HF micrometer set or go EBay?

D

DaveInConesus

Registered
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2023
Messages
27
Just getting back into metal work as a retired person. All of my good measurement tools came from yard sales over the years but I don't have any micrometers. I did a search on this forum for HF and Harbor and came up with 10 year old threads on mics.

How good or bad is the Harbor Freight 3 micrometer set?

If it isn't worth getting what brands should I look for on EBay? I know about Starrett, B&S and Mitutoyo. What other brands should I include in the search?

New Starrett isn't happening on a retiree budget.

Dave
 
All of my mics have come from garage sales, and estate sales. I tried the HF in the store.. They are rough. I can't attest to their accuracy, but OLD can be a great buy. Just ask questions of the seller.

Garage sales and flea markets are great too since you can feel them.

Also consider new from SHARS, fowler. I bought a shars thread mic and it's quite nice.
 
Definitely keep your eyes peeled for deals on the local used market. I've scored a few deals off eBay but I'm happier when I can examine the instrument before shelling out my dollars.
 
jwmelvin said:
I have a spare Sears set that is not very high quality. I don’t know if it’s as good as HF but you’re welcome to it for the cost of shipping. I can send a picture of that would help.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the offer but it would be better to pass it on to a kid that is interested in making things. There are a few of them out there.

Dave
 
woodchucker said:
All of my mics have come from garage sales, and estate sales. I tried the HF in the store.. They are rough. I can't attest to their accuracy, but OLD can be a great buy. Just ask questions of the seller.

Garage sales and flea markets are great too since you can feel them.

Also consider new from SHARS, fowler. I bought a shars thread mic and it's quite nice.
Click to expand...
I used to be able to hit the garage sales when we lived in town. Now they are usually a long enough drive that the ebay resellers have cleaned them out by the time I could get there. The last few I have gone to have been mostly kids toys and junk. Pretty much what we put out for sale when we lived in a town instead of out in the country.

Dave
 
I have both HF and Mitutoyo. When I make a part, I try to stay with the same measuring devise all the way through. That way, it is consistent even though test measurements of both instruments come out the same. Most of the time, I will use the HF. If it's critical or needs to be double checked, it's the Mitutoyo. If I accidentally drop the HF, it's a couple of dirty words. :mad: The Mitutoyo, well, that could make a grown man cry. :cry: If you are starting out, you could go for HF or Ebay. Then save your nickels, eventually get yourself a nice one. That's how I did it.
 
My vote would go to used off of ebay. Sure, you can get a pretty wide range of condition with pretty much anything on ebay, but I recently picked up a B&S and Starrett mics each was about $9 shipped. Both are in great shape and super happy with them.
 
@DaveInConesus

Purchased a 4 digital micrometer set from CDWAS and am happy with them. ~$210 and a 3 to 5 week wait for shipping (free) from China.
https://cdwas.aliexpress.com/store/1101314029?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.pcShopHead_35519215.0 If you just want one or two they are obviously less $. Anyway, I thought that this was a pretty good price for something with a 1 micron resolution. (0.0001" = 2.5 micron). It is pretty darn hard to tell if they are accurate to that degree over the entire 25mm range. If I recall they run on the common Li-Ion CR2032 batteries, which I also purchase from China. By the way, you will pay that much for a single big name 1" digital micrometer.

"0-25mm 25-50mm 50-75mm 75-100mm 0.001 mm Electronic Outside Micrometer Digital Micrometer Gauge Meter Micrometer Measuring Tools"


The best I can tell they pretty much meet spec. I also have a very nice, hardly used, mechanical Brown and Sharp 1" 0.0001" micrometer and compared the CDWAS unit to it and they matched to within my measurement ability!

As far as dial gauges are concerned I recently did a lot of testing on digital, 25mm (1") plunge style, gauge and am impressed with the units from Clockwise, and they are available on Amazon.
B2 said:
More recently I purchased a slightly more expensive version of one of these from Clockwise. Amazon: "Clockwise Tools DITR-0105 Electronic Digital Dial Indicator Gage Gauge Inch/Metric Conversion 0-1 Inch/25.4 mm 0.00005 Inch/0.001mm Resolution with Back Lug Auto Off" There is also one with a probe tip set for just a bit more. https://www.amazon.com/Clockwise-Tools-DITR-0105-Indicator-Resolution/dp/B08H4943GZ
or their store https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/...b663-04d6-40a7-a4e3-9272a8cb582a&ref_=ast_bln
Click to expand...


Good luck.

Dave L.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top