Ebay’ed some used mic’s

[rwdenney]

I very much dislike the digital mics, and wouldn't consider it for anything but a 0-1 (or perhaps 1-2) for 1 big reason: Batteries.

I had a 2-3" digital Mitutoyo at one point I'd picked up used, and every time I reached for it, the batteries had died AGAIN. I needed the size rarely enough that they'd just die in the drawer, so I'd replace the battery after I noticed it was dead, then get zero uses out of it before I reached for it and found it dead again!

I decided to stop spending money on batteries and just gave it away

And the congregation said, "Amen!"

Rick "Preach it, brother!" Denney

 

[rwdenney]

Some years ago, somebody gave me a digital pair of calipers. It was a cheapie, but not junk at the time--maybe General or a brand like that--probably made by S-T or other U.S.-based budget maker.

The only times I've ever used it I had to estimate my measurements from the scale. Yup, the batteries were dead, again.

I think I still have it somewhere, but only for use where estimating from the scale is good enough (which means no better than maybe .015). That means it has no more usefulness to me than a $1.96 Harbor Freight plastic calipers, which I buy and sprinkle around the house for low-resolution measurements. If the part is shaped correctly, I can do as well with a precision rule.

But the (at least) 60 or 70-year-old Mauser (Edit: Marked "George Scherr & Co." on the back) that was either my father's or his father's (I never got the story of that tool) still works perfectly every time I pick it up. I actually like that thing. The thumb button isn't a roller, but it is a clutch. It's accurate to the usual 0.001, and has a metric scale on the back that is accurate to 0.1mm. The vernier has nearly zero parallax and it is quite easy to read. It works every time I pick it up.

It seems to me the only way to ruin a caliper's ability to fulfill requirements in my use case is to make it require batteries to do so. The switch back and forth between US Customary and Metric is convenient at times, but if I need metric measurements, I actually have metric calipers. (They sit on my horology bench and there's another pair on my bicycle bench.)

I have mics to 9" and a lovely 12" Etalon vernier caliper that is accurate to half a thou. How often do I need precision measurements in those sizes? Maybe once a year. I'd have to take the battery out after every use. Yes, I had to scrounge standards for those. But it's worth the trouble to have standards anyway--standards are how I practice and calibrate my feel for making accurate measurements. I have bore standards, too--learning to measure bores is difficult without them.

Rick "measurement-tool junkie" Denney

 

[tjb]

Not too long ago, I saw an ad for a bunch of machining stuff by a guy who lived one town over from me. I got in touch with him and found out he had just moved here from Colorado where he had a small machining operation that he was not going to replicate here in Georgia. I met him in the Home Depot parking lot. He opened the deck lid on his SUV and my eyeballs just about popped out of my skull. With very few exceptions, I bought everything he had - calipers, dial test indicators, micrometers, other measuring tools, large assortment of brand new still-in-original-packing carbide end mills (easily twenty or more), etc., etc., etc. Everything I got was a great deal - about 25% of cost on the new stuff and even better on used. All of it is in mint condition and works perfectly.

Both of us went away happy campers.

Sometimes you just get lucky.

Regards

 

[tjb]

Interesting about battery failure in digital calipers. I have three pair - only one of which I use regularly - and I have NEVER had that problem even with the ones that are only used rarely. My digital micrometer set, however, is another matter. First time I tried to use one after it sat for awhile, it was graveyard dead. I bought the set brand new and assumed something was wrong with that one (0 - 1 I think). Took out the others - same story. I was ready to contact the manufacturer and decided to try changing the batteries first. That was it. So I'm thinking must have been bad batteries in the original set. Next time I went to use them - same story. Clearly, I'm no rocket scientist, but I figured that one out pretty quickly. Ever since, I only insert the batteries when I use them. A pain, but I can't complain about the micrometers.

Regards

 

[motormech1]

Battery woes are exactly the reason I’m going old school. I never say never, but I will say I’m not likely to ever buy battery powered units.

 

[graham-xrf]

Here I acknowledge the sentiments by @projectnut , @rwdenney , and @motormech1 .

I too have a dislike of batteries. Actually, I think that just about anything that primarily depends on batteries has a downside, be it a micrometer, or an electric car. Batteries just suck!. If there were one that could accept it's charge at whatever rate I could fill it with, and keep it for decades more than I have life left, and give it all back without wearing out, then I might change my mind!

I have two 0.001mm (that's 1 micron or 39.4 millionths) digital micrometers only used with gauge blocks and critical stuff. I simply leave them stored with the batteries out, because I don't use them that often. Everything else is an assortment of "older" mechanical micrometers that do the job just fine, even though I need the headband magnifier.

I am much attracted to the "digital mechanical" types. These are also without batteries, but have a number output not unlike a miniature version of a car mileage odometer.

The types with batteries vary a lot in how often you need to replace. Mitutoyo, and those from OriginCal have a much smaller quiescent current. You had better remember to switch the OriginCal off, because it won't do so by itself.

The lifetimes are somewhat shorter than the battery shelf life, but they seem to work for useful periods. Any of these things, without a hard OFF switch, are intended to be shut down as much as possible, polling the ON switch every few seconds, then going to sleep again. The nano-amps they use by being "always on" in this fashion can vary, and might even be micro-amps in some of them. Unless this little standby current competes with the shelf life, the gadget is going to become a battery replacement annoyance!

I now tend toward stuff without batteries, or I seek to have a hard OFF switch.

 

[paradox_pete]

I posted about getting some used Mitutoyo "mechanical" digital mics's a little while back in the What did you buy today thread.

They came with standards, wrenches and instructions, so while I didn't really need to, I did do some searching for videos on adjusting and calibrating them. In the process, I came across a video covering a more complete calibration process than just using the included standard.

The more thorough process takes into account the possibility of the anvils not being perfectly parallel to each other, potential wear in the screw, etc. While the video is from Mitutoyo, the process described follows a ASME standard and should be applicable to any outside mic....

I went through the process with all of mine and adjusted them so they were always reading accurate to within a tenth. Sort of averaging the tiny errors I found.

Perhaps others will find this useful....

-Pete

 

[NCjeeper]

Battery woes are exactly the reason I’m going old school. I never say never, but I will say I’m not likely to ever buy battery powered units.

I am not sure of your age, but when you get older and your eye sight is not what it used to be battery powered digital read out mics and calipers are a god send.

 

[Christianstark]

I decided to bite the bullet and buy 2 Mitutoyo micrometers (0-2”). Both are digital, which I prefer, and both are manual read if my battery died mid project. Best of both worlds honestly. Spendy though.

 

[motormech1]

Quick update, the 2-3” B&S showed up today and other than to small rust spots on the frame it’s in incredible condition. I can’t believe someone sold it for $40. Action is smooth as glass, lock is perfect, faces are perfect. Previous owner lightly etched his name and a date on the back of the frame “Stephen Hanecak 3/5/70”. Thanks Stephen, wherever you are, for being a good steward of this tool. I’ll try to do the same.