Wixey Digital Angle Indicator

[Ken Massingale]

Ken Weaver have been discussing and cussing the difficulities 'more weathered' WW's like us have reading the fine lines on protractors, etc. when setting angles precisely on blades, tables, fences, etc.
After reading of others satisfaction with this little device, I ordered one and have been testing it for a few days. (as much as one can test something like this anyway)
I like it alot. I think it is $40 well spent, but that is up to the individual purchaser. If it will do it's job with getting precise settings at other than 90 and 45 I will be happy.
One application I think it really works well is on the BS. I seem to always deflect the blade a tad when putting the square against it to set the table. Wixey said I was 2.3 degrees out. I reset it with Wixey and made some test cuts, flat and resawing and the cuts are definitely better.
Free shipping too, http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/index.html
To use, you set it on the table for TS, jointer, etc., and blade on the BS. Then zero it with it's 'Zero' button. Then stick it on the blade, fence, table depending on machine, with it's built-in magnets, and read the indicator.







Ken

[LCHIEN]

Ken Weaver have been discussing and cussing the difficulities 'more weathered' WW's like us have reading the fine lines on protractors, etc. when setting angles precisely on blades, tables, fences, etc.
After reading of others satisfaction with this little device, I ordered one and have been testing it for a few days. (as much as one can test something like this anyway)
I like it alot. I think it is $40 well spent, but that is up to the individual purchaser. If it will do it's job with getting precise settings at other than 90 and 45 I will be happy.
One application I think it really works well is on the BS. I seem to always deflect the blade a tad when putting the square against it to set the table. Wixey said I was 2.3 degrees out. I reset it with Wixey and made some test cuts, flat and resawing and the cuts are definitely better.
Free shipping too, http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/index.html
To use, you set it on the table for TS, jointer, etc., and blade on the BS. Then zero it with it's 'Zero' button. Then stick it on the blade, fence, table depending on machine, with it's built-in magnets, and read the indicator.







Ken

it's a nice gauge. Just watch out for quality.
A friend of mine, his arrived DOA and had to be replaced.
Mine, I found a small magnet on the jointer and wondered where it came from before I deduced it had fallen off the Wixey...
Bad glue job.

[beetee3]

Absolute accuracy?

Quality control issues aside, it looks like a very useful little gadget. However, I don't see any mention of accuracy on the website. The resolution and repeatability are said to be 0.1 degrees, but will it read 90 degrees (+/- 0.1) when at an absolute 90 degree angle? If so then one of those will be on my Christmas list this year - or sooner.

[Ken Massingale]

Loring, I read on Woodnet that there was a 'run' at some time with DOA issues and other quality problems. Supposedly that has been resolved. I understand they included the auto-off feature due to users requests.

[RodKirby]

This is what I think...

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=23852

[Ken Massingale]

Oops, another time I should have used Search. Sorry guys.
ken

[beetee3]

Accuracy

After my previous post, I sent an email query to the address on the Wixey website. Here's the response I got (promptly, and on a Sunday afternoon too):

Hi Andy:
We have gotten a lot of questions since we neglected to put the absolute accuracy on the web site. We have been telling everyone it is +/-.1 degree which is the same as the repeatability, however, we have found that occasionally it is slightly more than that but always under .15 degree so to be honest it is +/- .15 degrees.
Barry Wixey

Looks like it is plenty accurate enough for my needs.

[JSCOOK]

After seeing this thread I knew I had to order one ... did and got it today ... it worked right out of the package (not DOA like others have experienced) and I'm amazed at it's versitility as it will even give readings upside down (180 degrees).

I've already discovered other uses besides woodworking equipment.

[scmhogg]

I got mine after Rod's recommendation. It works great. It makes setting angles on the TS so much easier. Mine even came with an extra battery.

Steve

[big tim]

I got mine about 2 weeks ago. I e-mailed Barry Wixey that I liked it very much and commented that it would be nice to have something like that for checking angles in the horizontal plane. He e-mailed me that they are working on a digital protractor.

Tim

[Holbren]

I actually had lunch with Barry Wixey at IWF during a Fine Woodworking Luncheon. He was surprised I knew his stuff and showed me a few new items. One was the only digital fractional caliper (he had a sample confiscated at the Hong Kong airport) and the other was an item I don't understand the need for. It was an angle gauge just like the one shown but had an additional setting for the angle relative to the earth. I have not idea what the thinking was with that one. The accuracy on all his stuff is acceptable for woodworking.

[LCHIEN]

... the other was an item I don't understand the need for. It was an angle gauge just like the one shown but had an additional setting for the angle relative to the earth. I have not idea what the thinking was with that one. The accuracy on all his stuff is acceptable for woodworking.

Oh, absolutely. That's what I was thinking he should have done in the first place. The present design gives relative angles, the new setting is for absolute angles.

Relative angles are OK for tool settings where you want to cut relative to the table surface.

If you are building a house and you want the foundation level, then you want the absolute angle. Or if you are setting a picture frame in a house where the house was of course built level then you can set the frame to 0 degres which will match the floors and walls. Of course, you can do all the above with a bubble level but the Wixey would give you within .15 degree of absolute level and would be ideal used with a laser .

[TheRic]

Oh, absolutely. That's what I was thinking he should have done in the first place. The present design gives relative angles, the new setting is for absolute angles.

Relative angles are OK for tool settings where you want to cut relative to the table surface.

If you are building a house and you want the foundation level, then you want the absolute angle. Or if you are setting a picture frame in a house where the house was of course built level then you can set the frame to 0 degres which will match the floors and walls. Of course, you can do all the above with a bubble level but the Wixey would give you within .15 degree of absolute level and would be ideal used with a laser .

I agree, I can see the laser being added in the next version. Not sure if there is such a thing, but I can see the items being used on 2', 4', 6' levels. In years replacing the bubble, if it's inexpensive enough.

[Ken Weaver]

I've been playing around with mine as well and did the TS, BS and CMS. All were just a tad out - now I'm thinking about some new squares. Worth the $40. Especially with some miters coming up in my next project that call for some weird angles.

[dlminehart]

Ken, did you confirm the accuracy of the Wixey, or just assume that its precision = accuracy? What did you use to test it?