Avenger tools closeout saws, calipers

[LCHIEN]

http://www.avengertoolsonline.com/ca..._Calipers.html

Avenger tools is clearing out their product inventory

Notable items -

the stainless steel dial calipers with both .001" and 1/64th fractional markings is $9.75 plus $8.88 shipping.

The 6" stack dado has been popular here BUT the Avengers have never stacked up correctly as far as the blade and chippers being exactly 1/8" and 1/16th inch as is usually the case. But its only $37.50 and you can always make up a table of the stack up values like others have done.

[ryan.s]

Do the avenger stacked dados cut clean flat bottom dados? How do they compare to the freud dados or other brands? I have a vermont america dado set without the carbide teeth and after using it a couple of times I realize I need a new dado set. The VA does not leave clean flat bottom dados.

[drumpriest]

Yes the avenger cuts clean flat bottom dados. I would imagine that the freud is nicer, but I don't really know. I would think that the freud may stay sharp longer.

I have the avenger, and the only real complaint is that the chart included for the width of cut is completely incorrect. I made test cuts with different stacks of blades and shims, and made my own chart using calipers. It was easy and didn't take much time.

[mcommushroom]

Loring, is it not possible to set the Avenger Dado to 1/8" increments or does the chart that they supply for chipper settings not actually deliver the widths they say it does? I hope I'm making myself clear about the distinction. Seems like a good deal if its just the chart.

I don't see any other dado in this price catagory that's gotten halfway decent reviews - but if you can't get 1/8" increment dados, I may not bite.

I wonder if their calipers measure correctly or if they match their stackup chart.

[jziegler]

I'll step in on this one, Loring doesn't have this set but I do. Pretty much any increment is possible on this set. But you can't just add up the size of the outer blabes and the chippers. Since it has 1/8" chippers, one 1/16" chipper and one 3/32" chipper, most 1/32" increments are possible. You just need to insert the shims on the stack to make it work. I've gotten very accurate 1/4", slightly under 3/4" (for plywood) and a few other sizes as well.

My method is to figure out which chippers would add up, add a few shims (take a guess), cut a trial on some scrap and add or remove shims as necessary. It's not hard at all, but it can take several trys to get it right. When you get it right, write it down somewhere, you will want to use that setup again.

For the setups, to make sure that they are exactly the same each time, I took a sharpie and lettered or numbered all of the shims and the blades/chippers. I write down the code for the stack, and can use those exact same parts next time.

Jim

[mcommushroom]

Thanks, Jim. This is gonna be a tough call because I don't need on yet, but I don't want to spend $200 if I do someday. Sounds like it'll get the job done though.

[mschrank]

My method is to figure out which chippers would add up, add a few shims (take a guess), cut a trial on some scrap and add or remove shims as necessary. It's not hard at all, but it can take several trys to get it right. When you get it right, write it down somewhere, you will want to use that setup again.

You can do this with only one trial cut. Terry (Tundra_Man) has a good write-up on his old website:
http://www.tundraman.com/archive/home/FrameLaunch.CFM

I wasn't able to link directly to the page, but click on "Jigs, Fixtures, Inventions, and Tutorials" and then click "How to cut perfect Dados the Second Time."
While it does require you to assemble, disassemble, and reassemble your dado stack, it beats doing it numerous times. Like others have mentioned, I just write down the correct combination each time I cut a new width of dado...and now have an accurate chart for all the width's I generally cut.

Thanks Tundra_Man!

[jackellis]

It appears they're all gone. Amazon also lists all Avenger dado sets as unavailable.

[LCHIEN]

Loring, is it not possible to set the Avenger Dado to 1/8" increments or does the chart that they supply for chipper settings not actually deliver the widths they say it does? I hope I'm making myself clear about the distinction. Seems like a good deal if its just the chart.

I don't see any other dado in this price catagory that's gotten halfway decent reviews - but if you can't get 1/8" increment dados, I may not bite.

I wonder if their calipers measure correctly or if they match their stackup chart.

This was a topic in a recent discussion thread, in the tools forum, I think, or maybe getting started.
The avenger dado for some reason does not stack up according to the nominal sizes of the plates and chippers, some shimming is necessary to get the standad fractional sizes. This seems to affect all Avengers. They're off a few thousandsth each but by the time you stack them up it adds up to a considerable amount of error.

Every other dado I have heard of stacks up correctly e.g. use two 1/8" plates and two 1/8" chippers and a 1/16th chipper and you'll get exactly 9/16ths which is quite handy. My SD308 does this fine. and the SD206 users agree.

So every Avenger user has to stack and measure carefully, keep records and tables of blade and shims to use for given sizes, somewhat inconvenient. But the Avenger cuts clean, flat bottom dados but only costs half of the Freud SD206. They've been selling around $35-50. So for $37 it would be a good bargain dado and this is a last chance to get one.

[JR]

Every other dado I have heard of stacks up correctly e.g. use two 1/8" plates and two 1/8" chippers and a 1/16th chipper and you'll get exactly 9/16ths which is quite handy.

I've got a cheapie dado set (I don't remember the brand) and it does NOT stack up correctly. It's the only one I've ever had, so I thought this was normal!

JR

[LCHIEN]

DAng, they didn't last long, both the fractional caliper and the 6" dado were avilable last night but gone today. Sorry.

[LCHIEN]

DAng, they didn't last long, both the fractional caliper and the 6" dado were avilable last night but gone today. Sorry.

Did anyone place an order for calipers?

Did anyone get them?

I

[LCHIEN]

DAng, they didn't last long, both the fractional caliper and the 6" dado were avilable last night but gone today. Sorry.

Did anyone place an order for calipers?

Did anyone get them?

I placed an order May 10 for the fractional calipers and got an order confirmation, but... so far no calipers. But they didn't charge my CC yet, either.