I was looking at dial indicators today cause I need to purchase one and also have looked at calipers to what is a good brand of these? fowler? starrett? What brands and good and bad and different brands accuracy is there a difference? I am installing a pto on truck and need one and also one time was setting bearing load on differential and needed one! Thanks Jerry
we have always used mitutoyo. I don't have any experience with other brands but am very happy with the performance of the ones we have.
that's all we use
It will depend on what your needs are to determine how much you want to spend. If you go with Starrett or Mitutoyo, you will not go wrong. I prefer Mitutoyo digital calipers and Starrett dial indicators and squares. Fowler is not a bad brand for a mechanic's general needs. I have used all three brands of tools for machining purposes as well as some other brands. Biggest factor with any of them is keeping them clean and taking care of them! I will never forget the day I saw someone using a micrometer as a c-clamp! Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
Depends on how much you want to spend and, IMO , who is going to be using them, you, or employees? Starrett ,Brown and Sharpeare top of the line. Mitutoyo and Fowler are pretty good and will probably serve you well for years to come. Try to stay away from the dirt cheap indicators. I've had a few and the plungers don't reciprocate smoothly and, the needles can be jerky.
I work for a small company 10 guys and am the part time mechanic while doing how many other things like driving truck and operating equipment so it will stay in my toolbox while not in use so I will be the one using it but I don't like junky tools! Thanks for the replies will hafta look and see what I find looked on ebay and found all different kinds but know I can find cheap junk on there so that why I wanted to find out what the good brands were! Is there a good place to get them? Thanks Jerry
have some mitutoyo kit, had for years, still as good as new.
If it is going to sit in your box no way would I buy a Federal or Starrett. Go to Harbor Freight or a cheap on from Enco it will serve you fine. The more expensive units have smoother actions but either will read what you want for infrequent use
I tend to buy high end stuff because I use it all the time. Mitsutoyo usually. Mercer an English brand is top stuff too. Some of the Chinese stuff is getting better. Its just as accurate. Both the cheap ones and and the highend clocks are just as dead after they hit the concrete floor. I always reckon I'm guaranteed to break another as soon as I get a new one out of its box.
I imagine you wanted to see how tight you could get them on some parts of his anatomy to teach him a lesson! We needed to measure a large bearing a few years back, around 10 to 12 inch OD. We were told another branch of the company had a large set of inside and out side mics. When they were given to us myself and the other mechanic just about fainted. These two large mics were Starret brand the outside mic had the replaceable anvils to go from 6 up to 12 inch and the inside mics had an assortment of tube extensions that I think even went up to 24 inches. But what shocked us was the RUST! It looked like someone had used them outside in the rain and put them away wet! Either that they stored under a leaky roof! :Banghead We are still using the second hand 0-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6 outside mics plus the 1-12 inch inside mics we have had since shortly after I started at this job 40 + years ago and they look as good to day as the first time I saw them. Some people just have no respect for tools
I have one of these... ever heard of them??? http://www.higherprecision.com/prod...l-mark-iv-electronic-caliper-0-6-inches-150mm Lol, BTW... somebody might chat with you there, did with me. OCR
Thanks for all the replies guys I got a mitutoyo with mag base off of ebay for $124 ! Jerry