Chinese digital mic - a quick review

I had similar experience, until I didn't ..... Had a Fowler electronic digital mic, worked great till it did not, no abuse, no drops, no support from company, a disposable tool. It was my favorite mic for the 18 months it worked. I have now gone back to analog digital mics where the digits read thousandths and you use the vernier for the tenths, still Chinese but way cheaper and they last. Hope yours lasts a long time.
 
I wouldnt mind picking up a analog digital mic at some point would make some jobs a little easier.
 
If I was working as a full time machinist I would probably get digital mics. But I am retired and a hobby machinist, so I use the good old mechanical versions with verniers and dials. They are a bit slower, and get harder to read with age, but still do the job just as well. Also, no batteries...
 
I wouldnt mind picking up a analog digital mic at some point would make some jobs a little easier.
I broke down and bought a Chinese one after I saw one of these in a video. Digital plus analog, sign me up!

It fueled my appetite for a better one. I'm new to micrometers, and have never handled a good one, so I don't know how much better it might feel, but I think a good one would just have to feel better. It's hard to hit a consistent reading measuring the same thing repeatedly with this thing. Is this fully cranked down, or isn't it? It feels like it wants to stop short of being cranked hard enough to shatter the carbide anvils, but where, exactly? I try to check the calibration with a 1-2-3 block, and it hits 0.000" and 1.000" very consistently, as long as I crank it hard enough, but not too hard. I'm definitely leading the witness, and I don't feel like it's a very reliable device. Not in my hands, especially.

Even so, the little odometer on the thing makes me happy. Plus all my machine work is terrible anyway.
 
1-2-3 blocks are not necessarily accurate, and can be off by several thousandths. They are meant to be square and parallel, not to a specific size. Some of them are not even really close to parallel or square. You shouldn't crank down on a micrometer. You can easily damage it. It should be gently closed (not tightened) until you get a sliding motion with the correct "feel." Find something that is known to be truly accurate to test it with. A gage pin is accurate within a few tenths. Gage blocks are accurate to millionths, but there are different grades and sometimes varying quality control. If you do not have a KNOWN accurate reference, then you must assume that the mic is accurate. That sucks, especially if it is a cheap mic or a used one in unknown calibration, and you are attempting a fussy job. Any precision measurement must start from a known reference. Anything else is called guessing. Guessing is plenty close enough for much of the work done in home hobby shops. Often yard sticks are close enough...
 
I have used this Mic a few times since I shot the review. Still really happy with it. I also bought some thread mics but they are mechanical. I'll do a review on those too if people are interested. They are also the Links brand.

Paul.
 
I have a Mitutoyo Digital that's at least 15 years old, it was half that when it was given to me, lord knows what it cost new.
I'll be very pleased if my current new digital metrology kit lasts that long ;-)
 
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