Mitutoyo 1-2inch digital mic failure

[Mike Ginn]

My 1-2inch mic model number 293-345 has suddenly stopped working giving a blank display. I replaced the battery with a known good cell but no luck. I removed the front cover and verified that the battery contacts were in good condition and making contact. There was no sign of coolant in the mic which has had little use since new.
Has anyone any experience of getting these mics repaired. A new one is around £250ish. I also have a 1inch Mitutoyo digital mic and I was wondering if the display panel could be fitted to the 1-2inch mic to fault find by substitution - they look identical. I would only do this if I am advised that it is compatible. I have looked on Google to see if there is some hard reset process but no luck - and I didn't expect to find anything.
Any advice would be appreciated
Thanks
Mike

 

[krypto]

Looks like a current model. I would contact Mitutoyo and see what they say.

​

 

[Mike Ginn]

Just to update you. I sent my 1-2inch Mitutoyo mic (293-345) to the UK repair centre. Was quotes £134 for the repair or 25% off if repair not possible. Mitutoyo invoiced me £100 including 20% tax and postage and returned a fully working mic. Irritating failure but much cheaper than replacement.

 

[krypto]

Did they actually repair the mic or did they just send you a new one?

Sometimes it's cheaper for the manufacturer to just replace the mic, but then again these are expensive enough to warrant the effort. Over here, that's a $220 mic from a reputable dealer. When buying you gotta watch because there are a lot of Mitutoyo fakes floating around.

 

[Mike Ginn]

Hi krypto
It is a genuine Mitutoyo mic. I put some very small marks on the mic and can confirm that it was repaired. It was an electronics failure and with the correct spare parts it shouldn't have taken more than 15min to repair
Mike

 

[clockworkcheval]

I love all mechanical measurement tools.

 

[Mike Ginn]

I do as well but I find digital readouts to be very convenient. My first experience was with a digital vernier (mitutoyo again) and I quickly found I was saving loads of time not having to read the scales. I guess its a bit like using logs or a calculator - who used logs today. I quickly moved to all my mics being digital, my TDI digital and of course the DRO on machines. When you work in both imperial and metric the ability to switch is very helpful.
Mike

 

[Emconut]

Over 40 years of buying electronic calipers I have acumilated a whole box of misfit things that defi my fixing

 

[Mike Ginn]

Its irritating Emconut! With the trend to surface mounted electronics and fragile multi-layer circuit boards, repair can be very hard/impossible - hence designed to be discarded. I still think the digital measuring "devices" are well worth the cost which includes having a supply of SR44 batteries and accepting an occasional device failure. To date I have had only the one failure (as above) but have used many batteries.
I would not be without my digital devices.
I also have a box of misfits which is labelled - "things which might be useful - but I don't know what they are"
Mike

 

[krypto]

I do as well but I find digital readouts to be very convenient. My first experience was with a digital vernier (mitutoyo again) and I quickly found I was saving loads of time not having to read the scales. I guess its a bit like using logs or a calculator - who used logs today. I quickly moved to all my mics being digital, my TDI digital and of course the DRO on machines. When you work in both imperial and metric the ability to switch is very helpful.
Mike

For my uses, I have a nice digital Mitutoyo 6" caliper for all the reasons you state. It's my most used metrology tool, so I don't mind the battery use (they last a few years anyway) and it's also one of the few tools I bought new.

Almost all the other measuring tools I have were bought used and I avoid used electronics. They sit in the drawer until needed and I don't have to worry about a flat battery. For me, time saving with these tools isn't much of a concern as it can go months between shop projects anyway due to other commitments.

I have one of these in 0-1, it's a mechanical digital micrometer which I like quite a bit. Along with the "odometer" display, It has the regular scale and a vernier scale for reading tenths. Easy to read and no batteries to go flat, but you lose the metric-imperial conversion which can sometimes be quite handy.

I bought my 216 used years ago for little money, but I see this mic line is still in production but quite spendy as in a $100 more expensive than the equivalent digital Mitutoyo like in the first post. If I had to buy new, I would probably pick the digital Mitutoyo over the 216.

 

[Mike Ginn]

Hi Krypto Your picture made me look through my mic draw and I found I have a Mitutoyo model 159-211 combimic. Mine was acquired second hand (used) and is rather beaten up but still accurate with a very smooth action. There are no makers markings on the mic but when I looked at the case I was surprised to see the maker and model number - maybe the original quality is an indication of how it has withstood such a hard life. I do have to admit it is never used. There seem to be many for sale in the US and this picture was "borrowed" from eBay!
Mike