Best Micrometer

[Frank]

I want a good micrometer that goes to 4 digits, but don't want Chinese junk. Any recommendations?

[xr650]

Starrett, Brown & Sharpe, Mitutoyo

[btroj]

I got a Mitutoyo from Amazon for just under 100 bucks. Reads plenty accurate for me.

[Catshooter]

Frank,

Those are the top three brands with Starrett being the top. eBay is where I buy almost all of my presision tools, saves a ton.

Here's an example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Starrett-Tools-No-436-Outside-Micrometer-0-1-0001-/190590836257?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c60195e21

Hope this helps.


Cat

[Char-Gar]

I have been using Starrett micrometers for 50 years. They are top notch and will last two lifetimes with decent caare.

[jcwit]

I want a good micrometer that goes to 4 digits, but don't want Chinese junk.

Does this imply that Nikon cameras are junk?

However Starrett are top of the line.

[TXGunNut]

Nikons made in China now? Bummer.

[Frank]

catshooter:

Frank,

Those are the top three brands with Starrett being the top. eBay is where I buy almost all of my presision tools, saves a ton.

Here's an example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Starrett-Too...item2c60195e21

Hope this helps.


Cat

Thanks guys. I'm going to look at Ebay. :coffeecom Good tip!

[jimkim]

Don't overlook Scherr-Tumico. Here's a pretty good article on mikes.

[darthdave22]

I got 4 Starrets 1" 2" 3" and 4" on ebay for very cheap. Keep your eyes peeled and be vigilant. Try to buy from little guy not an Ebay store. I paid around 15.00 plus shipping for my one incher. Thats a steal!

[Ragnarok]

Starret or Central is what I own for mechanics work.

As long as you have the little 'spuds' to calibrate them once in a while..I don't see why a cheap one wouldn't work fine..even the expensive ones need recalibrated.

[jcwit]

Not all Starrett's tools are made in the U.S.A. anymore.

[katch1]

don't get all wrapped up in names
any of the top names in mics will suit your needs, just shop smart, the average guy can't use them with the precision to warrant .0001 readings
before you guys jump on me i'm a 25 yr machinist and if you don't have your tools checked out often you can't gauge .0001".
i work to .0005" all day every day, and there are more variables to workin in tenths than you may imagine, temp, feel, ect.
find a old machinist or tool and die guy thats retiring and you'll end up with better stuff than they sell now!! i can feel the difference between my tools that i bought in recent years and the tools that i inherited from my father who bought them in the 50's

[dromia]

I bought a Mitutoyo micrometer and caliper a couple of months ago for around 80 quid each and have been happy with both so far. Got a 1" standard as well.

[rmcc]

Mitutoyo is the way to go!! Have both micrometer and vernier. Their service is first rate out of ......Chicago, IL USA. I know, hard to believe.
Rich

[Moonman]

Many machinist jobs went offshore. Try to look for older machinist tool, guys retired, were outsourced etc. Many many Good STARRETT, BROWN & SHARP, MiCS, Calipers, small hole gages, indicators, travel indicators,should be out there. even older JAPAN made MITUTOYA stuff.

.0001 is too close for most people to measure. Air Temp affect size, and some people think Mics are C-Clamps.

These old tools were made and meant to be used for decades and decades.

[32ideal]

Do not know about anything made in the last 10 years since I retired, but my favorite Mic's and dial or digital vernier calipers have always been USA made Starrett, but have a set of Mitutoyo Intramics that are excellent. I would think any of the high quality precision tools should provide good service and a usable life!

[Bret4207]

Everyone wants digital these days. The old analogs are lots cheaper and work just as good.

[Catshooter]

And their batteries don't run out either . . .


Cat

[MtGun44]

Mitotoyo is great, top quality stuff. There have been several posts on current manufacture
Starrett having serious quality issues - which is surprising because once they were one of
the best.

A tool and die maker friend has had good results with Fowler brand mics from Enco tools.
Typically under $40 for a 0-1" that reads to .0001".

Bill

[W.R.Buchanan]

The best micrometers ever made were Tesa and Etalon. I have a complete set of Etalon Micrometers from 0-9" and had I paid full pop they would have cost me $2800! got the set which was unused still in grease for $300!

I also have 0-3" Tesa micrometers which I did pay full pop for and they were about $450 for the three.

I have also used Mitutoyo Micrometers extensively and for the price you really can't go wrong.

And then there is the chinese stuff and the top of the heap from there is Fowler. And Fowler micrometers will work as good as anything out there for what you as a booliteer will ever need.

Alot of brands mentioned above are worthy Starret Sher-Tumico, Brown and Sharp. However if you are looking at older tools Jsut keep in mind that a brand new Fowler mike for $40 is considerably better than a Old B&S mike made in the 50's for $40.

Also if you are not experienced in reading a micrometer and you think a Digital mike will be the answer to your dreams, you really need to jsut learn to read a real micrometer.

It really isn't that hard as they let machinists do it everyday.

Randy

[1hole]

"A tool and die maker friend has had good results with Fowler brand mics from Enco tools.
Typically under $40 for a 0-1" that reads to .0001"."

Yeah, but Fowler is 'Chinese junk." [;)]

[jcwit]

As are our computors, tv's, dvd player/recorders, shoes, most anything cast, the list is endless. All you have to do is read the fine print.

[Frank]

1 hole:

Yeah, but Fowler is 'Chinese junk." [:wink:]
Maybe the quality is good. What I don't like is they use an English name, Fowler, to sell a Chinese product. Kind of like the trucks you see such as "All American Roofing", and it's loaded with illegals. :coffeecom

[375H&HGuy]

Brown & Sharpe or Starrett. My personal choice is Brown & Sharpe.

[Bret4207]

I have Fowler mics and depth gauges from back in the mid 1970's. They weren't Chinkwanese back then and they weren't junk either.

Thing is Frank, this is another case of it being the indian, not the arrow. Any decent quality mic in trained hands set to an accurate standard will beat the very bestest, most expensive mic in the hands of a guy who thinks tighter is better and that a mic can double as a C-clamp. Unless you're measuring down to less than half a thou you might be just as well served by a moderately priced instrument. So I guess my question is what are measuring and for what purpose?

[Frank]

Bret4207:

So I guess my question is what are measuring and for what purpose?
.38 Special brass measurement. In the small revolver measuring case head expansion to the 4 digits will enable loading to it's maximum potential. Chronograph will tell what results were obtained.

[Bret4207]

So a simple tenths reading mic will do you. What you are doing is measuring relative expansion, so as long as it's repeatable you're good. Any decent name brand mic will do. You can go digital, but an analog mic will work just fine and so will a standard thimble reading mic. We it me, as long as it was a name brand like B+S, Starret, Millers Falls, even Craftsman, I'd be fine with that. You can spend a couple hundred or more on a top of the line tool, but variations in your brass and chambers will negate any advantage it might have.

[3006guns]

I'd question why you need a mic that reads tenths.....a standard, analog mic reading in thousanths should be more than adequate and a heck of a lot cheaper to boot. Look for a "standard" also to check it occasionally for accuracy.

All the names listed so far are top notch if in good condition, although my personal favorite is Slocomb, an old U.S.A. maker that all the "collectors" ignore. Slocomb mics have a patented device for taking up any wear in the threads, in addition to the normal adjustments. I have a complete set from 0-6", all from Ebay and the most I paid was nine bucks for a 1" for a mic in the box with instructions and adjustment wrench. They also manufactured the "speed mic", one of the first mechanical digital mics that gives the reading in three little windows on the frame, so you don't have to count on your fingers (which never bothered me!) :)

It's important to familiarize yourself with the Slocomb method of adjustment, as I've seen several where the owner unscrewed the barrel completely, thus disturbing the little ratchet ring inside. Once you read the directions you'll understand how it functions, and with any care at all your grandchildren will be using it.

Starrett....always good if not abused. Unfortunately, the older ones are now "collectible" to people who probably can't even read one.

Brown and Sharpe...same, but not as "collectible" for some odd reason (see last comment below).

Watch out on the Central Tools mics.....they used to be made in the U.S., but I've seen later ones made overseas.

Tumico..."Tubular Micrometer Company"...made in U.S.A. and featured a hollow, lightweight frame.

By the way, Brown and Sharpe pioneered the micrometer as we know it, after seeing a French "sheet metal measuring device" built by Palmer during the world's fair back in the late 1800's. They bought several examples, brought them back to the U.S. and refined the design, then began marketing them.

[Frank]

Bret4207:

So a simple tenths reading mic will do you. What you are doing is measuring relative expansion, so as long as it's repeatable you're good. Any decent name brand mic will do. You can go digital, but an analog mic will work just fine and so will a standard thimble reading mic. We it me, as long as it was a name brand like B+S, Starret, Millers Falls, even Craftsman, I'd be fine with that. You can spend a couple hundred or more on a top of the line tool, but variations in your brass and chambers will negate any advantage it might have.
Exactly. I have an old Brown and Sharpe. It reads 3 digits only but it should be good enough.

[perazzi]

I'm not confident. 001 calibration will be enough for his application (measuring case expansion due to pressure).

for that, I'd want to set up a runout gage and measure the before and after to 000050...

[jakharath]

I have a dial Starrett and a Japanese made digital Mitutoyo. Both are keepers.

[Frank]

perazzi:

I'm not confident. 001 calibration will be enough for his application (measuring case expansion due to pressure).
I'm just going to use the distance between the hash marks on the spindle. Just like a ball mike. I don't need their little hash marks to tell me if it's .0003 or .0008. I can see that looking at the spindle.

[JIMinPHX]

Starrett, Brown & Sharpe, Mitutoyo

Those are the classic big 3. I've never had any trouble with any instrument from any of those companies, provided that the instrument had not been terribly abused. They all have very good feel, although I think that the Mitsu is a slight shade down from the other two in that department.

There are other brands out there that fill in the middle ground between the diamond 3 & the Chinese stuff. The Polish micrometers tend to be a step above the Chinese. The ones from SPI or Fowler are another step up from there.

B&S is my personal favorite, just because I like the shape of them. The other top two are still top tier tools.

I would comfortably stand behind measurements that I had made with a Fowler or SPI mic. They give reliable results.

I can get good readings off of the Polish ones too, but the feel is not as good & I would need to take 5 readings before trusting the number that I came up with if I had to argue a dimension with a qualified individual who had a dissenting opinion.

The Chinese ones can be used, but you usually need to give them a tune up when you first get them & then treat them very gently. I keep one of them in my traveling tool kit because it is priced so as to be a disposable item after TSA gets done roughing up my bags & repacking them improperly (again).

[JIMinPHX]

Tumico..."Tubular Micrometer Company"...made in U.S.A. and featured a hollow, lightweight frame.


I have a set of those in the 6-12" range. They are light weight, which is nice, but they are not the most rigid of tools that I have ever used. I trust them to .001" at best & more like .002-.003" unless I'm being careful about the way that I feel them up.

[JIMinPHX]

Yeah, but Fowler is 'Chinese junk." [;)]

I must be out of date with my info then. The last Fowler mic that I used was made in Europe.

[adrians]

i was reading this thread so i went to e-bay and won a starrett mod 436 0-1".
i know nothing about starrett but on a whim i placed a $12 bid and won it for $11.25 and s/h is $3.07 so for $14.32 it's on it's way.
i have a "cheap" Harbour freight mic it's digital and i am happy with it but for that price i couldn't resist.
did i do o.k for less than $15 bucks?
have a great weekend. :evil::confused::twisted:

[jcwit]

I must be out of date with my info then. The last Fowler mic that I used was made in Europe.

Per their web site they're still made in Europe.

[Bret4207]

i was reading this thread so i went to e-bay and won a starrett mod 436 0-1".
i know nothing about starrett but on a whim i placed a $12 bid and won it for $11.25 and s/h is $3.07 so for $14.32 it's on it's way.
i have a "cheap" Harbour freight mic it's digital and i am happy with it but for that price i couldn't resist.
did i do o.k for less than $15 bucks?
have a great weekend. :evil::confused::twisted:

Yup. Good on you.

[Bret4207]

Ya know Frank, maybe what you ought to do is go truly old school and get a 10ths reading vernier caliper. Buy a couple sets of reading glasses when you do, but a lot of intricate machinery was built using them.

[adrians]

[smilie=w:

[uscra112]

I'm not confident. 001 calibration will be enough for his application (measuring case expansion due to pressure).

for that, I'd want to set up a runout gage and measure the before and after to 000050...

BRAVO ! Using a screw mike on a brass case is tough to do repeatably to "tenths" accuracy. Just the heat of your hand will change the mike by enough to fool you. And that's not the only source of error in that method.

A pedestal-mounted 'tenths" dial indicator, a small surface plate (a piece of glass will do in a pinch) and a suitable anvil will do much better. Don't use a v-block, however. A flat anvil is the right way.

I'm a little concerned that the O.P. is trying to determine pressure in this way for the .38 Special. By the time he gets significant change in expansion, he may be very close to blowing up the gun, unless it's a sturdy rifle.

[3006guns]

Ya know Frank, maybe what you ought to do is go truly old school and get a 10ths reading vernier caliper. Buy a couple sets of reading glasses when you do, but a lot of intricate machinery was built using them.

You know, it amazes me how many ordinary slide calipers are offered on Ebay as "vernier calipers".....when they don't even have a vernier scale! Ignorance is bliss I guess..............:veryconfu

[Frank]

Let's try a few. What are the readings?

A:

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=123&pictureid=4444

B:

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=123&pictureid=4443

[jcwit]

First pic .379'5'

Second pic .375'75'

Something I'm going to PU next time I'm close to Harber Freight
http://www.harborfreight.com/digital-thickness-gauge-66319.html

[Frank]

jcwit:

First pic .379'5'

Second pic .375'75'

That first case was probably shot +P. I can see the specs for .38 case is .379. I think I'm OK with using the .001" quality mic to measure expansion with loads.

[jcwit]

Frank, it looks like you're on the right track

[superscifi12]

However if you are looking at older tools Jsut keep in mind that a brand new Fowler mike for $40 is considerably better than a Old B&S mike made in the 50's for $40.
It really isn't that hard as they let machinists do it everyday.

Randy

Well a $40 fowler may be acceptable to some but if it were my money and the B&S was in good condition that is what would be in my box, but I might be a little bias as that is what is already there in 0-1,1-2,2-3 and 2 0-1 blade mics along with 3 sets of calipers (all B&S and all but one set of calipers are older than me). with a Starrett 1-2 and 2 Mitutoyo 0-1s.

If it isn't B&S, Starrett or Mitutoyo I don't waste my money and try not to let my guys waste theirs either. I'm a team lead at machine shop and IMO fowlers are junk. One of my coworkers had to send 3 different fowler 0-1 mics back because they wouldn't repeat and another guy used his fowler digit (not digital there's a difference) mic one time and the view window fell off. This was just in the last year.

I mainly run old school screw machines, Mainly B&S automatic screw machines in 00 and 2G sizes, and 2nd operation turret lathes, to do operations that CNC machines can't handle, like tapping and tight tolerance reaming (+/- .001 and run out of .002) with some rework (fixing other peoples junk) thrown in for good measure.

Digital mics may be good for some things but I have no use for them, the set I used (Mitutoyo) every time I picked them up I needed to zero them drove me NUTS! Wouldn't be off by much but they would be off. The other problem is that it seems like the batteries go dead all the time, may just be me but my B&S mics never need batteries as they are good old analog. I have been told that oil will kill the batteries so that may have been my problem as it seems that I always up to my elbows in cutting oil.

YMMV but this is just one machinists point of view.

[Reload3006]

made my living with mics for the last 30+ years ... Starrett is my hands down first pick. then Brown N sharp... Mitotoyo is good too. but if your wanting to get a mic that reads in the tenthousandths make sure to get a good ratchet stop or friction thimble because when you get below a thousandth feel is paramount in accuracy.

[superscifi12]

made my living with mics for the last 30+ years ... Starrett is my hands down first pick. then Brown N sharp... Mitotoyo is good too. but if your wanting to get a mic that reads in the tenthousandths make sure to get a good ratchet stop or friction thimble because when you get below a thousandth feel is paramount in accuracy.

Totally agree with you on the feel on really soft material (I hate UHMW) along with tenthousandths. The difference between the ratchet and friction is mostly personal preference. I prefer the friction stops over the ratchet. Most people in our shop like the other better.

[MtGun44]

Trying to read a lead slug from a barrel to less than .001" is a test of your feel, no doubt
about it.

The one Fowler mic I handled was pretty decent, even tho it is one of the "Chinese junk"
ones. Personally, I use my Mitutoyo carbide faced .0001" mics and are very happy with
them. Bought them new second hand in a 0-3" set about 31 yrs ago and have been
extremely pleased with the set.

I liked Bret's last post. Also, know that we flew to the moon in spacecraft designed with
slide rules. They work just fine.

Bill