- Thread starter silversid
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I've had a couple from Aldi/Netto et al, for less than a tenner and they're surprisingly good. I'd not use them for anything that needed real accuracy -- say measuring the ovality in a main bearing, but as an everyday workshop tool, they've very handy. I use them for checking valve shims on the Cinqs (the tolerances are fairly liberal).
If in doubt, put one up against a decent micrometer.
One thing, some of the cheap (and expensive?) ones loose the battery cover with extreme ease. Tape it on before it falls off!
If in doubt, put one up against a decent micrometer.
One thing, some of the cheap (and expensive?) ones loose the battery cover with extreme ease. Tape it on before it falls off!
Unclefista
Member
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Some of the cheap ones from Aldi et al, only measure in increments of 0.1mm. The ones I saw were "resin" or plastic to you and me.
Buyer beware etc...
Buyer beware etc...
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Even basic Mitutoyo ones are only about £50, Mine must be about 8 years old or so, and had a fairly harsh life. Still hasnt gone out of calibration either.
I dont really do anyhthing that needs to be more accurate than 0.1mm, but its usefull to know which side of .1mm you are airing towards.
Normally used for stop setting on press brakes, measuring punches, drills etc.
Handy for doing decimal inch to metric conversions aswell
I would advice buy the best one you can afford, and look after it. It will last a long time.
I dont really do anyhthing that needs to be more accurate than 0.1mm, but its usefull to know which side of .1mm you are airing towards.
Normally used for stop setting on press brakes, measuring punches, drills etc.
Handy for doing decimal inch to metric conversions aswell
I would advice buy the best one you can afford, and look after it. It will last a long time.
Even basic Mitutoyo ones are only about £50, Mine must be about 8 years old or so, and had a fairly harsh life. Still hasnt gone out of calibration either.
I dont really do anyhthing that needs to be more accurate than 0.1mm, but its usefull to know which side of .1mm you are airing towards.
Normally used for stop setting on press brakes, measuring punches, drills etc.
Handy for doing decimal inch to metric conversions aswell
I would advice buy the best one you can afford, and look after it. It will last a long time.
As the saying goes "you get what you pay for" I think a good Mitutoyo will be my best bet.
Didn't realise you could do decimal to metric conversions with one, which would be realy handy
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The basic Mity one i have is a 6" model, without a thumb wheel. Its smooth enough not to need one anyway imo.
You can set it to metric or imperial, and swap between the two at anytime, so you could open it up to 3.750 inches for example, then press the button to change, and it will stay at that, but read it in metric as 95.37mm (im guessing on the numbers lol)
You can set it to metric or imperial, and swap between the two at anytime, so you could open it up to 3.750 inches for example, then press the button to change, and it will stay at that, but read it in metric as 95.37mm (im guessing on the numbers lol)
jugs
Dont wish to offend & annoy, but...
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I've had a couple from Aldi/Netto et al, for less than a tenner and they're surprisingly good.
If in doubt, put one up against a decent micrometer.
One thing, some of the cheap (and expensive?) ones loose the battery cover with extreme ease. Tape it on before it falls off![/QUOTE]
If your using it for machining, buy splash resistant, suds kills em, I have good bad and ugly ones for various degrees of accuracy, but use Mic's for anything to the 0.001"...... remember round bar and verniers shouldn't mix
YES
I've got 1 coolant proof Mitutoyo (£85) + 10 Neto (£8) ALL have exactly the same accuracy & resolution - 0.01mm. As long as the neto ones dont get soaked they stay ok.
This way I have one on each machine instead of running up & down the w/shop cos what you want is always at the other end (why is that).
gavuk
artful-bodger
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Horses for courses i think.used to use dial calipers like dsstealth,got fed up with rubbish getting under the rack cover causing dial to jump,company i was working for bought mityo digital which were fine for everything but coolant on lathe/mill caused problems,they then bought splash proof mityo which are the best of the bunch.I bought myself 2 pairs of cheapy steel versions for about £20 each which work fine ,(both covers taped on) but did check on feeler gauges when buying ! metric imperial conversion is great when machining .Never bothered with fibre models although would be ok for drill measuring as a quick visual ,i would rather pay £20=25 for stainless.We butchered most old analogue by grinding the fixed jaw to a point so it was shorter than moving jaw and used them for marking plate steel for folding (off the edge like odd-legs or jenny)more for speed than acuracy though.
If your using it for machining, buy splash resistant, suds kills em, I have good bad and ugly ones for various degrees of accuracy, but use Mic's for anything to the 0.001"...... remember round bar and verniers shouldn't mix
I will be using it mainly for machining, can you explain "remember round bar and verniers shouldn't mix"
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verniers on round bar are pretty inaccurate, OK if your doing say, bar to fit hole type jobs, but there only very rough at measuring much more, Micrometers are the tools for measuring work on a lathe, as they can be calibrated easily with an anvil, and will measure accurately to several decimal places, some of mine down to 0.0001", not that I ever need the last decimal place, the problem with verniers is theres no feel on the tumbler, unlike a Mic which has tumblers on torque settings, also the surface doesn't really read over a big enough area.... The problem with Mic's is your need several sets, say 0-1" 1-2" 2-3" 3-4" etc etc depending on how big your going to work, I have up to a 1' and id dread to think what a set like that would cost..... work in metric and imperial and your need 2 of everything
.............Or a calculatorwork in metric and imperial and your need 2 of everything
jugs
Dont wish to offend & annoy, but...
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verniers on round bar are pretty inaccurate, OK if your doing say, bar to fit hole type jobs,
work in metric and imperial and your need 2 of everything
Or a calculator
Or a BIG hammer ?
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Got two 3 axis DRO's on the millers.
The two analogue Mitutoyos are still going well 1984 6" and 1987 8" with a clock.
I have killed two digi Mitutoyos with coolant
so had to fork out yet again for the coolant proof with thumb wheel brand spanker £48 delivered when they first came out- bargain was quoted in excess of £105.
The Aldi didnt last long £5 stainless steel but used the unit to repair one of those £130 scales the coolant got at.
Got to be very careful on some of these ****** jobbies with British names on that will knock you around £30, they have a habit of losing zero so always close up and press zero before use, right pain caught me out quite a few times at work.
I need a plasticy rubberised coolant proof jobby
The two analogue Mitutoyos are still going well 1984 6" and 1987 8" with a clock.
I have killed two digi Mitutoyos with coolant
so had to fork out yet again for the coolant proof with thumb wheel brand spanker £48 delivered when they first came out- bargain was quoted in excess of £105.The Aldi didnt last long £5 stainless steel but used the unit to repair one of those £130 scales the coolant got at.
Got to be very careful on some of these ****** jobbies with British names on that will knock you around £30, they have a habit of losing zero so always close up and press zero before use, right pain caught me out quite a few times at work.
I need a plasticy rubberised coolant proof jobby
Endacy
Member
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- 278
I've got one of the cheap import ones, I got it for about £11 from Maplin when they were on offer. Seems very accurate, claims 1/2 thou. I did briefly research and they are all based on the same electronics apparently so accuracy is actually very good. Certainly good enough for odd-jobs as others have said.
verniers on round bar are pretty inaccurate, OK if your doing say, bar to fit hole type jobs, but there only very rough at measuring much more, Micrometers are the tools for measuring work on a lathe, as they can be calibrated easily with an anvil, and will measure accurately to several decimal places, some of mine down to 0.0001", not that I ever need the last decimal place, the problem with verniers is theres no feel on the tumbler, unlike a Mic which has tumblers on torque settings, also the surface doesn't really read over a big enough area.... The problem with Mic's is your need several sets, say 0-1" 1-2" 2-3" 3-4" etc etc depending on how big your going to work, I have up to a 1' and id dread to think what a set like that would cost..... work in metric and imperial and your need 2 of everything
Thanks for that.
I've got a few Imperial Mic's that came with my old lathe, but don't use them that much, most things I do now are Metric, so realy I should be looking out for Metric Mic's as well as a Digital Vernier.
