Comparison between TS-Aligner Jr. Lite and SuperBar
TS-Aligner Jr. Lite represents TS-Aligner accuracy at a breakthrough price for the budget minded home shop woodworker.
Pricing
SuperBar TS-Aligner Jr. Lite Base Model $69.00 $63.48 Offset Bar Not available Included Angle Attachment Gage Not available Included Dial Indicator
Included $13.60 - 169.38 Total: $69.00 $77.08 - $232.86 The above price is currently listed on the MasterGage web site. The accessories that I've listed provide feature and functionality parity between the two products.
What is included
I own a SuperBar and will be using my own pictures in this review. I purchased my SuperBar "brand spanking new" from my local Woodcraft Supply store.
This is the box that SuperBar comes in. There is no carrying case or other storage option available for Superbar.
SuperBar is a small plastic block that fits into the standard 3/4" (or 19mm Sears) miter slot. According to the manufacturer, another version is available for ShopSmith sized slots. It has a place for mounting a 1" travel dial indicator (included). Outrigger pegs on the sides of the block help to stabilize SuperBar - reducing its tendency to rock back and forth in the miter slot. Three screws are used to adjust the miter slot fit - two on one side and one on the other. The outer two screws bear directly against the plastic. A spring is placed between the center screw and the plastic. The maker claims that this mechanism provides "glass smooth" motion in the miter slot. It begs the question: "What kind of glass?"
There is a package of hardware that includes two hex wrenches and two dial indicator stylus extensions. The large hex wrench is used to attach the dial indicator to the plastic body. Care must be taken to avoid over-tightening this screw to prevent damaging the threads in the products plastic body. The smaller hex wrench is used to adjust the fit in the miter slot. Use of the dial indicator stylus extensions is described below.
This is the "MasterGage" branded dial indicator that comes with SuperBar. It is a very common Chinese model. An inside look reveals brass components (gears, bearings, etc.) which is very typical for this class of instrument. In spite of claims made on the MasterGage web site, there is absolutely nothing unique or special about this dial indicator. It is a very ordinary AGD 2 dial indicator with 1" travel, 1/4" lug back, and #4-48 stylus tip thread. You can buy a virtually identical instrument at hundreds of machine tool and woodworking suppliers for less than $20.
The instructions consist of a single sheet of legal size (8.5" x 14") paper folded in half (creating a front cover, two internal pages, and a back cover). A copy can be downloaded from the MasterGage web site. It consists of about 50% product instruction and 50% product promotion (the back side contains an ad for the "MasterPlate" product). As one might guess, there is very little room for instructions on the use of the product. Most procedures are documented with a small drawing and a caption. Also included is a product registration card.
The guarantee card describes the plastic that SuperBar is made of, the mechanism for miter slot adjustment, the purpose of the "outrigger" pegs, but does not contain any information about the terms, conditions, or claim procedure for the product warranty. In fact, it could be easily argued that the "Lifetime Guarantee" applies to the "special polymer" (plastic) and not the product (SuperBar). Also included is a fractions, decimal, metric conversion chart (prominently advertised as a major feature on the outside of the box).
As is typical of all the MasterGage, Inc. products I have reviewed, much of the material included in the box is advertising. Here is a reprint of a Woodshop News article and a copy of the MasterGage product line catalog.
How it works
The stylus tip of the dial indicator ends up being about 1.25" above the table surface when the dial indicator is level. This significantly limits the available width of the blade that can be used for alignment. It also makes it very difficult to perform miter gauge alignment using a square.
Two solutions exist for resolving the stylus height problem: First, the dial indicator can be tilted downward as shown above. This is not a good configuration as it introduces significant errors in the reading. The maker encourages the use of their optional MasterPlate ($49.00, a full page ad for which appears on the back cover of the instruction manual). This solution does allow measurements across the entire 10" blade width. But, my tests on a "brand spanking new" MasterPlate reveal that it should not be trusted to be flat. Errors that are introduced by a reference standard (such as MasterPlate) are extremely difficult to detect and often lead to improper alignment (see "Myths and Legends" for more info). In addition, measuring at such a height above the table magnifies the error produced by table surface variations and the inherent instability of SuperBar as it is moved down the slot - making the readings more erratic.
SuperBar does not have any mechanism to adjust the dial indicator position relative to the blade. Instead, two stylus extension rods (1" and 2" long) are included. These are added to the end of the plunger so that the stylus can contact the blade. When SuperBar was in the left miter slot of my Unisaw, I required the use of the 2" extension.
When SuperBar was in the right miter slot of my Unisaw, I required the use of both the 1" and the 2" extensions (for a total of 3" extension). This solution (the use of stylus extension rods) adversely affects the stability of the product, making the readings on the dial indicator even more erratic - increasing the likelihood of erroneous results.
The instructions show the product being used to check flange runout. The method recommended (left) contacts the surface at an angle producing significant errors in the reading. With the arbor tilted to match the angle of the plunger (right) the readings will be much more accurate. Even so, the stem of the dial indicator in both configurations is touching the surface of the table - making the reliability of this procedure dubious at best.
Comparison of standard features:
Construction
TS-Aligner Jr. Lite is made from solid 6061-T6 aluminum which has been extruded, precision machined, and anodized. SuperBar is made from injection molded plastic. It is difficult for me to determine what plastic was used without doing destructive tests. My guess is plain old everyday ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). It might also be cellulose acetate butyrate. It is definitely not Acetal.
Offset Bar
This feature of TS-Aligner Jr. Lite 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 (using a square or angle blocks) much easier. With SuperBar, you must tilt the dial indicator to make measurements close to the table surface - an impractical arrangement for miter gauge setup using a square or angle blocks. Alternatively, the maker suggests the purchase of a $49 accessory (MasterPlate) to facilitate a fundamental purpose of the product: blade alignment.
Angle measurement
TS-Aligner Jr. Lite uses the dial indicator in conjunction with the Angle Attachment Gage in two methods for measuring angles. It takes advantage of basic trigonometry to achieve remarkable accuracy. This degree of accuracy is necessary for cutting precise, tight fitting miter joints without the need for test cuts. A tangent table is included to translate dial indicator readings to angular measurements.
Optional angle blocks and can be used to further increase accuracy and ease of use. SuperBar can not be used to measure angles.
Horizontal Adjustment
Just like the "dial indicator on a stick" solution, TS-Aligner Jr. Lite is intended to be used with your miter gauge. You can slide it to any horizontal position relative to the item you are measuring. SuperBar provides two dial indicator stylus extensions to help reach the item you are measuring. Using these extensions you can measure four discrete horizontal distances (in one inch increments) at the cost of significant instability.User's Manual
TS-Aligner Jr. comes with an extensive 37 page printed manual full of photos and illustrations. Also included is a full length copy of the TS-Aligner Jr. DVD video. SuperBar comes with a four page instruction manual, two pages of which contain no instructions (front cover title page and rear cover advertisement for the MasterPlate accessory). The manual is illustrated with line drawings and CAD drawings rendered with shading. Most procedures are "explained" with only a drawing and a caption. Beginners will likely find the sparse nature of these "instructions" to be inadequate for this "entry level" alignment tool. No video is included or available.Upgradeability
Both of these are "entry level" products intended for beginners. As skill and knowledge increase, the beginner will want more functionality and versatility from an alignment product. TS-Aligner Jr. Lite can be upgraded to the fully functional and complete TS-Aligner Jr. at no price penalty. Owners of SuperBar will have no choice but to purchase an entirely new alignment tool.Summary
I recently had a chance to discuss this review with Paul Reilly, maker of the SuperBar (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. I offered to include his rebuttal correcting any misinformation or misunderstandings and promised to give it prominent placement right here in the Summary. He declined the offer 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.
Those interested in another point of view might enjoy reading this review which was posted to the rec.woodworking discussion group:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.woodworking/msg/f8f97a24deb33a6a
Conclusion
Given SuperBar's severe limitations, lack of features, sparse instructions, and extremely high price, it would seem prudent to save $50 and just use a dial indicator on a stick. SuperBar offers no particular advantages over this time tested solution (and some rather significant disadvantages!). For only $8.08 more, you can get TS-Aligner Jr. Lite and have the advantages of accurate angle measurement, the ability to upgrade, and the benefits of extensive printed and video instruction. And, with the TS-Aligner Jr Lite you have the opportunity to upgrade to the full blown TS-Aligner Jr. with no cost penalty. There is no upgrade path for SuperBar.
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Last revised: January 29, 2008.
