Digital Accuracy For Your Table Saw Fence
The Wixey Digital Fence Readout Kit is designed as a universal add-on for most table saws. It eliminates manual measuring from blade to fence and is more accurate than OEM (original equipment manufacturer) ruler scale fences. Because it retains its calibration even when shut off, it allows you to reposition your saw’s fence with absolute accuracy every time you start it up.
THE SET-UP: The first thing you’ll realize about this tool is that it’s a kit, not a quick bolt-on. All the parts are there, the instructions good, but you’ll need to adapt and mount it to your specific saw. As shown in Photo A, the system’s components include an extruded aluminum track, a digital readout unit, and the hardware for mounting the track beneath your existing fence’s rail. The digital readout unit has a magnet on its side to connect it to the locking mechanism of your fence. Installation involves three issues: determining the length of the track, where to mount it, and how it attaches to your saw’s existing fence.
First, you need to assemble the track, attach the mounting brackets, slide on the digital readout, and mock up the installation. If the digital readout’s magnet does not touch your fence’s locking mechanism you have two options: 1) use the supplied bracket that easily bolts onto most T-square fences, or 2) fabricate a bracket (using the supplied bar stock, screws and bit) that will work with your specific saw/fence set-up. Wixey claims the WR700 easily mounts to Biesemeyer, Powermatic, Jet, HTC and other T-Square fences as well as Delta Unifence; and DeWalt, Vega and other round rail fences. In my case, I have a Biesemeyer fence and the installation proved pretty simple. Total installation time: just over an hour.
My mock-up quickly showed that my on/off switch, which hangs off the front fence rail, was in the way. I removed it and determined that I could hang it lower, out of the way, by fabricating a metal bracket extension or I could just cut the Wixey track to a shorter length. Most of my work is on the right side of the blade, so losing a foot of usable track on the left side of the blade wasn’t a big deal for me. I cut the track to size, removed the existing front fence rail, marked and drilled the mounting holes, and attached the track as shown in Photo B. Once in place, I simply slid the fence against the saw blade and calibrated the read-out to 0.000". As the fence moves, the magnet keeps the digital readout attached to it. When I need to remove the fence I just slip the unit to the side.
The digital readout can be adjusted to decimal inches (fractions up to 32nds appear beside the decimal readings) or millimeters. Its constant memory function lets you to turn it off and on and still retain its calibration.
TRIAL RUN: As soon as I had the WR700 installed, I put it to work building a pine bookcase for my son’s college dorm room. I ripped case sides and shelves to width, and also cut dadoes in the shelves’ sides. The digital readout proved dead-on accurate and saved me time, since I didn’t have to fiddle with a tape measure to set up each cut.
BEST APPLICATIONS: Wixey’s digital readout is meant to improve accuracy and save setup time for the full range of saw cuts on the table saw. Ripping, crosscutting, angle-cutting, and dado work all apply. If precision cutting is important to you, then this add-on accessory may be just what the doctor ordered.
TESTER’S TAKE: So does your woodworking require extreme accuracy? Prior to installing the WR700, I was able to use the hairline cursor on my fence’s scale and could match the digital readout’s resolution (.005") every time I readjusted the fence. But I was working with the lines on the scale. For cuts that were somewhere between those lines—well, that’s a different story. Here, the digital readout excels.
Too, if I’m cutting a run of pieces and come up short later, I can now make the exact same cut on additional stock by pulling that dimension off my cut list record and duplicating it. No need to cut, measure, fit, adjust over and over until I get it right. I think the woodworker who’s working with an older saw where there is no scale or simply an inaccurate one stamped into the front rail could greatly benefit from this accessory.
Of course, the WOW factor here is huge. Everyone who saw a digital readout on my saw was impressed. It may not make you a better woodworker if what you have already delivers precision. But for the intermediate woodworker whose measurements and setups can, at times, be suspect, it can and will make a difference, particularly if yours is an older saw.
Finally, I give Wixey high points for clear instructions and, get this, including not only the drill bits you need but an extra battery for the digital unit! When was the last time you got that much in any kit?
