Fowler and Vevor micrometers for hobbiest?

I’m looking to buy a set of micrometers 1-4 or 1-6. Just a hobbiest and don’t want to invest in high end professional stuff. Was looking at Fowler but was wondering if also the Vevor is worth considering? I know nothing of either brand. Any other brands I should consider? Looking for opinions. Thanks
I have had pretty good luck buying used Brown and Sharp micrometers on Ebay. I invested in a set of gage blocks so I can do my own calibration. I also have some Economy Micrometers that I use but just the feel of a good Starrett, Brown and Sharp or Mitutoyo is very pleasing, and they just ooze confidence. My suggestion is to start with what you can afford and keep your eye out for the good stuff at low prices. With so many of our manufacturing and machining jobs being sourced in other countries the used tool bargains are out there.
 
A while back when Fowler was taken over by offshore interests, A couple of friends bought Fowler b/c I said usa made- so they will do you well. Very bad experience... Forewarned one of the 2 got their money back. They just rebranded the cheapest and sold for premium price.

Nowadays, they are a respected brand with a good reputation.

Fowler is what I think of as 'journeyman quality'. All my mics are either Moore and Wright, or Mitutoyo.The nice thing about Fowler is great for the price...
 
For whatever it may or may not be worth...... I got a set of dirt cheap "Chuan Brand", used at an annual "storage unit auction". I can't tell you at all if they're "good" or not, but I can tell you for hobby use, where you don't have to send parts across the oceans to match up with somebody elses parts- They're good. They work smoothly, they repeat well and easily, and (where you can), you can "standard" them at the zero and one positions, and they agree with each other. I don't care one bit if if I'm off by ten thousandths at six inches so long as all my stuff comes out the same. (I am not out that much, or even close. I have no idea how close the absolute measurement is, and no way to qualify it, but it's not outside of two thousandths, my belief is it's less than one. Maybe dead nutz, I have no idea). The bottom line is that they're consistant, all of my measurements, and all of my math all come out right, so for hobby use, they're fine. I'm not sure that the materials are going to hold up to sixty years or more of commercial shop use on a daily basis, but as is, they work. I do need to throw a picture out though, as there are options. The ones I speak of are like this, in the wooden box and have carbide tips.


I'm not saying they're the best, or that they're anything worth admitting that I own... Just that they work for anything I'll probably ever do. They allow me to measure to tenths, although in my world it's mostly academic. I'm not above "trying" to hit or split tenths, just for the sport of it, but in practice, hitting one thousandth is more than I need.

I've also used Fouler for a lot of things at work, both "calipers" and "mics". They have never been "perfect", and don't necessarily repeat to each other, but up until the last ten years or so, they've always been "close enough", and built closer to what I'd call "workshop grade". They hold up well to being mishandled, abused, and tossed in a drawer full of other mechanic's tools. I'll put their accuracy like this- If a five inch cylinder liner is 0.002 over the reuse spec, I'll fail it off of those, and I'll be right, because it's probably three or four over, but I never have trusted these enough to "do the math" to find an absolute value. If that liner is in a range to consider it's reuse? I gotta dig out something nice, I will not use these.

The biggest question is, what do you need the calipers to do?
 
The Fowler is only 0-3", I have to go out to the garage later, and get a part number for the NSK, I did go out but did not think to get the number.... I have a Starrett 0-6" set, do I need 2 full sets is what I'm asking myself....
I always buy C-Clamps in pairs . . .

Also, it's always good to have a spare that matches what you already have.

My 0 – 3" set is 40 years old from ENCO, regular micrometers (not mechanical-digital); does what I need.
 
I will use calipers to get "in the range", then switch to mics. Actually for many things my Fowler electronic calipers are just fine. With care, they give results that are = to what a mic does, for practical purposes. I've had them for about 6 years. Batteries last about a year.
As for micrometers, my go to is a Mitutoyo 0-1" with a mechanical digital readout in addition to the barrel. I can eyeball estimate to maybe .0002 or 3. I have a very old (1950+-) set of 1" to 3" Starret mics that are in excellent condition. Used when needed, kept in a case when not.

For internal measurements that really matter, press fits, I have gage pins to .500" so I can get very accurate readings up to .999", +.0000, minus up to .0004. (.0002 at less than .500".)
 
I still have my original SPI 1-3 set of mics Bought in 1980. They still pass calibration every year. I also have my dads Starrett 2-6 mics from the 60’s. Those too pass calibration every year. Mics will last several lifetimes if properly cared for.


Cutting oil is my blood.
 
I have yet to find any need to measure down to 0.0001". Maybe someday if I can ever cut (grind) to that scale! In fact, I bet there are very few of us who can actually measure this repeatably. 0.0001"= 2.5 microns while 0.001mm= 1 micron= 0.00004" Most debris or oil on your hands is thicker than a micron. Temperature changes cause parts to change by more than this. If you disagree with me I suggest you repeatedly measure a 1" gauge and see if you can even hold it straight enough to get the same reading over and over. This is especially true if one side of the micrometer is not a flat, but a point or a ball. So I purchased a set of relatively inexpensive, high resolution (~$200 for the set of 4) digital micrometers from China via www.aliexpress.com and have been happy with them. "Electronic Outside Micrometer 0-25mm 25-50mm 50-75mm 75-100mm 0.001 mm Digital Micrometer Gauge Meter Micrometer Measuring Tools"

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1101314029?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000007.1.4b699476VjbVMR


Dave L.
 
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