Is a RazorGage Positioner the Right Saw Stop for Your Shop?
Since the numbers come from a file, nobody is measuring and marking by hand, and that is where a lot of errors begin.
Michael John 
Every shop has a story about a board measured three times and still cut short. Tape measures slip, pencil lines drift, and by the end of a long shift nobody’s eyes are as sharp as they were at 7 a.m. A RazorGage Positioner takes that guesswork out of the job. You pick a length on the screen, the stop moves to that spot, and you make the cut. RazorGage has built these machines in Ames, Iowa since 2001, and cabinet shops and other cutting operations rely on them every day. In this post I’ll go through how they work, what sets them apart, and where each model fits.
What Does a Positioner Actually Do?
A positioner is a programmable saw stop. Think of it as a motorized fence that rides on a rail beside your saw. Instead of sliding a stop block by hand and checking it with a tape, you load a cutlist and the fence travels to each length for you. The same unit can also work as an automatic pusher, which feeds the material forward to the blade. RazorGage says its stops work with chop saws, upcut saws, downcut saws, drill presses, and even notching and punching machines. That’s a wide range, and it means one RazorGage Positioner can often be added to equipment you already own instead of forcing you to buy a whole new line. The operator touches a line on the cutlist, the fence moves, and the job carries on. Less reading, less walking back and forth, fewer mistakes.
Why the Hardware Matters
Most saw stops work out the stop position from how far the motor has turned. That means any slop in the drive shows up straight away in your parts. RazorGage builds around that fact. The fence rides on a Hiwin linear guide, the same kind of bearing found on CNC machine tools, and the drive uses a planetary gearhead with near zero backlash. The ST model also carries a five year belt warranty. On the numbers, the Android ST stop is listed at plus or minus .008 inch with repeatability of plus or minus .0015 inch. The RG3 is listed at plus or minus .004 inch over 12 feet when calibrated with a capable measuring device. Stroke lengths on the ST go up to 60 feet, so long stock isn’t a problem either.
Which Model Should You Pick?
The XT-PC is the entry level option. It runs on an Android touchscreen, comes in 8 and 12 foot strokes, and lets you email cutlists to the machine from your desk. Fraction keys and preset hotkeys help new operators pick it up fast. The RG3 sits at the heart of the line. It runs Windows, stores thousands of cutlists, sorts them into groups, and can print labels with barcodes or QR codes. An optional AutoList upgrade adds yield optimization. A small shop with simple cutlists may be happy with the first. A busier floor that wants sorting, labels, and less waste will likely want the second.
Software That Does the Boring Work
RazorGage AutoList reads .CSV files from design programs like Cabinet Vision, Mozaik, KCD, and Microvellum. So the cutlist your designer already made goes straight to the saw, with no retyping and no sticky notes. The software sorts and groups the parts by material, and every RazorGage controller has built-in Wi-Fi, so networking is simple. Since the numbers come from a file, nobody is measuring and marking by hand, and that is where a lot of errors begin. Labels can be printed on an optional label printer, which speeds up sorting and assembly later.
What If Your Lumber Has Defects?
Solid wood is never perfect. Knots, splits, and stains show up, and cutting around them by eye wastes good material. This is where the RazorOptimal comes in. It pairs the precision of the RazorGage ST with the Cyclone 600 upcut saw. The operator marks defects on the board with a crayon, and the system scans the board length and those marks. Then the software picks the parts from your cutlist that fit best into the clean sections. It clamps the board automatically, makes the cut, and can print part information straight onto the material. A 500mm blade is standard, and an optional 600mm blade can cut stock up to 1 inch thick and 20 inches wide.
For face frame work, the RazorOptimal can also be set up with an 18 inch downcut saw that drills pocket holes and scribes layout marks automatically. That removes a whole round of hand layout.
Who Gets the Most Out of This Equipment?
Cabinet shops are the obvious fit, especially ones building face frames, since the pocket hole and scribe marking option saves a lot of layout time. But anyone who cuts the same kinds of parts day after day will notice the time saved. Support matters too. The RazorGage line is built by Technical Services Inc. in Ames, so you are talking to the people who make the machine. The company has been known for solid customer support since 2001, and that counts when a machine is the center of your cutting line.
Final Thoughts
A good saw stop pays you back in small ways: fewer remakes, less scrap, and an operator who isn’t squinting at a tape. Start with a RazorGage Positioner if consistent cut lengths are your main goal. Step up to the RazorOptimal when lumber defects and yield become the bigger headache. Either way, talk to the team first and describe your saw and your daily work. They can point you to the right setup.
FAQs
What is a RazorGage Positioner used for?
It’s a programmable saw stop and pusher. It moves a fence to the exact length on your cutlist so the operator doesn’t have to measure and mark each part by hand.
How accurate is it?
It depends on the model. The Android ST is listed at plus or minus .008 inch, and the RG3 at plus or minus .004 inch over 12 feet when calibrated with a capable measuring device.
Can it work with the saw I already have?
Often, yes. RazorGage lists chop saws, upcut saws, downcut saws, drill presses, and notching and punching machines as compatible. Call the team with your saw details to confirm.
Which design software works with AutoList?
AutoList accepts .CSV files from programs such as Cabinet Vision, CabinetWare, KCD, Microvellum, and Mozaik, among others.
How is the RazorOptimal different from a positioner?
A positioner moves the stop. The RazorOptimal is a complete saw system that also scans crayon-marked defects, optimizes the cutlist around them, clamps the board, cuts it, and can print on the parts.
Contact Us:
Address: 57006 241st Street Ames, IA 50010
Phone: 515.232.3188
Email: [email protected]
