# need help finiding a part - magnifying lens



## JohnnyTooBad (Dec 9, 2012)

I have a custom TS fence that I built. Right now, the distance to the blade is measured with a pointer that points to the tape rule that is attached to the fence rail. I'd like to replace it with an adjustable indexed magnifier, but can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I think it's that I don't know the proper term for it, or maybe I need to narrow my sources that I'm searching in. On Google or Amazon, all I get is either rulers or magnifying glasses. Even searching at Woodcraft, Rockler and HF didn't get me what I wanted

Can anyone help me find one of these? Maybe I need to order one as a part from another tool? My DeWalt planer has one. I wonder if I can find one as a replacement part? *edit* nope. I looked at the parts lists and I can't find the magnifier.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

The part may be called a cursor. Mine is flat, but some manufacturer's have cursor's with a dome which magnifies.

Try searching for "table saw fence cursor"

My Biesemeyer fence is just a flat cursor. It would be nice if it had a magnified dome/lens.


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## JohnnyTooBad (Dec 9, 2012)

Thanks Dave. That made all the difference. It turns out that the first responses I got on Google led me to other woodworking forums where people didn't like the magnifying cursors because of "parallax", which makes magnifying cursors very difficult to read accurately. I think I'll go with a flat plastic one. The Beis cursor is less than $4 (although shipping will probably be $15 on top of that). Although I can probably make one out of any piece of hard clear plastic.

edit - $9 for shipping. I'll try to make my own first.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

JohnnyTooBad said:


> edit - $9 for shipping. I'll try to make my own first.


Happy to help. I know the frustration of not having the correct keywords for a search. :thumbsup:

I made my own cursor for my Incra router fence.

When I purchased this I found the cursor was missing. I purchased from Woodpeckers, called them up and they said they would ship a replacement, which they did.

While I was waiting for the replacement to arrive I cut a piece of plexiglass, drew a line with a thin point sharpie, then drilled the mounting holes. It worked well enough I have not bothered to replace it with the factory original.

If the plexiglass has the protective film, leave this one for the hole drilling, sanding the edges, etc. and only remove it for the final step of drawing the line.


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## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

eBay, search: (Beisemeyer, delta) cursor

They are a bit spendy, ($20).

Alternatively, make one out of polycarbonate. The best is a thicker piece, with a rabbet to reduce the thickness on about half of it. Lay it out so you can mount it with the bottom surface close to the tape, and the index line is scribed in the bottom to reduce parallax. 

I machine the cursors from pieces of offcut polycarbonate left after I make inserts for the router table or table saw. I machine long pieces, which makes it safer, and then cut off pieces to make cursors as needed.


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