Mitutoyo or Starrett?

[jwills8606]

I think of the name-brand vs. Chinese question the same way I think of Harley-Davidsons: twice the machine at four times the price. Is it worth it? That's a question only you and your bank account can answer.

 

[miglincit]

MHO:
Shouldn't your considerations start with the accuracy you want to achieve?
For typical modeling chinese quality seems pretty ok.

I owe a lot of different brands and all of them provide enough precision for my tasks.
And if you measure fitting parts with the same device/accuracy absolute values are not that important anyhow - always use only one particular meter to build a house

Thomas

 

[Anko]

Hi
The topic of which precision measuring instruments brand is very personal opinion based, there are people who will swear by Starrett, or Swiss makes, or mitutoyo, or practical people that are be able to use chinese or cheap stuff with same results.

If you are not working on a temperature controlled workshop and you don't need a special feature like data output for a pc or something like that, then all brands will do fine, take intro account that the heat of you hand can and will influence a measure made with any micrometer. If that is the case you will be paying extra for a more pleasant feel, prestige and durability (that only if you are careful enough to not screw up your expensive tool before starts to show actual wear, which can take a lifetime).

But there is only one truth for all brands, all instruments will make the same noise when hit the ground... the difference is on the wallet only.

For first measuring tools I recommend buy cheap or used ones, learn how to use it and how to take care of them, then when confident enough, go for you favorite brand.

That say... there is nothing like owning expensive brand tools.
Best Regards.

 

[ALEX1952]

Something that has not been mentioned is repeatability, please if checking an instrument for calibration check it repeats as well. Another issue which is just a suspicion of cheaper digital instruments is drift in the readings, please check zero before measuring. And a personal gripe why do they make it so easy to press the zero button, it would be easy to make it that you have to simultaneously press two buttons therefore limiting the risk of zeroing by accident.

 

[Shopgeezer]

My first go with a set of cheaper telescoping hole gauges on a generator engine rebuild was frustrating. I’d feed the gauge carefully into the cylinder, tighten the knob and as I withdrew the gauge the telescoping arms would pop out just a bit. Different measurement every time. No matter how I tried I couldn’t get the gauge tight enough to hold the measurement accurately. They went back to the vendor. I am budgeting some serious dollars for a set of Mitutoyo telescoping and small hole gauges.

 

[awake]

Shopgeezer, what you describe sounds like the way I first tried to use telescoping gauges. Since then I have learned the correct way (or at least, I think it is the correct way): Put the telescoping gauge in at an angle, letting the fingers spread to touch the walls. Turn the handle to lock - which doesn't lock as much as hold with friction. Tilt the gauge straight - this will push the fingers in to the minimum measurement, which should occur directly across the bore. Tilt a bit more and pull it out. Measure across the fingers gently. Not sure how much sense that makes to describe it verbally. Quick and easy to understand if you see it, harder to describe it.

Of course, it may well be that you are doing it correctly (or at least as I describe above), and your gauges are still not holding the measurement, in which case disregard all of the above!

 

[Shopgeezer]

The problem was the locking knob at the top would not provide enough friction to hold the telescoping arms. Just poor manufacture I guess. Every time the gauge pulled free of the cylinder the arms would extend a bit no matter how I tried to do the measurement. If I get a better set I can discount a problem with the gauge and work on my technique a bit.

 

[awake]

Gotcha. I am using a cheapo set - HF brand - and once I learned the technique, I was able to get consistent results, but there was definitely a learning curve. And as we all know, the cheap Chinese tools can be very inconsistent - one works great, and the next doesn't work at all. Sounds like you got the latter.

 

[jimmor49]

Take a look at the Scherr Tumico T series tubular frame carbide tipped mics. Top of the line and expense but will last a life time. I have had a set for 30 years and they have been a pleasure to work with.

 

[Michael Rosenbauer]

If you spend spend some more bucks to china made measuring tools you get a quality useful for hobby. Not the realy cheap stuff. Here it is def. what you pay you get. If you buy a micrometer 0-25 from Mitotoyo
you need to spend 90€ or digital 135€ there fore it makes no sense to buy cheap china stuff.
Mitutoyo Starrett are common brands in the world especially in US. But there are very good brands, some better than Starrett or Japanese made measuring tools available.
For example "Hommel" .

 

[tornitore45]

I had the same problem with telescopic gauges, the internal finish and fitting is so rough and poor that either the lock is too strong or to weak one way it spring and the other way there is no feeling and it does not stay put.

The only useful purpose was as a xylophone hammer for the grandchild.

There is point where the quality is so poor that the functionality is lost.
My shop is 95% made in China and 5% of it was trashed as unfit to be called junk.
If it was 100% American I could only afford 10% of it.
Chinese cutting tools are OK for hardwood and Aluminum and Lead but dull on steel before the pass is completed.

 

[fcheslop]

I bought a 1inch Mitutoyo in my early 20s and still using it 40+ years later
Bought a chinese 1inch internal mike 3 years ago and the numerals have rubbed off the dial hmmm

 

[goldstar31]

I bought my late wife a rather expensive TagHeuer watch. The black- whatever it is- is also worn off.

As for quality or the lack there of of Chinese tooling, I can't get my head around people who are fighting against there very existence of China's manufacturing might in their real world, yet complain about buying Chinese rubbish for pennies despite it having been made, sold, transported, being handled by middlemen and sold on to suppliers and finally into our own little workshops.

But, I have been to HongKong several times as a visitor and as a guest of Chinese people.
They may have funny ideas about food but their engineering is as good as most.
Two days they offered to build the new high speed link from London to link with some of our major cities to Leeds-- at a cheaper price that we Brits could. I doubt that they would plan to use their inferior tooling sold to us.

Taking time off in the real world to mention MY observations

Norm

 

[OrangeAlpine]

I am a firm believer in buying tools that fit your eyes, especially with micrometers in regard to how lines register. Some mics are very hard for me to read, others very easy. Some almost impossible. It is so bad that sometimes I have to measure a part with dial calipers in order to get a sense of what the actual dimension should be. I know, that's me, not the tool. But the best tool in the world is useless if it cannot be accurately used. Buy tools that you can accurately use and when you pick it up is like meeting an old friend.

Bill

 

[goldstar31]

Bill,
Thank you. Amongst a crate of other things, I have macular degeneration consequently I have difficulty in reading digital readings and now an impossibility to 'split hairs' on my verniers.
Undaunted, I have Seeing AI on my large iPhone. So you prompted me to try it. It didn't work as I suspected- it shouted something as I am also deaf( my days as a Goldstar31 in the RAF but it lit up and magnified the digital readings on my SiegC4 lathe!
Of course my 'newish' Myford Super7B will arrive in a couple of days, so I'll try to see(?) how the phome reacts to a different set of dials.

So Thank You again


Norman

 

[clockworkcheval]

On the topic of precision, my experience as a newcomer to the trade is quite limited. Therefore I decided to machine every dimension as if it is a close tolerance in order to grow my skills for when it really counts.

 

[chrsbrbnk]

There were some fake Mit. digital calipers out there for a while the telling diff. was the 1/2 thou digit was half sized in the fakes and full sized on the real ones . Not that many tool and die makers were buying the starret stuff compared to the mitutyo where I worked definitely even less brown and sharpe . a digital Mit. mic. will give you very reliable .0001 reading providing you use the friction or ratchet as opposed to the barrel. the way to buy chinese is to actually try it in your hand and compare there are good ones and some real crap on line and amazon make that pretty tough.

 

[SailplaneDriver]

I haven't seen iGaging products mentioned. They are Chinese and very good quality at a reasonable price. I have their 6" digital caliper and a 1" digital lever operated mic. The calipers are as good a fit and finish as the Mitu's I've tried and I won't cry if I drop them. The lever operated mic can be convenient but takes a while to get used to. I resort to using a old Brown & Sharp mic for anything critical. I'd buy both again. I also had a Harbor Freight caliper which was quite accurate but the fit and finish was poor - grit in the mechanism and a bit loose. Otherwise, they are not bad for general use.

I would save my money on buying the caliper and mic and put it towards a really good dial test indicator. I have had several Chinese models. The Chinese dial test indicators I have were acceptable when new but tended to deteriorate with use getting sticky and not that repeatable. I bought a Tesa and an Interapid DTI and am amazed at the difference. The Tesa and Interapid are smooth and repeatable.

 

[gmaf]

I try not to buy Chinese products. I take pride in my work and my tools. You tend to take better care of a quality tool that you've spent good money on and I've NEVER regretted spending the extra bucks.
I've always liked the older Starrett 120 series calipers. They are well made and easy to clean and reset after the occasional skip from something getting on the rack. Cheaper calipers can be a PITA or impossible to reset.

 

[Noel Gordon]

Hi guys .I've been using my mitutoyo 0to12inch micks for 60 years and my old boss hated them because the anvils where so slippery compared to his Starrett