There are a handful of tools in our workshop that were initially viewed as purely a luxury purchase, but have slowly transitioned over the years into tried, true, and trusty tools in my collection. One such tool is actually a companion tool to a much larger tool, but this companion improves the overall capability and function of it's larger partner. Ah, symbiosis in the tool world.

The focus of today's Toolbox Tuesday is my Osbourne Excalibur EB-3 Miter Gauge (no, I'm not making that name up, that's actually the name of this tool..."Excalibur"). "But what does it do?," you ask...It has the potential to make you "Norm Abram awesome!"

After purchasing and using my Jet table saw for several years I gained the necessary level of acumen and comfort to begin trying more advanced techniques in woodworking. This included more than your typical rips and cross cuts of stock. However, I felt my stock miter gauge was significantly limiting my ability to work in a more advanced manner.

One day, while watching an episode of the New Yankee Workshop and dreaming about hanging out with Norm and doing woodworking friendship things like building cabinets and dressers, I noticed a much more significant and impressive miter gauge on Norm's table saw. Looking intently at the setup, I couldn't tell brand, but I knew I *had* to have it!

Naturally, I took to Google hoping it would have an answer for me. Logically, I searched for "Norm Abram is my best friend and I need to know exactly what miter gauge he uses so I can use it too!!!" which led me right to the thing I was looking for (don't believe me? Try it, it works)...but I'm pretty sure "Norm Abram miter gauge" might have worked as well.

The miter gauge I was searching for was the Osbourne Manufacturing Excalibur! I quickly placed the order and when the gauge arrived I was tremendously pleased with its seemingly sturdy construction, accurate setup and configuration, and ease in getting it configured for my saw.

It's aluminum and steel construction isn't susceptible to the normal breakage or give you see with plastic parts, and all elements that lock in place are done so with screws to ensure a secure hold. All measurements are clearly marked and the gauge comes with a ruler decal so you are able to properly apply it based on your saw's configuration and setup.

This miter gauge works really well. Whether I'm doing simple cross cuts on longer stock, cutting angles, or using it with the dado blade to cut tenons, as I've been doing with the storm windows, the miter gauge has been true and accurate all along.

There's an adjustable stop on the end of the gauge that can be flipped down onto your material. This stop allows you to set the correct length you're cutting for, and then make repeated cuts without having to constantly check for accuracy.

One thing to note, this is not a small accessory. When not in use I tend to hang it on my peg board, because there's really no other place to store it. It's somewhat large and an awkward shape, but that's just something to plan for if you're buying it.

In all, this table saw accessory may have started out as a luxury purchase, but it's now an irreplaceable part of my workshop. It's allowed me to try more advanced table saw techniques in a far safer manner, and I've been able to create some pretty great things with the help of this miter gauge.

But best of all, I know this miter gauge is 100% Norm approved, and that's good enough for me!

Have you ever used an Osbourne miter gauge? I'm interested to hear your opinion on it. I'm also very interested to hear your opinions on other miter gauges on the market.

Did you enjoy reading this post? Want to learn more about our first-hand experiences with other tools, devices or items used throughout our renovation? If so, check out our complete list of product reviews in our Toolbox Tuesday section. 

Note: We weren't compensated for this review. We simply want to share good products when we see them, and hope that learning from our mistakes can help save you time, money and frustration.