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Ed Weber

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Set up blocks
Oct 1^st, 2021 at 9:45am

I'm a big fan of set up blocks, 1,2,3, blocks set up bars, angle blocks are all great physical reference tools to make my measuring and alignment easy on me.
BUT when do you say enough is enough?
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Personally, I would cut a piece of plywood or MDF and label it or even a piece of the same wood to save as a template for future reference.
OR I could pay $119 for this, make them stop Grin

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David Moeller Senior Member Offline Old chiseler Posts: 314 Linden Michigan USA Gender: LAGUNA REVO 15X24 CONOVER 15 x Infinity Long gone: Shopsmith, Myford ML8, Homebuilt bowl lathe, NOVA benchtop, Delta 46-715 and a Unimat.	Re: Set up blocks Reply #1 - Oct 1^st, 2021 at 12:50pm Cease the mockery you scurvey scoundrels! Don't dash my dream of a wall mounted birds eye glass doored display cabinet for my comprehensive collection of red tools. Pegboard painted with automotive mother-of-pearl paint and custom bent hangers.
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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Re: Set up blocks Reply #2 - Oct 1^st, 2021 at 3:43pm Are they outlined?
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Robert Hayward

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Re: Set up blocks
Reply #3 - Oct 1^st, 2021 at 5:59pm

Ed Weber wrote on Oct 1^st, 2021 at 3:43pm:

Are they outlined?

My grandfather was a structural engineer. All of his hand tools were on an outlined pegboard. Hand drawn outline to exact dimensions matching the tool. Then painted red, if I am remembering correctly. I still have the bench vise he gave me for Christmas when I was ten years old. Remember him telling me I was going to need a good vise as I went through life.

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Robert Hayward WR Addict Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 774 Tampa area Florida USA Gender: 3520b	Re: Set up blocks Reply #4 - Oct 1^st, 2021 at 6:01pm I briefly looked at this new set up aid. What does it accomplish that I cannot do with a tape measure? Not bashing the red line as I have a few of them and mostly like them.
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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Re: Set up blocks Reply #5 - Oct 1^st, 2021 at 7:48pm It may keep an accurate setting but what it you have more than one measurement to make? Do you cut a template board like me or do you spend another $119? It could get even more expensive with a complex project.
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David Moeller Senior Member Offline Old chiseler Posts: 314 Linden Michigan USA Gender: LAGUNA REVO 15X24 CONOVER 15 x Infinity Long gone: Shopsmith, Myford ML8, Homebuilt bowl lathe, NOVA benchtop, Delta 46-715 and a Unimat.	Re: Set up blocks Reply #6 - Oct 1^st, 2021 at 8:19pm What about story sticks?
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Ralph Fahringer WR Addict Offline I'm the "Burly" Man!! Posts: 1,629 Ellsworth Maine USA Gender: PM3520b	Re: Set up blocks Reply #7 - Oct 2^nd, 2021 at 8:02am I remember having a really good vise!! Luckily, I never got arrested for it!
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Glenn Jacobs WR Addict Offline JC L&S Posts: 2,077 North DFW, Texas Texas USA Gender: Powermatic 3520C	Re: Set up blocks Reply #8 - Oct 4^th, 2021 at 11:59am Wait a minute!!!! All this thing does is help set the parallelism of the fence or saw blade to the mitre groove. I've got a dial indicator that does that and MORE (think Ronco adds). Glenn J. Ed, you got to stop doing these. My blood pressure can't take it. But my laugh factor really goes wild.
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Ed Weber

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Re: Set up blocks
Reply #9 - Oct 4^th, 2021 at 1:33pm

Well I kinda' think the people that buy these things may have all the gadgets but no money left for wood.
Funny thing is that now everybody seems to have a digital this, a gadget to check for that and a square that is "THE BEST SQUARE EVER" so that everything is within space shuttle tolerances.
Having said that, I don't see an increase in the quality of workmanship.
With all these "can't go wrong" tools, everyone should be a master right?

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Glenn Jacobs WR Addict Offline JC L&S Posts: 2,077 North DFW, Texas Texas USA Gender: Powermatic 3520C	Re: Set up blocks Reply #10 - Oct 5^th, 2021 at 12:06pm Ed, one must use a tool to become proficient with it. If you can't afford the wood, what good is having a bench full of tools? What do we keep telling novices? Practice, practice, practice. I have found though that having tools I trust to be accurate, puts the oneness on me. Glenn J.
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Ed Weber

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Re: Set up blocks
Reply #11 - Oct 5^th, 2021 at 2:59pm

I know what you're saying Glenn, my point is that it seems like nowadays too many people have tools far beyond their skill level.
They can precisely measure, mark and cut, all in the wrong place. Roll Eyes

Small rant
Everyone is free to buy what they want. I know when I tease about these tools, it sounds harsh but it's supposed to make people realize, you don't always need to spend ridiculous amounts of money to do simple tasks.

Many of the tools I rant about, are because they are not essential at all. This one is a perfect example. $119 so you can reset your tablesaw, give me a break. Trying using a pencil and paper and writing down the measurement or try something like I wrote above, you might save some money.

If people would put just a little thought into what they're doing and try to learn something or just maybe try to figure something out on their own about woodworking beyond what YouTube presenters tell them, they wouldn't need to buy tools like these.
Rant over,

for now

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Chris Brock

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Re: Set up blocks
Reply #12 - Oct 5^th, 2021 at 6:18pm

Ed Weber wrote on Oct 4^th, 2021 at 1:33pm:

Funny thing is that now everybody seems to have a digital this

I dislike digital measurement devices, particularly calipers. I do like a dial caliper though, so I guess I'm not all Neanderthal. Wink

Oh, I do actually like the digital angle gage that sticks on the tablesaw blade for setting bevel angles. Still use a small machinist square to bring it back to 90 tho.

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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Re: Set up blocks Reply #13 - Oct 5^th, 2021 at 8:54pm I have several digital measuring tools and all of them, like any other tool, have their pro's and con's. Everything I make is always inspected by hand, during and afterwards no matter what tools are used.
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