Customer Reviews

MasterGage SB-1 SuperBar, Part # 400-01

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Short answer: you need a gauge with resolution like this (and the Master Plate) if you want to resolve heeling error to less than what your eyes can see - for me that was about 1/32" to 1/64" - or if you want to speed up and improve the results of the alignment process. The gauge also has a number of other uses that make it worth considering (see below).

My main reason for getting this gauge was to resolve heeling problems in my Delta Contractor saw. Without the gauge, using a pencil clamped to the miter and the same blade tooth as a reference, I got the front-to-back blade error down to about 1/32" - judging by my eye. I had trouble getting my Contractor saw adjusted to less than that (I had rotated the trunnion as far as it wanted to go).

When I got the MasterPlate and the gauge, first I confirmed that the error was about 1/32" (.03"). Next, I loosened the bolts and moved the trunnion as far as I could get it to go - a wrenching action helped. After a few tries, the gauge told me I was off by about .005", which I decided was good enough for now, and I carefully tightened the bolts, rechecking the alignment as I went, and it stayed there.

How much error can you live with? In Roger W. Cliffe's "Table Saw Techniques - Revised Edition" he suggests that realignment is needed when the front-to-back heel error is more than about .015" (about 1/64"), but the number that depends on various factors. (He also describes techniques to realign.)

With my saw adjusted to about .005" error (about 1/200") I made a crosscut - and saw a very noticeable improvement in the quality of the cut; much smoother. I may try again to improve the accuracy. The gauge has graduated lines representing .001", and with interpolation you may be able to get more accuracy than that.

Aside from aligning the blade (or MasterPlate) parallel to the miter slot, the instructions also illustrate how the gauge can be used with a table saw to check the arbor shaft, face flange and bearing for runout, check the runout of the blade itself, align the fence parallel to miter slot, square the miter gauge to the blade (or MasterPlate). It also shows some uses for checking a drill press and a lathe.

Other reviewers have complained about the plastic base for the SuperBar. While I would prefer metal, it seems sturdy enough to me, and I note that it has a lifetime guarantee.

Mine seems very useful and suits my purposes as an amateur with a Contractor saw. I would have liked a metal and perhaps magnetic base, so I have given the product 4 stars. There are higher quality gauges available if you need better quality than this, but for me this was worth the money I paid.

I'm a professional and always set up equipment the way my mentors did. I decided to try the super bar when I bought my new cabinet saw, and it set my fence precisely on the money. I eliminated burning, most kick backs, or binding typical when using a saw. Best money I ever spent and highly recommend this tool for anyone looking for precision....

This device deserves a better review than it typically gets. I hope to address some of the misconceptions about this instrument.

There are a lot of table saws on the market. There are problems created when trying to set them up and fine tune them all. It presents a big job to any precision tool. This tool is very good for overcoming many of those problems.

Miter slots on Saws are not unilaterally created to exactly 3/4 inch width. There is no standard for the distance from a blade a miter slot is to be placed. Some saw makers slots are a bit narrower, some are exactly 3/4 and some are on older saws worn and a bit wider. This non standard method of manufacture is a known industry problem. Another problem which has been revealed is that in some cases, the miter slots on the saws are not truly parallel. It takes a tool as versatile in any miter slot yet as precise as this one to reveal these problems and overcome them. To properly adjust any saw, made 60 years ago or yesterday, this jig must be able to tune out any slack while riding in the miter slot, and it does exactly that.

Many reviewers are saying that the super bar base for this dial indicator is made of cheap plastic. It is made of plastic, but I do not find it to be of low quality. It is a delicate instrument, and should be treated as such. What the maker of this device did was manufacture a sled that is adjustable to ride in nearly any miter slot without slack, and does so by making it adjustable. The user tunes the slop out by adjusting the screws on the sled until it fits snugly in the miter slot, no matter what the Saw manufacturer's standard or non standard miter slot size. Once properly adjusted, It will reveal what needs to be done to tune any saw.

The supplied dial indicator is no different than any other 1 inch travel dial indicator which is accurate to .001. The dial can be easily zeroed by loosening the set knob and rotating the dial until it zeros with the needle, no matter the needle's position on the dial. As a Kit, it does come with tip extensions to accommodate tuning from further distances. These tip extensions are not inexpensive nor really easy to find when purchased separately, yet nice to have. This dial indicator, will also fit any magnetic base, so adding a magnetic base to augment this indicator will round out this tool's capability to make most any other test or adjustment on most shop machines, If you buy a Magnetic base, you will not need another dial indicator if you have this kit.

When considering the package, this Super Bar, Dial Indicator, and the assortment of tip extensions is priced right.

An absolute necessity to insure Safety, Trunion alignment, blade trueness, fence alignment and cut quality on any saw.

The superbar is "unconditionally guaranteed". I was a little disappointed when I received it that it was just made of plastic, and I clumsily broke it when I first used it! However I called the mastergage company and they immediately shipped a replacement, no questions asked. Furthermore, they were very helpful with tips and ideas about the alignment of my tablesaw and we spent quite a long time on the phone trying to troubleshoot my problem (which was the reason I purchased this product).

I tuned up my table saw and chop saw using this tool and it's mate the super bar and I could not believe the difference it made. a great tool combination for the price.

I recently restored a 1956 rockwell-delta Unisaw . If anyone has done this that know that they must take off the cast iron top off,(hopefully once?) Once everything was cleaned and lubed. The Top had to go back on. And no matter how hard i tried, lining up to the blade was not working.
I decided on the Mastergauge, fiddled around with it. Figured it out , and alligned the top.
Cut 8/4 wanut w/ a Forrest woodworker I Blade with no burns , clean cuts and an alligned blade!!!!The money and time saved in time, labor, and materials was worth the price.
Decorative Finishes
Orange County California

This product does exactly what it is marketed to do. Its drawbacks are that the base is made out of plastic. The 3 adjustment screws that ensure tight fit within the miter tract loosen w/ small movements. This necessitates repetitive adjustment for accuracy. It would be awesome if mounted to a metal base. Not worth the High Price asked.

easy to use, accurate, good price. used for setting up my table saw, cut are straight and made with little effort, no burning or binding. allows my table saw to work to its full potential safely and accurately.

MasterGage is a small, family owned company, located in Southern California, USA. We develop, patent and fabricate precision, high quality woodworking tools

All of our products are designed, fabricated and assembled right here in Southern California. Only the dial indicators are imported.

Our tools are designed to align, calibrate and tune up your woodworking machinery, to its maximum performance. The tools are designed for both beginners and professionals..

The SuperBar product, used for basic alignment of the table saw was developed with the hobbyist woodworker in mind. The SuperBar is designed for .750 inch wide miter slots and the Sears table saws that are slightly narrower [.740 inches]. Table saw miter slot widths vary in tolerances and must be accounted for. To insure a correct miter slot fit, the SuperBar body was designed to expand in width, by adjusting the on-board set screws, for both course and fine adjustment. Since the design requires expansion of the SuperBar body width, moldable plastic [polymer] was chosen for the body construction. The polymer body construction allows the body width to expand as required to fit the miter slot for optimum fit. Metal construction does not give us these expansion capabilities. The SuperBar, and its dial indicator is covered by a written Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee for quality and material.

We hope this information is helpful to you. Thank You.

I used this tool to align the blade on a Grizzly G1023 table saw. I also used the MasterPlate. I have to say that although this tool performs as advertised, the cheap plastic base is pretty lame. I already had a dial indicator with a magnetic base, but I thought the MasterGage would be simpler to use. I was wrong. Assembling the tool is not difficult but involves fooling around with small parts twice: once when taking the tool out and again when putting it back. They at least should have a box that let's you store it assembled.