Woodpeckers recently released a brave entry into the market: a miter gauge that does only one angle! It’s called the Exact-90 Miter Gauge and it currently retails for $329.99. You might want to check out my previous Ultimate Miter Gauge Review to see where the Exact-90 fits into the landscape but suffice it to say that I didn’t include it in the big review because it would have done terribly. No matter how good it is, it only does one angle and it does it for a LOT of money. Because of that, I assumed this review was going to be cut and dry as I just couldn’t see the value proposition. But as I spent more time with the gauge I realized that Woodpeckers made a few significant advancements with this product that make it more than just a simple one-trick pony. Here are a few of the highlights:
- Unique miter bar design that requires no calibration and worked great in my miter slot.
- Miter bar is extremely long and features two washers to help support wide panel cuts.
- A Flop-Stop add-on that also helps support wide panels by keeping the fence level when it’s no longer on the table surface.
- A micro-adjustable stop.
- A simple calibration system for adjusting the 90 degree angle, should it require adjustment.
- A telescoping fence that rivals some of the longest on the market and features a sacrificial fence.
As for the negatives, there’s really only one: the price. This miter gauge does exactly what they say it does and the panel-cutting functionality means it can do things most other miter gauges can’t do without significant modification.
I have to admit, this product is hard to pin down. It’s not really a miter gauge as it only does a single angle. It’s not really a panel sled because, well, there’s no sled. It seems to reside in some weird hybrid space where it hopes to present the best of both worlds and for some woodworkers, it just might succeed. But for others, the single angle will be a tough pill to swallow and while it does a surprisingly good job with panels, it’s not going to be quite as good as a classic cross-cut sled where you have a little more capacity and greater stability (as well as a much larger footprint). In the end, this is a decision I can’t make for anyone else, but hopefully I’ve given you enough information to make the right call for yourself.
The post A Miter Gauge that Does One Angle?! – Woodpeckers Exact-90 Review appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.
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