Micrometer suggestions

Serious hobbyist here: I have a strong preference for high quality, manual (no electronics), used tools. Mitutoyo, B&S, or Starrett, used on FleaBay, with return policies that guarantee delivery as described. You should be able to buy three carbide-faced manual micrometers for the price of a single new digital.

gobsauce said:

it reads to the nearest half-millionth.

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That’s really impressive! The best digital caliper I have only has a resolution to a half a thousandth and I don’t even trust it to be accurate at that level. That’s what micrometers are for.

For the OP, I have Starrett, Brown and Sharp and Mitutoyo all are quality micrometers.

Digital has gotten better over time although I don't think the workbench is the right place for them. Mechanical is the way to go for the shop floor. For someone that has little to no experience with precision micrometers a ratcheting spring thimble or friction thimble would be ideal. Starrett, Mitutoyo, Brown&Sharp, SPI and Fowler are all good brands. Fowler is Brown&Sharp economy brand I believe. Like holding a gun, get what's comfortable to hold. One thing to keep in mind is when checking "0" on a mic if it reads a couple tenths heavy just use a piece of paper to clean the faces. Act like you're measuring the paper thickness and simply slide the paper out. For what it's worth I've been machining for over 20yrs. I still use the Starrett 0-1 friction thimble micrometer I bought in my second year in the industry.

You give good advice! The measuring tool of good brands has a high price. The micrometer with an accuracy of 1/100mm completely liches the Chinese brand.
Batteries and electronics, this is evil. Especially for the Chinese instrument) I prefer the tool for the production of the USSR, when a high -quality tool was not a high price, as it is now.

I have several; A Frankford Arsenal digital that has the aforementioned affliction of dying batteries, a General plastic dial caliper that say Swiss Made that I got for a buck at a garage sale. This is my most used one.
I have Starrett 0-1", Slocum 1-2", and Central Tool 2-3" mics. I pick them up at antique shops at @ $20 each.
I, too, should throw the digital caliper away.

I got a lot of good used Starrett tools on ebay when i went to school. Estate sales too. Lost it all in a fire and insurance bought me all brand new; about $6000 worth. I wont call it lucky, but it sure helped make up for the sentimental things i couldnt replace.

Kind of rare but MAC tools makes some measuring equipment. Its made in Taiwan but works very well.

I like Mitutoyo dial indicators. Never had a B&S tool but ive heard good things.

Whichever brand you buy get a standard to go with it and check accuracy a couple times per year.

BBBBill said:

Whichever brand you buy get a standard to go with it and check accuracy a couple times per year.

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How do you do that?

A standard is basically a section of cylindrical steel that has been verified as exactly the length claimed.
Your standard must at least be as long as the minimum measurement on the caliper or mic.
Dial calipers will have either an adjustable bezel, or a knob like a stopwatch to adjust it.
Micrometers usually have a small set screw at the base of the arm.
There may be other ways of testing and adjustment, these are what I have used.

Gaging any measuring instrument needs to be done at a constant temperature. Measuring one day at 20° and then six months later at 100° will yield different results. This is why precision oriented machine shops are climate controlled.

I have Starrett & Mitutoyo stuff, but I actually really like Fowler mics and thread mics, as well as dial indicators.

Just keep in mind that Fowler makes a wide range of products in terms of quality and stick with their better stuff.

I had a Fowler dial calipers. Three months old and the crystal fell out, and the dingus at the end of the scale fell off and disappeared. Tried to get parts, and was told by Fowler that I had to return entire unit for repair, plus cost of parts. They sent me a mailer, so after some arguing via email I bashed the piece of junk and returned it in the mailer with no return address. Will never see another Fowler here.

beag_nut said:

I had a Fowler dial calipers. Three months old and the crystal fell out, and the dingus at the end of the scale fell off and disappeared. Tried to get parts, and was told by Fowler that I had to return entire unit for repair, plus cost of parts. They sent me a mailer, so after some arguing via email I bashed the piece of junk and returned it in the mailer with no return address. Will never see another Fowler here.

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Like I said, they have a wide range of quality. The cheapies are exactly that.

I use Fowler thread mics and dial indicators every single day. Only one such caliper, a 12" Fowler Sylvac, my other calipers at the moment are all Mitutoyo and Starrett, but that 12 incher is spot-on. It's not an economy model, though; that's a $400 unit.

OrangeCat said:

I did get a 0-1" micrometer Mitutoyo that I purchased and have a 6" Mitutoyo calipers that is marked SAM that I uhh... acquired in a completely above board manner, that as far as I can tell and after thoroughly rinsing the gunk out of it seems to be about as accurate as I could ask a set of calipers to be.

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Those 0-6" calipers must be mine! Or at least it wouldnt look like i "acquired them" lol

I had a Mitutoyo dial indicator that i really liked.

I have several boxes full of mics and caliper, digital and analog. I use only Mitutoyo digital calculators. Batteries last forever, never had a failed caliper.
For close work, hard to beat a mic. Look for one that reads to 10ths .0001. These have 10 addition graduations on the body shaft. Also don't buy a mic that has a plastic locking lever. They break.
I have mics from Starret, Mitutouo, Brown & Sharp and Flowler, plus a couple of others. I can't tell them apart for accuracy.
Beware though, there are fake mitutoyo caliper clones. Google that so you can tell the difference.
Starrett is now sourcing some of their stuff from China. google that if you like.
And oddly enough, one of my most accurate mics is this one. https://www.harborfreight.com/digital-micrometer-63647.html
You can find that same HF mic re-labeled by some prestigious brands for a lot more money.

Rex B said:

I have several boxes full of mics and caliper, digital and analog. I use only Mitutoyo digital calculators. Batteries last forever, never had a failed caliper.
For close work, hard to beat a mic. Look for one that reads to 10ths .0001. These have 10 addition graduations on the body shaft. Also don't buy a mic that has a plastic locking lever. They break.
I have mics from Starret, Mitutouo, Brown & Sharp and Flowler, plus a couple of others. I can't tell them apart for accuracy.
Beware though, there are fake mitutoyo caliper clones. Google that so you can tell the difference.
Starrett is now sourcing some of their stuff from China. google that if you like.
And oddly enough, one of my most accurate mics is this one. https://www.harborfreight.com/digital-micrometer-63647.html
You can find that same HF mic re-labeled by some prestigious brands for a lot more money.

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The mic for .0001 is called a vernier micrometer.

Starrett has been producing most of their dial calipers in the Far East for 10 years or more. They do still offer one American made dial caliper, the 120 series. Many of their less-precision oriented tools are also made overseas or in South America like hack saws and hole saws. They are still a quality product.

BTW, the best deals I have found is at estate sales and an occasional auction.

BigBlue 94 said:

Gaging any measuring instrument needs to be done at a constant temperature. Measuring one day at 20° and then six months later at 100° will yield different results. This is why precision oriented machine shops are climate controlled.

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This is very important information. And it is also why I do not store any precision measuring tools in the garage or any other non climate controlled area. Not only will temperature swings effect accuracy, it will make your tool more prone to rust.

Rex B said:

BTW, the best deals I have found is at estate sales and an occasional auction.

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I tried going to auctions years ago but it seemed I always had collectors running the bids up on us working people.