Setting up a tablesaw

You have it right. Don’t spend a lot of money for any of them. The harbor freight dial indicator is just fine. The combination squares you can get at big box stores are usually fine, or you could order a cosmetic second PEC square from eBay.

You have it right. Don t spend a lot of money for any of them. The harbor freight dial indicator is just fine. The combination squares you can get at big box stores are usually fine, or you could order a cosmetic second PEC square from eBay.

- jonah

+1
Square is square and the HF dial works just fine. Before you buy them though check the accuracy of the saw. It might be dead on already. It is a Sawstop after all.

-- Andy - Seattle USA

Your going to need some Alder wood for some test cuts.

Just a tip… the dial indicator can be used for all sorts of things and really useful to have around even if you don’t have a table saw :)

You can go the HF route, but IMO, a better buy is to get a complete set from some place like Amazon that includes multiple tips so you can greatly expand it’s usefulness. It’s cheaper than buying all the stuff separately at HF and comes in a nice case. Actually, I don’t think HF even carries the extra tips… just the indicator and base which will be about $25 for both. You can get a set on Amazon for about $32:

Cheers,
Brad

-- Brad in FL - In Dog I trust... everything else is questionable

Just a tip… the dial indicator can be used for all sorts of things and really useful to have around even if you don t have a table saw :)

You can go the HF route, but IMO, a better buy is to get a complete set from some place like Amazon that includes multiple tips so you can greatly expand it s usefulness. It s cheaper than buying all the stuff separately at HF and comes in a nice case. Actually, I don t think HF even carries the extra tips… just the indicator and base which will be about $25 for both. You can get a set on Amazon

Cheers,
Brad

- MrUnix

This is true.

Some things I don’t mind just throwing a few bucks at because they’re just that simple and hard to mess up. A machinists square is going to do everything you need a square to do in a wood shop whether it was $20 or $120.

Some measuring tools however see a lot more use, and in my opinion it’s worth it to pay the premium to ensure that years later I’m still going to have a quality tool that isn’t compromising my work.

That’s why when I bought a combo square I went ahead and threw down $275 on a Starrett with the protractor and center heads. The Combo square is a tool that I’m going to be using for whatever I’m doing for the rest of my life, so I might as well buy one that is going to last me a lifetime.

The dial indicator is great to tuning all kinds of tools in the shop and checking for problems. I don’t think I’ll be skimping on that either when I pick one up.

Two straight lengths of 2×4 and 4 bar clamps. Makes mounting the wings much easier and more accurate.

-- there's a solution to every problem.......you just have to be willing to find it.

Yup, an indicator is pretty hard to beat.

My entire life, my indicator has never lied to me.

I used an indicator to check blade parallel with the miter slot, then checked the fence parallel with the miter slot. I then used a square and feeler gauge to check the miter square. Just like every other saw manufacturer, the miter square isn’t much.
I’m a toolmaker with multiple sclerosis, but instead of selling my tools, I kept everything. My workhorse indicator is an Interrapid, but I’ve found a Brown & Sharpe to be a very, very close second. I needed the best I could find in the shop, you maybe won’t need something quite as fancy.

I have depended on my indicator for so long, when I need to check something I start thinking how to use my indicator. I also assembled the table flat so it’s like a big surface plate, almost.

I wish you the best with your new PCS.

Mark