Micrometers- So Many Choices

Phil3

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I have an inexpensive old 0" - 1" friction stop analog mic. Says "Poland" on the box. Seems to work well enough. I need a 1" - 2" mic. Thinking of digital, but would like to see what others think of this type vs the analog style. Also, need help on quality. One can spend $20 or 7x times that or more. What is that kind of price getting me? Accuracy, additional life, or...?


- Phil
 
Phil
I have both and use them, I have a couple cheap Chinese Digital Mic's that seem to work good. I've had then about 2 years and I do check them often and they seem to check right every time.

Paul
 
I'm in the "Buy Quality" camp. I think a guy can do pretty well looking for some of the lesser known brand names, like Fowler for one. If you live in an industrial area, pawn shops can yield good deals, provided you know what to look for as far as wear and damage goes. I think it's a common question that isn't easily answered. Buying new obviously costs more, but you don't have the worries of old, worn out or damaged instruments. But then, in a home shop environment, you probably can get away with a little more than you can in a commercial shop. Some manufacturing facilities require all employee instruments to be in their calibration system and they can and will tell you to get rid of any instrument that fails to meet their standards. Even those instruments often are adequate for home shop use.

Basic requirements (IMO):

Carbide faces
0.0001 resolution (either analog vernier or digital)
Friction thimble, not ratchet (No offense, Ed ;))
No engraving or grinding on the instrument to remove engraving
No hollow framed larger size micrometers
Standards required
Case if at all possible
There are other things, but I'm blank at the moment.

My brand preferences, in order, for OD micrometers:

Starrett
Mitutoyo
Brown & Sharp
Lufkin
Fowler
Sherr-Tumico
General

There are others, such as Craftsman, Etalon, Helios, various store brands that tool houses offer. Of course, this is just on OD micrometers. Depth and ID are a different story. And bore gages.....and, and, and....
 
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Re: Micrometers- So Many Choices, Terminology

Looking at MSC, I find terminology I am not entirely familiar with.

- Friction (I got that).
- Plain (I gather this to be a direct connect between fingers and force applied to thimble).
- Ratchet
- Ratchet Friction
- Ratchet Stop

I know ratchet means you can not apply too much force, but the ratchet and friction together? And what is the "stop" term mean?

- Phil
 
Ahh..hehe, you guys just need your bifocals adjusted. I like the slant line mics. :)
 
My glasses give me fits at times. I had excellent vision until I turned 44 I believe, but since then, it's been a downhill slide. Least favorite task: touching off a tool. I used to be able to hit a could of tenths contact, but now maybe a couple of thousandths. Why couldn't I have been nearsighted??

I have some dangerous micrometers. Some very old Starrett mandrel mics with the lines worn practically off. Way before chrome, so patina makes everything blend. I actaully have two sets, a 6-9" and a 9-12" if I remember right. Might post a pic, just for grins. They're definitely antiques.

I have a 0-1/2 Starrett, but it's a ball mic. Not so old, chromed.
 
How about this one. my dad bought it around 1920 I think, its been in use ever since, its my pride and joy .

Starret still make this type of micrometers,

Brian

P1011133.JPG
 
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I picked up this set at a pawn shop. I had seen it there a year ago and it hadn't moved, so I talked him down to $55. He had said it was a Starrett set, but only the 1" turned out to be a 436.

The rest of the set is from Central Tool Co., Cranston, RI. Anybody know anything about this manufacturer?

I have a 1" bar from another 2" mic and the 3" bar that came with this set. I set the 3" and 4" mics off the 3" bar and the 2" mic off the 1" bar.
 
Thanks for the link, Ed. I see I forgot to attach a photo.

P8270035.JPG
 
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May be wrong, but I think I read that they made S-T brand also.
 
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