POLL......What do you think of Starrett?

[Randy Forbes]

Starrett is to me what diamonds are to women; jewelry for men is how I've long referred to Starrett tools (and yes, I have a fair amount of them to back that up).

 

[EmilioG]

Most of my Starrett tools are the older and vintage tools. Starrett makes some great tools; V blocks, gage blocks, anvil mike,
combination squares,tap wrenches, rules, protractors, depth mics, etc...But the new tools are hit and miss. I think the QC is gone from yesteryear.
I think there was a day when a tool didn't leave the factory unless it was dead on prefect. They can't afford to scrap tools anymore with the
salaries they pay to tool makers. It's really sad. I have a few, new Starrett tools that were well made generally, but the tolerances were off.

My new Starrett carbide scriber wouldn't hold unless I cranked down on it. The collet was too loose by .001 or so. I wrote to Starrett about and never heard back.
They just said, "return to whence it came". Still, I have to say, that Starrett has done right by me many times. They repaired a vernier protractor for me, free of charge!
They've sent me free tools. It's the QC dept. that needs some scrutiny I think. So I buy the NOS Starrett mostly. The time when precision gages came in a nice wood box.

The dividers and spring calipers are top notch. Tap wrenches still nice. But so much is outsourced now. Say in ain't so Starrett.
The mics, calipers and indicators and new depth mics are not as well made anymore. The parallels are awesome (very $$$$). I'll be watching to see where they go.
I would hate to see such a legendary toolmaker disappear from the USA market. Not to mention the jobs in Athol.

 

[Bob Korves]

All my Starrett tools were acquired used. I have never bought a new Starrett tool. I have quite a few, and the quality is very good. These tools are old, probably none less than 25 years old. The new ones I see for sale online, same part number as I have, are only shadows of the old tools. It can be seen in the photos. If they are looking to stay in business, they are not doing anything that might attract me to buy something they currently make. The price vs. quality equation just does not justify purchasing them, and they also have lost the beauty of their older tools.

Edit: In my case they are competing with their former self and losing.

 

[crazypj]

I was going to vote but have no experience of the 'new' Starrett .
I have a depth mic and a 0-1" I bought over 40+yrs ago. Depth mic still looks exactly the same as when I bought it and 0-1 has just a few chips in the frame paint. (and case is dented)
0-1" hasn't been checked (precision instrument check) since 1995 when it was 'dead on'
I found Polish made micrometers were pretty good (and real cheap)

 

[EmilioG]

There are plenty of good, well made, new Starrett tools, they reflect 2017 prices. Not everyone can afford them. Some just don't make sense to me, like the 196b back plunger and the Last Word.
These are antiques today.

The Webber gage blocks, vernier protractor,planer gage, parallels, V blocks, and many others are very good, still today. I haven't written Starrett off just yet.

 

[Bob Korves]

Here is the world I live in for tool buying...
The video is created by Dennis Noland, who designs cutting tools for Niagara Tools, and is also a hobby machinist:

NEVER pay retail!

 

[ch2co]

But where do you find treasure chests like this?? I occasionally find a single item at an estate sale or rarely at a garage sale, but this many tools in one place
is unheard of in my short lifetime.

Grumpy old guy

 

[Bob Korves]

But where do you find treasure chests like this?? I occasionally find a single item at an estate sale or rarely at a garage sale, but this many tools in one place
is unheard of in my short lifetime.

Grumpy old guy

I have found at least half a dozen sales way better than that one. The 60 degree and 72 degree micrometers are certainly useful to a guy who designs and tests 3 and 5 flute end mills, but not so much to the rest of us. The best sales I have hit are where a family is selling off the lifetime collection of a father or grandfather and just want to get rid of the stuff so they can get back to playing with their phones. Some of those are a penny on the dollar for beautiful tool collections. Machines, too... The number one rule is -- get there first with cash and without an attitude, and be friendly, kind, and accommodating. The number 2 rule is -- make a deal quickly for everything you see that is quality stuff, even if you already have three of some of them. Make it very easy for the seller to get rid of everything immediately to one buyer and be done with it. Most auctions are a waste of time, too many people there who know what stuff is worth, and they can't keep themselves from over bidding on stuff...

 

[scwhite]

I agree here. I don't know much about digital mics, calipers and others buy I can say that I will never trust them. Heck, I still use veneer calipers all the time. I find it hard at times to trust dials without measuring for repeatability. Yea, I don't own a single digital measuring device. I don't need it and don't want it.

I am the same way I have no digital tools , and I don't trust my dial calipers . Vernier calipers with the 50 divisions on the vernier is the best . It will not fall you.

 

[Bob Korves]

I am the same way I have no digital tools , and I don't trust my dial calipers . Vernier calipers with the 50 divisions on the vernier is the best . It will not fall you.

A vernier caliper will still be working long after the apocalypse, when all the fancy toys will be worthless. Every machinist should have some vernier tools and the skills to use them quickly and accurately, if for nothing more than making a measurement after the battery went dead in your gee whiz digital toy. Reality check: digital measuring tools are damn useful when they are working...