It's a Mitut.. What?? !!

graham-xrf said:
I get that! The stuff I have trouble with are those which are high priced, or relatively high priced, and may be Mitutoyo counterfeits. I choked a bit on Mitutoyo for the Absolute Caliper, and I could not decode the pricing (UK) between up to £200, and stuff that seemed the same, asking to beyond £400. I put it down to margins of variable generosity.

In the end, I purchased a iGaging OriginCal Absolute Origin Encoder with data output capability for £52.95 delivered (that's about $66 USD). It is made in China. It seems to feel and work just as well as a Mitutoyo Absolute I used at work. Of course, it is not trying to be a knock-off!

If the innards of a fake Rolex, or a Chinese-made (something) are as good or better than an overpriced Starrett (whatever), then the home industries simply have to do it better, or start to notice we are buying the Chinese kit.

Hmm.. not even sure Starrett is really USA anymore.
Oh.. gosh! Maybe they are now Starrett selling Starrett cheap knock-offs!
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Starrett has a cheaper Chinese made line now. I was looking at dial calipers and was seeing some new Starrett's for about $100, which seemed like a pretty good price, and then I found out that those are the Chinese made ones. The 3202-6 is made in China and lists a retail price of $116, the USA made 120-A6 retails for $216. I ended up getting a used Swiss made Tesa for $60.
 
BGHansen said:
You never know, but seriously, they may be OK. I had a buddy at work who returned to his China homeland with him mom and siblings for a tour of their roots. He brought back a number of fake Rolex watches. One of our co-workers dad was a jeweler; he took the watch apart and was very impressed with the craftsmanship. I've had pretty good luck with no-name Chinese measuring equipment. Of course, if it's being faked as a Mitutoyo, I wouldn't expect to pay Mitutoyo prices.

Bruce
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Reminds me of a trip to Malaysia in '87. The wife and I were in one of those really tranquil Japanese restaurants. I overheard the gentlemen sitting next to us discussing injection molding, then sewing. I had to ask them what they did. They told me they worked for Mattel and frequently traveled to Asia to source manufacturing. When word of these trips got around to their family and friends, the started getting requests for "Rolex" watches. They made a sport of bringing back the absolute worst Rolex knock-offs that they could find. They had some amazingly bad ones.
 
Starrett has a economy line which is not branded starrett. It’s what it says a economy line but built to their specs. Not garbage but definitely not starrett quality. When you pay for authentic branded tooling you have the guarantee it’s gonna be to the specs listed if it got through qc with a fault they honor their product no questions ask. The op’s test indicator will probably do all he ask. But if he was rolling out expensive parts that were qc’d the first rack of returned parts he got I’d bet he’d be buying a true starrett or mitutoyo from the company not fleabay.
 
I had purchased a "Mitutoyo" 6" caliper from Ebay. It was guaranteed 100% authentic. Box/case/certificate...everything. It came and the only thing that gave me 100% doubt (besides ebay and the price) The SN and the certificate didn't match. I returned it got a refund and the address they gave me to return was bogus so it bounced back to me & I got to keep it. I'll say this, its my favorite caliper, its actually very nice to use. Whatever this all is worth.
 
They counterfeit everything that sells. Down to laser etching bogus serial numbers and hologram tags. You’d have to have a authentic next to it to see the real one. Etching would be slightly different or different font. I’ve seen it with golf clubs and it took a sales rep to show the differences. Which were obvious once you had a real one next to it to compare.
 
Yeah, my calipers may not be Mit quality, but easily as good as top of the line Shars...which I really like Shars stuff for the price/quality balance.
 
Cadillac said:
Starrett has a economy line which is not branded starrett. It’s what it says a economy line but built to their specs. Not garbage but definitely not starrett quality. When you pay for authentic branded tooling you have the guarantee it’s gonna be to the specs listed if it got through qc with a fault they honor their product no questions ask. The op’s test indicator will probably do all he ask. But if he was rolling out expensive parts that were qc’d the first rack of returned parts he got I’d bet he’d be buying a true starrett or mitutoyo from the company not fleabay.
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Indeed - and agreed! I may have some Chinese kit which I find to be OK, but I do steadily build my "premium" stuff as I can afford. I have a genuine Mitutoyo dial caliper from an auction that seems flawless. A Mitutoyo micrometer that needed a slight adjust for calibration, and otherwise was OK except for needing a little touch-up paint on the outermost edge. When I do need something, I try to get the best. I like feel and function and certainty of quality stuff.

When I need the kit, I use it. Yes - carefully, and I put it away after. I don't let it be like museum pieces in the "premium" cupboard. The thing is, some Chinese stuff performs well enough to be kept in that same cupboard!
 
This brings up a good question. What is the quality/accuracy when you buy something name brand and used? Is a mitutoyo digital mic going to be as reliable and accurate as say a brand new, top of the line Shars? I would guess the cost would be similar. There is always an inherent risk when buying used off eBay. I purchased a used Mitutoyo micrometer (I think it’s from the 60’s. Man it needed taking a parting, cleaning repairing. Seems silky smooth now and really it’s just a paper weight on my desk, but how good is it?
 
GunsOfNavarone said:
There is always an inherent risk when buying used off eBay.
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There is an inherent risk in even buying NEW off eBay! Unless it is a bigger item from a home country supplier, with a 2 or 3 year guarantee. The suppliers can spoof a local address, and in the end, you get a refund from eBay + a big hassle returning it, or even just claiming because it never arrived.

I purchased a used Mitutoyo micrometer (I think it’s from the 60’s. Man it needed taking a parting, cleaning repairing. Seems silky smooth now and really it’s just a paper weight on my desk, but how good is it?
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You measure something known with it. A drill rod, or gauge block, or the little standard that maybe came with it. Will it reliably return to zero? Maybe compare it to something else you know is good.

How good am I at making a repeat measurement?! You will either come to trust it, or find out what is wrong with it.
When I cannot trust, and have to know, I go back to basics. A (limited) set of gauge blocks and an abused optical flat.

Chesterman-Cal2.jpg
 
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