I agree with Rob that there are a many different ways to approach woodworking - for some people ultra precise fences are a valid tool - so please don’t take offense at my comment.

Repeatability is an issue for a shops that reproduce pieces over a period of time. However, even shops that do that kind of work often make jigs and save them - repeatability with jigs is pretty much guaranteed and there isn’t any time spent switching back to previous settings - the jig is the setting.

However, for one-off projects with small runs of similar parts, fine tuning can be done by running test pieces until you nudge in the exact measurement you want. When the pieces are cut the entire guide setup can be broken down with no loss because it may never be needed again.

I’d rather save the money to buy wood.

Thanks for the comment and for reading.

I understand the value of repeatability as well as micro adjustability. In my opinion, both of these are usually obviated by what I call direct methods of working which utilize the principles of consistency and one-sided tolerance.

Furthermore, both repeatability and micro adjustability, when they are occasionally needed, can be achieved with low tech, non-specific tools. When I need a repeatable fence setting, I simply clamp a piece of scrap wood up against the front (or back, as appropriate) edge of each side of the fence.

I acknowledge that there are times when I would probably find something like an Incra fence on my router table to be handy. My point is that for the other 99% of the time, it is expensive over-engineering. Worse for me, is that it would interfere and work against the type of direct, intuitive methods of work that I prefer and that give me the results I want.

That said, I also acknowledge that there are different successful approaches to virtually everything in woodworking. So, while, no, I do not miss the point of a fence like the Incra, I also appreciate the validity of different approaches.

I thank you for your comment since it caused me to think through this again, and, hopefully, articulate it in a useful way.

Respectfully,

Rob

To be able to switch back instantly to a previous setting saves oodles of time.

I agree, John.

Rob

A simple tool in the hands of a someone skilled will always produce better work than a complex (and perhaps expensive) tool in the hands of someone unskilled.

It is an awesome fence!

Glenn Boyle

The micro adjuster that you referenced looks essentially like a shop-made version of the one for sale that I was looking at. If someone really wanted that kind of microadjuster, I guess it would be better than the store bought version since at least you have a choice of screw pitch. 10-32 or 1/4-32 would probably be better choices.

Rob

http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/tools/archive/2009/09/16/5-router-jigs.aspx