Micrometers For The Beginner?

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Kroll

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Guys it has come time for me to move up to micrometers,I really want to start to dial in my projects or should I say get it to where things fit correctly and quite just setting for close enough.I know that Starrett is everyones favorite and it would be mine also if I can find one in my budget.But what other brands are out there that would work well for a beginner that has a limited budget?I look over on ebay found lots of Starrett at what looks like a good micrometers but some have different #'s and some are .001 and others .0001 What I would like to find is one that will cover 0-1" then another 1"-2" but due to my limited budget I will need to search in the used market which means ebay I guess.Guys I am just a hobbyist making hobbyist projects so nothing being made for Nasa.
What should I look stay away from,is there one brand that looks good but not worth a penny?As you can tell,not knowing much about micrometers I really don't know what to ask other than for some guidance and maybe links to some information.Thanks ----kroll
 
Mike's are easier for me to use if they have a ratchet or slip device, so you always get a consistent reading. for my use, I went with .001 type.
I bought a larger 2-3 inch mike from Enco and it always zeros out on the included standard.
 
Kroll said:
Guys it has come time for me to move up to micrometers,I really want to start to dial in my projects or should I say get it to where things fit correctly and quite just setting for close enough.I know that Starrett is everyones favorite and it would be mine also if I can find one in my budget.But what other brands are out there that would work well for a beginner that has a limited budget?I look over on ebay found lots of Starrett at what looks like a good micrometers but some have different #'s and some are .001 and others .0001 What I would like to find is one that will cover 0-1" then another 1"-2" but due to my limited budget I will need to search in the used market which means ebay I guess.Guys I am just a hobbyist making hobbyist projects so nothing being made for Nasa.
What should I look stay away from,is there one brand that looks good but not worth a penny?As you can tell,not knowing much about micrometers I really don't know what to ask other than for some guidance and maybe links to some information.Thanks ----kroll
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Other brands to consider are Mitutoyo, Brown and Sharpe, and Lufkin. Some of the lesser known brands that may fit your needs are Etalon, Sherr Tumico and Fowler. There may be others but can't think of them at the moment. When buying used be careful that you are not buying someone else's junk. Look at the overall condition and check them for accuracy, using gage blocks, at three places in their travel range. Reading in tenth's is nice but not necessary as are carbide tips.

Happy hunting!

Tom S.
 
I bought a set from Harbour Freight to start out with. Didn't have to worry about dropping it that way. I bought some nice used ones off ebay or I look at swap meets. Bought a nice dirty old Luftkin 3-4" for $25 off a tool table once. Bought a standard and it was only off .0005 when i checked it. Wish i would have bought the rest of the set he had.
 
Different mics fit different hands, try some out, the style and how one holds it can/will make difference. The easier to hold, easier use the more one uses the more it will get used and so on.Less of close enough.
 
I got tired of always having dead batteries in my cheap HF calipers and started replacing them with older mechanical versions from Ebay. There are always several to pick from. I now have 2 6" dial calipers, a 12" caliper, a 0-1" micrometer, and a 1-2" micrometer. All are US or Japanese brands (Starrett, Brown & Sharpe, and Mitutoyo). Most were in the $20-30 range. The 12" Starrett was $100. You can usually tell from the description if the quality is good and they know how to test it. The ones I stay away from are described as "picked up at an estate sale, appears functional" and all of their other items for sale are shoes or jewelry.

Steve
 
I have Mitutoyo set that I have had for years at work. For home I have some Fowler mic's and am very pleased with the feel and accuracy.
 
You need to check a used micrometer out before buying it. Some are gritty and gummy when you go to use it. Some have been dropped or otherwise damaged and the spindle and anvil no longer line up. Sometimes the contact surfaces are damaged, no longer smooth, flat, square, and evenly contacting. You also want to see how it feels in your hands. Asian mics are quite usable, .001" is enough for most projects. You can take some chances on used or Asian or both at cheap prices and use them to learn with. You will also need standards and wrenches for them to be able to make them as accurate as possible. Jump in with both feet, but start out at the shallow end of the pond...
 
The finest mics (and indicators) are Swiss-made. I own mics from Starrett, Mitutoyo, B&S, Etalon and Helios. All are accurate but the Swiss-made Etalon (and German-made Helios) mics feel the best in use and are the easiest to read. The best bargains are often the Helios mics. Choose one in very good shape and ask the seller to be sure it has a working lock lever. Most Swiss/German mics have a friction thimble, which I have come to prefer, but a ratchet works nearly as well.

Don't hesitate to contact the seller and ask specific questions that aren't answered in the listing. Condition of faces, sticking, locking lever, signs of damage from drops, etc. I also make sure that if there is a problem on arrival that a return is acceptable and that the little adjusting wrench is included - it is an important thing to have. If I am in doubt about any of these things, I pass; another one that is just as good or better will turn up soon and probably for less money.

Personally, I suggest you go for one that reads in tenths (0.0001"). You may not think you need this now but someday you will, and it will be there.
 
I have a $10 1-inch mic from Harbor Freight. I checked it against a set of pin gauges and it is right on. I don't really see a need for something better, at least not for me. But I use a dial caliper much more often than the mic. The caliper is easier to use, more versatile, and plenty accurate for most everything that I do.
 
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