Tenths Indicator Choices

[sdelivery]

Why buy a tenth indicator?
I have three...
Mitutoyo, Brown and Sharpe and Interapid.
In the last ten years they haven't left the box.
I have a whole bunch of indicators that haven't left the box in decades.....
I use two indicators a Interapid .0005 finger style and a Mitutoyo one inch travel .0005
Why,? Repeatability. When I use an indicator it's response and ability to repeat a zero or any reading.
I am sure there will be a host of " I need and You need" but in thirty years I can count The times I NEEDED a .0001 on one hand.
Yes, I spent many years scrapping and rebuilding and making repair parts.

 

[Bone Head]

Unless you're dealing with mirror finishes, a .0001" indicator of any brand is going to register any bumps, scratches and of course repeatability is going to suffer.
The old guys with eons of experience where I worked would use .0005" indicatore and extrapolate the readings they got. And it'd work. As a side benefit newbies would lose their mind over that.

 

[graham-xrf]

BTW You suck! (envy emoji) (my emoj menu is broken)

Mine too, but you can get around it by typing :btw and the menu should pop up. It's "colon you suck colon", but I am in the obvious Catch-22 in that I can't type it without invoking it.

If all else fails, here is the image.

 

[Dabbler]

thanks graham!!

 

[Dabbler]

@Bone Head I use my tenths Mitutoyo indicator about 3 times per year, tramming vises and indicating in parts in my 4 jaw chuck.

Most of the time I use one of those *really* cheap (in every way) offshore plunge indicators when being close is good enough.... but... sometimes close isn't anywhere near enough (says the anal-retentive guy).

 

[ChazzC]

Most 0.0001” indicators have small ranges (~0.050”), and DTI’s are even less (+/- 0.004”), but I was surprised to find a 1” range indicator from Shars @ $60 on Amazon:




I have a number of DTI's (0.001" & 0.0005"), a couple of AGD1 dial indicators and a back-reading dial indicator from Shars and have been very happy with their performance, repeatability and accuracy.

The shown one above is listed as "Shockproof," but I would guess is more likely "Shock Resistant." Either way, should be a good feature to have when running across a scraped surface which isn't continuous.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

Brown & Sharpe Tesa
Mitutoyo
Mahr

 

[682bear]

I'm with sdelivery... in 33 years, I've never needed one.

Actually, I've only used one a couple of times... you can guesstimate between the lines on a .0005 indicator and get pretty close to .0001 and have more travel and much less needle jump.

But if you want one, go ahead and get the Interapid... you won't be disappointed.

-Bear

 

[sdelivery]

That is one point I totally in agreement with, you will not be disappointed by an Interapid.
I believe it is worth the price IF you need one

 

[mksj]

Like many others I have a have multiple test/dial indicators and end up only using primarily one which is a 0.0001" multi-turn test indicator (Compac 215GA which is no longer available). Similar to what David Best picture shows, it is almost impossible to setup dial type center indicator with anything less than a 0.0001" indicator, and similar if you are setting up a set-tru type chuck, and I will also include tramming and other measurement functions. Having the multi-turn range gives one a lot more leeway as to dialing your measurements in. Using a 0.0005", which I have several, both the resolution and accuracy become more problematic if working in the sub 0.001" range. On the dial indicator I also use a 0.0001" indicator with a 0.2" range, I find it much easier to accurately dial in my work and decrease issues with cumulative errors. I do not do scraping, so cannot comment on the applicability in that area, but for day to day work, I would rather get a single better quality resolution indicator that can cover all my needs then a draw full of ones that I don't use.

Test Indicator Brand Comparison

Test Indicator Brand Comparison: Mitutoyo, Starrett, Bestest, Interapid and others.

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Horizontal Test Indicator Model Equivalent

Horizontal test indicator model equivalents - inch reading - major brand names

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