the miter gauge was really neat. For me the Incra's take up way too much real-estate behind the fence and limit the width of the board or panel you can cut if you want to have the business end of the miter gauge setting on the TS table at the beginning of the cut.
Concerning your current miter gauge, IIRC it is very much like the current Kreg and has an aluminum fence. this fence can be very slippery and I find that my miters can be off also IF I do not insure that there is absolutely no slipping of the material during the cut. If I use the "Stop" the cuts are dead on. If I don't use the stop and cut a wider board the cut may or may not be dead on. You might double check with a stop to insure that you are not letting your board slip during the cut. I am seriously considering adding some PSA sand paper to the fence face to prevent slippage.
For repeated and my normal miter cuts I use a Dubby miter sled. I typically only use the regular miter gauge to square the ends of stock.
The protractor probably does not "have" to be setting on the table however it typically sets on a lot of the guide bar. If the guide bar is not being fully engauged in the slot, "play", can be exagerated. Additionally I prefer to not use the washer on the front end of the guide bar and with the protractor hanging off of the front of the saw the gauge could tip. It's more of a preference thing for me.
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