TigerStop’s booth at the AWFS fair in July was a beehive of activity as small-shop and job-site woodworkers jockeyed for position to watch the SawGear, an automated length-measuring system for miter saws, in action.

The portable device, which attaches to all brands of miter saws and stands, is accurate to plus-or-minus 1/128”, and is rugged and easy to use, says the company. The user simply enters a dimension on the keypad, the stop automatically positions and the cut can be made.

Whether used for making a straight or mitered cut, SawGear will save a substantial amount of time and increase profitability for shop owners, says TigerStop president Spencer Dick. He emphasizes that most craftsmen don’t realize how much time they spend using their tape measure and marking boards before making cuts, which can be repeated a few hundred times a day.

“SawGear eliminates that time-consuming process by saving the average worker 20 to 30 percent of his time. Also, the accuracy of the worker’s final product is significantly better,” says Dick, explaining that when stock is accurately cut, the rest of the job, from framing to foundation work, speeds up as well.

“SawGear has patented mitering features that allows woodworkers to make door casings and window cases very quickly and accurately, so the quality of your work goes up.”

SawGear comes with mounting brackets that attach to a miter saw stand. After power is supplied, there’s a quick calibration procedure and the user can start making cuts.

“One of the best parts about this machine is that you can use it both in the shop and out at the job site. You can quickly release it from your in-shop saw, take off the powerhead, carry it out to your truck, put your saw stand in and drive to the site,” says Dick.

SawGear is available in 8’ and 12’ working lengths, and can be positioned on either side of the saw.

The 8’ system sells for $2,695, while the 12’ system costs $2,995.

Contact: TigerStop, 12909 N.E. 95th St., Vancouver, WA 98682. Tel: 360-254-0661. www.sawgear.com

This article originally appeared in the October 2011 issue.