JDS Accu-Miter Miter Gauge Review

Page Directory

Site Directory

Introduction

Welcome to our review of the JDS Accu-Miter miter gauge. I use several cross-cut sleds (shop-made and two Dubbys) and own or have owned the JDS Accu-Miter, Osborne EB-2, WoodHaven Standard Miter Gauge, and the Incra Miter Gauge. Thus, when it comes to reviewing the JDS Accu-Miter Gauge, I have a number of accurate and time-tested cross-cut tools to compare it to. All testing was done on a well-used, but well-tuned Powermatic 66 table saw. I have owned the JDS Accu-Miter for approximately 4 years.

What I Like About the JDS Accu-Miter Miter Gauge

• Its angle settings are very accurate and repeatable. I did not always have this experience with this miter gauge. There are a couple of problems that can affect the accuracy and repeatability of the JDS Accu-Miter. First, you must adjust its miter bar to fit in the miter slot without slop. On older Accu-Miters, this was done using the hammer and punch method. The newer models however come with the Accu-Bar, an adjustable bar. Make sure the bar fits reasonably snug for the entire length of the bar and the slot. Second, make sure that when you release the protractor lock that there is no play in the shot-pin assy. My original assy had some play, caused by the mounting screws being too long. JDS sent me a kit that fixed the problem.
  
  
• The fence is robust, tall, and adequately long. I have the 18" model but prefer the 24" version. However, with the 18" fence extension, the smaller fence is not a problem. The 18" version is a bit lighter.
  
  
• The stop is also very strong. It flips out of the way (and stays out of the way). Its "L" shape design aligns well with the top mounted ruler/scale so it is very easy to set it to an exact distance from the blade. In my tests, I can repeat lengths within a couple thousandths of an inch. The stop has been updated to include a micro-adjust.
  
  
• The protractor head is robust and large without extending too much behind the fence like the Incra head. I like its lock handles.
  
  
• It can be changed from one miter slot to the other with little fuss. However, the ruler/scale is fixed so it will only "work" in one direction.
  
  
• It's heavy. I like the weight and feel of the gauge.
  
  
• You can slide the fence as close or as far away from the blade as you like.
  
  
• If you like work piece clamps, JDS offers both manual and pneumatic clamps. I prefer not to use miter gauge clamps, thus I did not purchase either JDS clamp.
  
  
• JDS customer service, like Osborne (and unlike Incra) is very responsive to queries, comments, and so forth. They are very interested in customer satisfaction.
  
  
• I recommend that you purchase the JDS miter bar rather than drilling and tapping your original bar. The JDS bar greatly simplifies the installation process and reduces possible errors.

What I Don't Like About the JDS Accu-Miter Miter Gauge

• On my model, the miter bar is not adjustable. You must hammer and punch it to fit. This is not all bad, as you can easily fine tune it. Recently, JDS has changed to their Accu-Bar, which is adjustable to fit your miter slots.
  
  
• The ruler/scale is fixed to the top of the fence (which is good), consequently, if you rotate the protractor/fence to an angle other than 0°/90°, the ruler/scale is no longer accurate (which is bad).
  
  
• It's heavy. I like the weight and feel, but it is a common complaint among other users. It is very easy to drop it off the front of the table if you are not careful.
  
  
• I don't like the matte crinkle finish. Wood dust tends to stick to it. I know this is very picky on my part.
  
  
• No handle. You grip the fence and that works fine, but I prefer having a handle. If you order the clamp, I guess that serves as a handle.
  
  
• The shot-pin arrangement does not allow for the almost infinite positive stops the Incra offers. This is possibly the Incra's finest attribute. With that said, I have not missed this feature with the Accu-Miter.
  
  
• This complaint is aimed at any conventional miter gauge: Once you have used a crosscut sled (Shop-Made, Dubby, Biesemeyer,etc.), you get used to the support the sled gives to the bottom of the workpiece as well as to the trailing edge. This bottom support provided by the crosscut sled reduces the chance for error by reducing virtually any chance that the workpiece is going to rotate or shift as you push it through the blade. This is particularly noticeable when cutting panels or wide workpieces. This why I do 90% of my crosscutting using the Dubby or my shop-made sleds.

The Bottom Line

The JDS Accu-Miter angles are very accurate and repeatable. I believe that both pros and home woodworkers would appreciate this tool. It is robust, works well, and feels good to use. Its fence stops are strong and simple yet very functional. For most operations, I like it better than the Osborne EB-2 and the Incra Miter Gauge. However, in reality it is really a matter of taste and what you are accustomed to. I like the weight of the Accu-Miter, others do not. I don't like the 9" of protractor head that extends behind the fence on the Incra, others don't see that as a problem. I don't like the Incra stop, others have no problem with it. All of these miter gauges are accurate. I prefer the Accu-Miter because of its robust construction and superior stop.

Rating:

out of 5!

My Final Word Regarding Miter Gauges

I have owned and used the Osborne EB-2, the Woodhaven Standard Miter Gauge and FastTrack fence, the JDS Accu-Miter, the Incra Miter1000, the Incra Miter2000, and the Delta, Powermatic, and Grizzly miter gauges. All of them are flawed. None of them match the accuracy, ease of use, and utility of a crosscut sled (Dubby or homemade), sliding table, or other device that provides both a fence and a base for the work piece.

We recently toured several medium sized furniture shops and one large furniture shop in Iowa. We counted more than a dozen cabinet-type table saws in the shops and all but one had the standard miter gauge (most had a wooden subfence). The lone aftermarket miter gauge was a Woodhaven. Virtually every saw had one or more shop-made crosscut sleds in use or hanging nearby.

Calibrating Crosscut Devices

There are numerous ways to calibrate crosscut devices to be square with the blade. Unfortunately, using a carpenter's square or even a machinist's square does not always cut it. There are three methods that are regarded as being the best practice methods for squaring a crosscut device (miter gauges, sleds, and sliding tables). Click Here to read about and view demonstrations of three methods for calibrating crosscut devices.

Comments / Questions

Was this article helpful? Do you have any questions? E-Mail Us! We would love to hear from you!