Incra Router Lift - Convert to Metric??

[Bugsysiegals]

I've decided to bite the bullet and convert from Imperial to Metric.  One item I'm wondering if it's really necessary to convert is the Incra Master Lift II.  Is there ever a time when it would be critical to have the Metric setup versus Imperial? 

In the Imperial setup, there are 32 increments per revolution, each increment being .002 inches and 1 revolution being 1/16 inches.  In the Metric setup, there are 40 increments per revolution, each increment being .05mm and 1 revolution being 2mm. 

Since .05mm is roughly .002 inches, is it really necessary to upgrade the lift to Metric for $60?

 

[greg mann]

I think it depends on how you use your adjuster. If you use it just to fine adjust to some arbitrary value, such as, flush to a setting block or to sneak up to nice tangency between a radius and a face, then it matters little what the increments are. Another fairly close conversion is one turn on an inch screw is .003 more than 1.5mm, or one and a have increments on the dial. If you can count turns in 1.5mm values as opposed to 1/16 values you will get close enough to your goal for those final finesse moves.

All that said, you could request a price for a new leadscrew and dial in metric from Indra. It can’t cost all that much if they already make them and I doubt it would be hard to change out.

 

[Bugsysiegals]

They advised me to call JessEm who makes the lift. JessEm said it was $30-40 plus $15 shipping so it will be $45-55 for new lead screw and dial.

 

[Stone Message]

That sounds quite reasonable and I would go for it.

If you would rather save the money then you could get one of those iGaging digital height gadgets - I have one and use it on my Festool CMS-OF in order to get perfect height adjustment.

Peter

 

[rst]

I'm with Peter, a digital height gauge is the best way to go,also use mine for setting offset to the bit and fence by lying the unit on it's side.  I use it for my table saw height and offset as well.  Another useful too is digital calipers, I have 4,6,and 8" units.  I just used my 8" unit yesterday to set my new TSC 55 to match my corded 55 and 75's 3mm offset on my rails.

 

[Bugsysiegals]

I have a digital caliper and also have the Wixey digital gauge below which displays in mm or inches.  That said, is it worth converting the lift to have "exact" mm measurements or is there rarely a situation requiring an "exact" mm measurement and the digital gauge below will get me close enough? 
http://www.rockler.com/wixey-mini-digital-height-gauge

 

[Bugsysiegals]

I just used the digital gauge and it does appear every increment is .002 as advertised. While the increments don’t correspond directly to metric, there isn’t a positive locking mechanism between increments so I can lock the height between increments allowing for increments of .05mm. I could potentially achieve even less but my digital scale doesn’t measure any more precise than that.

 

[greg mann]

.05mm equals .001969”. You will need to move 10increments to accumulate .003” difference. That said, the cost of conversion is quite reasonable if you decide to go that way.

 

[Bugsysiegals]

Actually if you do 10 increments on Metric but only 9 on Imperial, you have a difference of .00169.  And that is full increments yet you’re not required to do full increments so you could technically get them very close to being the same; however, I’ve not seen a digital height gauge which measures less than .002” so perhaps it’s not that critical in woodworking?

 

[thudchkr]

iGaging digital height guage display gives readings to .0005”, accuracy is .001”.  Metric display is .01mm. Also shows fractional inches to 1/128”

Was comparing this one and the Wixey and decided on the iGaging unit because of multiple bad reviews referring to battery change issues on the Wixey.

This should work well on both my router table and my shaper for bit/cutter setup.

Fine Woodworking had a nice article about the using a height guage in your woodworking shop that showed many of it’s possible uses.

 

[greg mann]

There are a significant number of variables that will impact accuracy beyond the increment count and/or splitting increments. The proof is in the cut and checking the setup in total. Trial cuts are what I rely on. I find nothing wrong with trying to ring out as much accuracy and as high a resolution in the mechanisms or digital scales. The more you control for variation the better off you are. Any setup on any machine is subject to dynamic variables that can change results from what we expect to get.

Even though I disagreed with Pat Warner regarding the use of router lifts (he eschewed them) I respected the analytical degree to which subjected his equipment. Dial indicators resided on each side of the fence, all components where optimized to remove the unknowns. Good setup hygiene. I believe he disregarded lifts because he felt they introduced too many opportunities for setup variation and deterioration. That may have been the case a decade ago but lifts and their accessories have been continuously improving and their ease of use and speed of use have, IMO, overtaken the limitations and weaknesses he saw in them.