New Student of the trade: First measuring devices

Hi a little advise. There is nothing more expensive than a cheap tool. If you use it once and disgard OK if you mean to use it a life time don't go to HF for your precision tools. Just saying. Tom
 
My verniers are as yours. Made in Germany. Little scale you gotta find the matched line. Very nice. But it takes me 10min to find that little line. So I would use a dial if thats the way I was gonna do it. Just hard to see.
My Precision Calipers don't even have a dial. They are true Verniers. I don't use them much now because they are difficult to read. I do however use the Dial type quite q bit. Thank you Chuck for r taking the time to explain your first post.

"Billy G"
 
My Precision Calipers don't even have a dial. They are true Verniers. I don't use them much now because they are difficult to read. I do however use the Dial type quite q bit. Thank you Chuck for r taking the time to explain your first post.

"Billy G"

You need new bifocals Bill I just use my eye loupe.:rofl:
 
I do agree with you. All my mics are quality. But I got it all used. For all the starrett stuff I have I maybe have 200 tied up in it. But the other side of that coin is your a student surrounded by students and none of you got a clue. If you want high end stuff buy it used. You will be one sad puppy when your 300 buck intrepid gets dropped. So I would learn on used or cheap
Hi a little advise. There is nothing more expensive than a cheap tool. If you use it once and disgard OK if you mean to use it a life time don't go to HF for your precision tools. Just saying. Tom
 
Many of the tools we see as junk today would have been better than the top of the line 100 years ago. Some are better than what was available 50 years ago. Quality precision tools have their place. Not every place demands them. Depending on the need and the task, cheap tools can be perfect. In the machine shop on the other side of my building, they have all sorts of kids working on their own projects and whole classes of students doing lab assignments. You don't go out and buy all top quality tools. You get a bunch of inexpensive ones and a nice set for them to check out when the work demands the precision.

Want to have several around the shop, in the car, or anywhere else dedicated to that place? Get a handful and sprinkle them around. I have a few in my desk at work. Someone comes and asks to borrow a tool, I have no hesitation about loaning them out.
 
First off, welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of machine work. If you're like most here, you have a passion for turning big hunk of metal into works of precision art.

I second (third or forth even) analog gauges. It's like learning to tell time. How many kids today can't read a 'real' watch or clock? I've been doing this for close to 35 years and I've never owned anything digital (except a calculator). I still have my first set of Mit mics and Starrett dial calipers. Make sure to get a 'standard' (calibration gauge block) with the mics. 6 inch calipers and 0-6 inch set of mics will handle most jobs.
 
I would recommend:

6" harbor freight digital calipers $10 (new)
1" harbor freight digital micrometer $30 (new)
set of 2" and beyond micrometers that read in tenths, analog or digital $100 (new)
shars +/- 0.030" finger style dial test indicator with range dial and 0.0005" resolution $65 (new)
mitutoyo +/- 0.008" finger style dial test indicator with 0.0001" resolution $50 (used, tons on ebay)

And without specifics, because I dont know:

-an inside diameter measurement device
-feeler gauges
-telescoping bore gauge set
-steel graduated rules

and save the rest of your budget to buy what you need as you need it
 
After a lengthy machining career I took a job in the quality control department of a major supplier of OEM automotive parts. A percentage of my job involves repairing and calibrating measuring equipment so I have lots of expensive equipment for calibrating and verifying gauges at my disposal. I'm far from being a gauge snob but have tested some of the off-brand items mentioned just to see if they measured up. I use the HF calipers as digital readouts on my Bridgeport spindles and on my lathe tail stock at home because they're cheap and it didn't bother me to chop them up to fit. Before modifying them I brought them into the lab just to see how good they were. Surprisingly, the outside measuring jaws were pretty good, impressive actually. The inside measuring jaws and the depth rod are kind of hit or miss as far as correlating with the OD jaws but are good enough for rough work. Internally, the electronics of the HF calipers are identical to an early model of Mitutoyo, it's the grinding of the inside jaws and the depth rod that isn't always correct. Off brand indicators have their place too, but only as a zero reference, never for actually measuring using the graduations on the dial. I consider Shars and SPI to be off-brand. For my money, anything Mitutoyo is a great deal for a good price.
 
I have found calipers as digital readouts and dial will hold on a day to day use ±.002 (0.05mm)
Use mic after getting down to with in .020" (.50mm) the mic will repeat ±.0001 (.0025) on ever day for most machinist
Note if you use old mic's check at the 1/2" (13mm) mark too I have one that test at 1/2" mark at .503 (12.776mm) it still will repeat ± .00005 (.0013mm) still work for setting ball bearings.
I use both digital readouts, dial calipers and mic's for my work most shop like you using mic's

Dave
 
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