Micrometer adjustment for Unifence

[Eric Anderson]

A while ago I posted a message here that discussed a micrometer adjustment for a Unisaw with a Unifence that I built. It uses a Starrett micrometer. It is compact and stays out of the way until needed.

There were some people here that felt that it was an overkill in accuracy (0.001") and was beyond the ability of the fence to hold it. Here are pictures of the device.

the reason for my post is that I have found that it is not only useful, it is MORE useful than the built-in one on my Excalibur fence. It not only allows micro-adjustments, it has a readout. The readout allows me to move the fence by 10, 20, 40 or 100 thousandths of an inch accurately up to 1/2 inch. If I want a drawer to have a 0.125" clearance, I can adjust it to interference with the drawer opening and cut an accurate 0.080 additional clearance into the drawer front. Then I will only have about 0.045 more to do with the handplane to get the 0.125 clearance I am looking for. It is really nice to be able to put a set amount of adjustment into positioning the fence. And yes, the fence keeps the accuracy very well.

If anyone is interested in this concept, it looks like the micrometer part will run about $50 to $60 and the added effort for the rest of the device is minimal in materials but about an hours work to fab. If anyone is interested to the tune of about $130, let me know. I am considering that I might be interested in making a few.

[Leon]

Have you used that saw yet? Looks awful clean...

[Matthew]

Nicely built, and a sweet idea to boot. Very cool! Like you said, it ain't for everyone, but what is?

[Never Enough Money]

You should submit this idea to the "Tips" section of Fine Woodworking.

[Eric Anderson]

Heh, the picture you see is before I did use it. It took me a month and a half to get it into position. I wanted to make sure that it could do everything (dados, microadjustments, handle my extension table, connected to my dust collection system, put the 240 VAC in, etc.). By the way, I also got the Might-T-Track fence upgrade otherwise I would not have been able to use some of my jigs that worked on my Excalibur fence.

[Mike Marlow]

I'm glad you find it useful Eric. I commented in your original post that half of what we do is have fun with our tools, and making things. If this brings you enjoyment, then that's a great thing. Me - I just don't worry about a thousandth or two here or there on my drawer clearance. So far no one has called me on it - maybe I'm just lucky.

[Eric Anderson]

No one has called me on any of mine either, but my personal goal is to make the drawers in my projects the "star". One thing that I notice in almost every piece of commercial furniture is the abominable way the drawers operate. That is, their smoothness of operation and their the consistence of clearance around the openings. Many quite expensive pieces do not even have dovetailed drawers. In many cases opening the drawers gives me the same feeling that nails on a chalkboard provides. There is even the conclusion that softwood is acceptable for the sides since more expensive hard wood is not necessary where it is not seen. Soft wood sides gives a sluggish, hard to pull action. There is nothing comparable to a nice hardwood against hardwood lubed by paraffin in my experience.

[Roger Shoaf]

I would suggest that if you are moving the fence with the micrometer or butting the fence to the micrometer this is not going to last too long. If you kill it, rig a fine pitch screw to act as the stop and use an indicator to show the amount of travel the screw makes.

Another idea would be to attach a DRO (digital read out) to the fence. That would give you position over the whole range of the fence. These are nice because the display is large and there is no need to squint.

[Mike Marlow]

Well... I'd largely agree with you Eric, except for the last part. I can think of something that compares very well to the feel of a nice piece of hardwood against hardwood lubed by paraffin, but this is a wood working group and while my thoughts could easily use some of the same descriptors, I'm afraid I'd be somewhat off topic...

Enjoy the hell out of your micro-creation and post some pics when you're done, of the precision work you've knocked out with them. When someone takes as much interest in something as you have in making your drawers the "star", then it's worth sharing the end product with others.

[bridger]

consider making a version for the biesemeyer.

[Leon]

I think HTC has already done this so to speak with their version of the Bies.

[Bob G.]

======================== Some one makes them...I even think Biesmeyer now has one....BUT honestly I have never... needed ...nor even wanted... one in the 15 or so years I have had my Bies...

I just do not have the need...

Bob Griffiths

[Eric Anderson]

You know, it looks like another one of my "I can't believe that no one else can see any value in this idea" scenerios. I wish like hell that I would get over this bad run.

So far some of my ideas have consisted of a PIM database I designed in 1984 that I tried to market (not takers) that I used until I finally had to use that damn Outlook because I got a Pocket PC in 2001 (mine was 1000 times faster and did not lose contacts when I synced it with another computer like that DAMN Outlook has done). I designed a Pocket PC clip that allowed a Pocket PC to be held in a shirt pocket like a pen -- no takers. I DID design a dry cleaning computer system in 1987 that sold well and I made about $100,000 on. Need something like that again. I'll admit that 1 out of 3 is not too bad. Just don't want to make it 1 out of 4.

I will say that I did not think I would use the micrometer specific measurements -- just the ability to microadjust the fence, but the ability to move the fence by small KNOWN amounts has been VERY useful so far. You have to have the need, however.

[Never Enough Money]

Don't be discouraged. Keep the ideas coming. I happen to like the micrometer adjustment idea!

Seems there are two woodworking religions: those that believe approx

1/32'nd of an inch is close enough for all wood cuts and those that seek infinite accuracy. Actually there'sa huge population of folks in between that go to both "churches" depending on how much money they're willing to spend.....

[Bob G.]

================= Good reply .... I honestly did not want to discourage the original poster.... BUT your reply was right on the money.... I do attend both "churches" but sometimes I do wonder why I am in one and not the other on any particular day....

Bob Griffiths