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MasterGage Pro	TS-Aligner

Pricing

This section reviews MasterGage Pro pricing and compares it to that of TS-Aligner.

The above prices are quoted from the MasterGage web site for the current version of the product. The accessories that I've listed provide functionality that is included as standard with TS-Aligner. It should also be noted that the dial indicator is a necessary option for TS-Aligner.  Choices range from low cost import to high quality domestic industrial models.  See the Dial Indicator Buyer's Guide for details.  The MasterGage web site does not specify what type of dial indicator is included with the current model.  When mine was made, the dial indicator was optional ($93) and made in China. 

I purchased my MasterGage Pro used from a customer.  It is an earlier version of the MasterGage Pro and I will use photos of its parts in the remainder of this article.  I have noted all instances where I believe a difference between my version and the current version would likely improve the performance of the product or solve a problem. There are pricing and packaging differences between my vintage model MasterGage Pro and the current offering.  Here are the details:

What is included with MasterGage Pro

This section is a guided tour of my MasterGage Pro, showing each part, what it does, and how it works.

The "Base" is machined from a standard aluminum channel extrusion. The markings on the surface are said by the maker to be laser "etched".  This is somewhat of a misnomer, as etching is a chemical process involving photolithography.  The graphics on MasterGage are actually laser "engraved" (a machining process). The results are very attractive and readable as shown in the photos above. The vertical rods are stainless steel. The surface is black anodized, the protractor is red anodized.

The "Level Arm" is machined from aluminum bar stock. It's surface is hard anodized. The two "V" groves ride on the stainless steel rods that are mounted in the main body allowing vertical motion with a range of about 2.4". It's position is secured by a spring loaded thumbscrew and "T" nut.

Two accessories are available which attach to the end of the level Arm. Left: "Point Indicator", $29.  Center: "Dial Indicator Adapter Block", included. Right: A short rod segment (included with my vintage model) can be inserted into the Level Arm as a measurement aid.

The rod on the back of each accessory fits into a hole in the end of the level arm and is secured by a #8-32 thumbscrew.

The dial indicator attaches to the "Dial Indicator Adapter Block" using a 1/4"-20 thumbscrew.  There are five holes available which allow mounting the dial indicator in a variety of orientations.

When pointed down, the dial indicator stylus would extend beyond the bottom of the base even when the Level Arm is at its highest position.  When placed on a flat surface the plunger is depressed significantly allowing for maximum height measurements of about 0.4". 

My vintage model included two nylon spacers to be used on the back side of the dial indicator plunger.  These spacers retract the plunger so that the stylus does not extend beyond the bottom of the base.  Measurement range is limited more with this configuration. The current model MasterGage Pro comes with a 1/4" travel dial indicator so the stylus does not extend beyond the bottom of the base and these spacers are no longer necessary.  Of course, this even further limits the measurement capabilities of the product. So, the maker offers the "Height Extension" accessory ($34) which raises the dial indicator making practical height measurements possible.

The broad "reference" edge of the protractor is shown here. It's width does not facilitate gauging angled surfaces by sight.

The "Contact Bar" (included) attaches to the face of the protractor and provides a narrow edge for gauging angled surfaces by sight.  This was not included in my Vintage model but was offered as an accessory for additional cost ($14).

The Protractor is calibrated by adjusting a set screw located in the center of the reference edge.  When the user is satisfied that the reference edge is square with the MasterGage base, then the pointer is adjusted so that it points to zero (90) degrees on the scale.

These photos show the magnets and bubble level accessories installed. They need to be removed in order to install the Miter Slot Cradle Bar.

Shown above is the Miter Slot Cradle Bar which came with my vintage model.  Miter slot width adjustment is made by tightening the setscrews on each end.  As the setscrews are tightened the bar is locally expanded.  The current model is a modified design which has three adjustment points utilizing the same basic method: tightening a setscrew causes localized expansion of a bar.

This is how the Miter Slot Cradle Bar attaches to the bottom of the base of my vintage MasterGage Pro.  Because of the fit, and the flexible nylon clamping mechanism, it cannot be tightened enough to prevent shifting even with minor pressure.  The clamping method has been modified in the current model to provide more acceptable stability. The Magnet and bubble level accessories interfere with the installation of the Miter Slot Bar and must be removed.

On my vintage MasterGage Pro, the Miter Slot Cradle Bar could also be attached to the side of the base.  This configuration is even less stable than attachment to the bottom.  The current model does not permit this particular configuration.

These are the "Precision Rods" available as a accessories on my vintage model ($7 and $9) but included with the current version of MasterGage Pro.

This is the dial indicator point set available as an accessory ($19).  It is made in China.

This is the storage case available as an accessory ($49).  It is of high quality double wall construction with a die-cut foam insert.

This is the manual which came with my vintage model.  It is photocopied and illustrated with line drawings.  Many pages are devoted to titles and advertising.   The current manual is much improved but still contains a considerable amount of advertising.

These hex wrenches were included with my vintage MasterGage Pro.

The "Made in China" dial indicator available as an accessory for my vintage model ($93) is shown above.  The mounting accommodates a standard AGD 2 loop back indicator so it could be replaced with a better unit if one were so inclined.

In its lowest possible position, the stylus of the dial indicator ends up about 1" from the table surface.

The manual of my vintage model recommends performing blade alignment with the base of MasterGage Pro on its side.  In this configuration the stylus of the dial indicator ends up about 3" from the table surface.  Tilting the dial indicator downward is unacceptably inaccurate.  The maker suggests the use of an optional accessory: Master Plate ($49), a 3/8" thick aluminum blade replacement plate.  This solution allows measurements across the entire 10" blade width.  However, it also magnifies the error produced by minor warps in the table surface.  Such warps are extremely common around the throat plate area, where the thin cross section of cast iron allows room for operation of the blade tilt mechanism.

A new feature on MasterGage Pro, called "Instant Recall" allows the user to quickly reproduce angular and linear measurements that were previously registered using a "Memory Link" in conjunction with a hole in the protractor or level arm.  This feature is designed to improve the repeatability of the instrument.

Another new feature on MasterGage Pro is an engraved Brass Name Plate to "personalize" it.

In the Metrology Lab

The maker claims various accuracies and capabilities for MasterGage Pro.  So, I was eager to test these claims.

The maker claims that the body of the product is machined to tolerances of 0.0002" on CNC machinery.  Perhaps he means to say that the CNC machinery has positioning or repeatability specs of 0.0002".  It's a common mistake that many people make.  Any competent engineer or machinist would say that it is not reasonable to expect such tolerances when machining aluminum extrusions.

Six surfaces of my vintage MasterGage Pro are said to be designed for use as measurement references (top, bottom, back, protractor edge, top of level arm, and bottom of level arm).  To test these claims, I attempted to measure their accuracy (flatness, squareness, parallelism). Unfortunately, the top and bottom surfaces of the base were not sufficiently flat to prevent significant rocking on my surface plate, making such measurements virtually impossible. The reason for this is fairly straight forward:

The wall thickness of the extrusion used is only about 3/16" thick.  It is not reasonable to expect such a thin cross section of extruded aluminum to maintain sufficient flatness.  This is likely the reason why the current MasterGage models utilize a different extrusion design (with heavier cross section). I also checked the top and bottom surfaces of the "Level Arm" to determine if they were parallel.  Unfortunately, it too rocked on my surface plate so measurements were difficult at best. 

On my vintage MasterGage Pro, the maker claims that the vertical motion of the Level Arm can be used in conjunction with the scale to measure angles using the dial indicator.  Basic one inch trigonometry is proposed as the method. This assumes several things which are not mentioned in the manual:

• The tilt of the indicator must be adjusted to eliminate cosine errors. 

• The base must not rock on the reference surface. 

• The vertical travel must be precisely one inch; a difficult task using the supplied 0.020"/div scale.

• The vertical motion must be square with the reference surface. 

To test the last requirement I utilized the TS-Aligner calibration setup (above), replacing the MasterGage Chinese indicator with a Mitutoyo 0.0001/div indicator (model 2804F-10). The mechanism did not provide consistent and repeatable vertical motion. It is likely why this particular claim was left out of the current version of the manual.

The protractor scale is graduated to 1/2 degree and the maker claims accuracy to 1/4 degree (visual interpolation as no vernier scale is included). Checking the accuracy of the protractor was also made difficult by non-flat "reference" surfaces but I managed very consistent results by maintaining the same positioning.  In addition, the angle setting squirmed when the locking knob was tightened making it difficult to obtain a specific setting (but not impossible).  I started by meticulously calibrating the protractor to about 0.0003" total error at zero (90) degrees (the flatness of the protractor's "reference" edge).  I then checked the full scale (45 degree) accuracy using the same setup used to verify my precision ground steel angle blocks (see photo above).  My electronic gage measures in millionths of an inch and has a total range of 0.003".  The error was far more than 0.003" so I decided to adjust the protractor to "zero out" the error and let the pointer tell the story.  As you can see, the scale itself is off by a very significant amount, about 1/2 degree.  Not quite believing my eyes, I repeated the entire procedure with the same results.

Comparison of standard features:

This section compares the features and functionality of MasterGage Pro with the industrial TS-Aligner.

Dial indicator
TS-Aligner customers can choose from a variety of high quality optional indicators or use their own.  MassterGage Pro comes with a private label "MasterGage" dial indicator.  It is not possible to purchase the tool without a dial indicator and there are no options to choose from.  The "MasterGage" indicator is referred to as an "import".  The dial indicator for my vintage MasterGage Pro was Made in China.

Cross Bar
TS-Aligner's dial indicator is mounted on a stainless steel cross bar. It can be adjusted horizontally by about four inches. The Level Arm that holds the dial indicator on MasterGage Pro does not adjust horizontally. In order to change the horizontal position of the dial indicator, the entire base must be moved.  This involves unclamping the Cradle Bar and moving it to another location on the base.  MasterGage Pro also includes a 1" and a 2" extension for the dial indicator plunger.

Miter slot and table surface guidance
TS-Aligner uses a unique three bearing system for miter slot guidance. It can be adjusted to fit any slot from 5/8" to 1.5", providing a play free fit that is extremely accurate and smooth. My MasterGage Pro included the "Cradle Bar" for miter slot guidance which will fit 3/4" and 19mm (Sears) miter slots.  An optional bar is available for ShopSmith machines.  There is no mention of any other bars for the slots of larger industrial machinery.

TS-Aligner utilizes three point contact with the machine table surface to completely eliminate the possibility of rocking or other instability.  These "leveling" points are adjusted so that vertical motion of the dial indicator is square with the table surface along it's entire travel (to less than 0.001" error).  This same design is utilized by high end squareness gauges used in Metrology labs world-wide.  MasterGage relies on the flatness of machined surfaces of the aluminum base.  Both my MasterGage Pro and regular MasterGage rock on a certified flat surface.  There is no mechanism to eliminate rocking or adjust the vertical travel of the Level Arm.

Angle measurement
TS-Aligner uses the dial indicator in two methods for measuring angles. The first is called the "Poor Man's Angle Set" and it is included free with every unit. It takes advantage of basic trigonometry to achieve accuracy to within 1/10 degree. It includes a precise one inch gage block and an instruction manual complete with an easy to use tangent table. The second method involves using optional angle blocks and can be used to resolve angles to within 1/60 degree. This degree of accuracy is necessary for cutting precise, tight fitting miter joints without the need for test cuts.

MasterGage Pro uses a protractor calibrated with 1/2 degree graduations. The maker claims that it can resolve angles to within 1/4 degree. The proper method for extending the resolution of a scale is to use a vernier, something that the maker did not include.  My testing shows that the angular measurement accuracy provided by MasterGage Pro is about as accurate as the scales on most woodworking machinery.  It is not sufficient  to eliminate the need for test cuts even in the simplest four sided frame with butt joints.  The maker makes no claim for using MasterGage Pro with angle blocks.

Height gage functions
Simply rotate the dial indicator so that it points downward. TS-Aligner has a vertical travel of nearly four inches. This allows the dial indicator to be used to measure objects with a height of more than one inch (full travel of the dial indicator). MasterGage Pro has three inches of vertical travel and does not allow measurements using the full travel of the dial indicator.  The "Height Extension" accessory ($34) must be purchased to measure heights of more than 0.4". 

Custom Storage Case
TS-Aligner comes with a high quality double wall custom storage case. This is an optional feature (($49.00) with MasterGage Pro.

User's Manual
TS-Aligner comes with two manuals containing photos and illustrations depicting examples of use and functionality. The first manual covers use of TS-Aligner itself. The second manual covers the use of the "Poor Man's Angle Set". Currently, the MasterGage Pro comes with a 65 page manual illustrated with CAD drawings with rendered shading. 

Features included with TS-Aligner but not available for MasterGage Pro

Precision Indicating Square
A 6.5" class 2 indicating square is included with TS-Aligner. It is used for squaring up the miter gauge and for calibrating TS-Aligner so that its vertical travel is perfectly square with the table surface. MasterGage Pro does not include a square and there are none available separately. It also has no calibration adjustment for vertical travel accuracy and no specification is offered.

Offset Bar
This feature allows measurements to be made very close to the table surface (about 1/4"), enhancing the accuracy of blade alignment and making precise adjustments to the miter gauge much easier. In order to make measurements close to the table surface with MasterGage Pro, you must tilt the dial indicator by nearly 45 degrees (not recommended).  Instead, the maker encourages customers to purchase the "MasterPlate" blade replacement product.  This solution allows measurements across the entire 10" blade width.  However, it also magnifies the error produced by minor warps in the table surface.  Such warps are extremely common around the throat plate area, where the thin cross section of cast iron allows room for operation of the blade tilt mechanism.

Video
The video helps to give you a quick understanding of TS-Aligner and how it is used to align machinery. There is no video available for MasterGage Pro.

Dial Indicator Choices
Your choice of a high quality famous brand dial indicator is available as an option for TS-Aligner.  There is no mention of dial indicator choices available for MasterGage Pro.  My vintage model was delivered with a low cost "Made in China" dial indicator.

Summary

I recently had a chance to discuss this review with Paul Reilly, maker of the MasterGage Pro (and other MasterGage branded products).  The occasion presented itself when I discovered a number of domain names (ts-aligner.net, ts-aligner.org, tsaligner.com, tsaligner.net, tsaligner.org) registered under his name and redirected to his MasterGage web site.  When I confronted him with this he explained that he did it because he was upset about my reviews of his products.  He was unhappy with harsh rhetoric implying a lack of expertise on his part.  I promised to remove all such rhetoric if he surrendered the illegal domain names. So far he has refused to surrender the domains. He was also very unhappy that I had used early versions of his products for my reviews.  The implication was that the current MasterGage Pro is much better and resolves all the issues that I encountered.  So, I invited him to provide a new unit for review.  He declined.  I offered to swap him a new Industrial TS-Aligner for a new MasterGage Pro.  He declined.  I then invited him to provide a rebuttal and promised to give it prominent placement right here in the Summary. He declined this offer as well and insisted that I remove the reviews completely.  He threatened to create an embarrassing page on his web site (which would cite an article from Fine Woodworking Magazine #95 (August 1992)) if I did not comply.

I believe that my reviews provide information that help people to make a good purchase decision.  This new page on MasterGage.com cites a number of reasons to consider when making a purchase decision concerning MasterGage products.  It is with this in mind that I recommend you read what Mr. Reilly believes is most important about his products and why he thinks you should buy them.  Follow this link to find the new  page on MasterGage.com.   

Conclusion

My MasterGage Pro has a significant number of serious design defects.  Mr. Reilly has refused all of my efforts to provide information that demonstrates these defects have been corrected in the current MasterGage Pro.  His vindictive response to the publication of this detailed analysis gives me cause for alarm.  I just cannot recommend purchasing any of his MasterGage products.

See also:

Comparison between TS-Aligner Jr. and  MasterGage

Comparison between TS-Aligner Jr. Lite and SuperBar

Return to:

Alignment Tool Comparative Reviews

MasterGage, Instant Recall, MasterPlate, and Memory Link are registered trademarks of Paul Reilly