New Student of the trade: First measuring devices

OrangeJasper

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I am a new machinist student her in Memphis , completed all y safety and now learning on machines.

I am ready to purchase my first Mocreter and Caliper.
I am learning on ToolingU.com (school requires a one year subscription)
Where do I start?
which brand?
Definitley want to start with a dial caliper and manual read micrometer.
my budget : about 600$
i would like to get asuch as I can for the money.
ie. Micrometer/Caliper, debuting tools, my own dial indicator , and anything else you pros suggest.
thanks!
Josh B.
 
Welcome to the forum!

It might be helpful to read: http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/22521-Metrology-101

$600 is a very good start. There are tons of places on the web for measuring tools, find one you trust and go from there. I would not spend your budget all at once, save some $ for those special tools/gauges (some will say gage) you will find that you need at a later date.

Any specific questions feel free to ask,

JK
 
If you will do used you can get some very very good deals on starrett and mitt or B&S mics. I use cheap harbor freight digi calipers. Calipers ar for roughing so long as it holds you to a few thou your good.

What I used in school personally..... 1in travel starrett drop indicator, 5 tenth starrett test indicator, angle blocks, 0-1, 1-2, 2-3 starrett mics, starrett inside mics, inside snap gage, starrett height gage, cheap angle finder, cheap mag base, edge finder set, mill file with handle, cheap gage block set, thread wires/thread mic....

Maybe more I'll think on it
 
For Calipers for a beginner I would recommend a set with a dial.

As for Mics, Mitotoyo is as good as they get these days. A set from 1 to 4 inch will get you started.

The rest will come with experience.

"Billy G"
 
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I understand that and have a set my self. I was taught to use calipers, all calipers for roughing. Never use them if you need precision. So thats what I do. I'm not saying thats right or wrong but it's what I do.

Our instructor specifically told us to not buy any thing but cheap digi calipers. Do not show up with analog calipers. Because we only use calipers for roughing. I keep a spare battery so it's not a problem and they repeat very well and last a long time on a battery. He also told us not to use digi mics for all the reasons you mentioned.

So I use cheap digi calipers to get close ad good mics to know where from there. Theres no reason to rely on calipers to be accurate if your mic'ing it. At least not more then a couple thou any ways.

I aint saying dont use your calipers just not what I do if it needs to be more then a couple thousandth on.
 
Quality precision measurement instruments are expensive. Most people have a working set that they have built up over years. If you went out and bought them all at once, you could easily blow through 10X your budget without breaking a sweat.

My personal choice was to start with a set cheap set. The cheap ones are "fairly good." You can pick up a set of 1"-3" micrometers, 12" digital calipers, and an indicator for under $100 at HF or the like. Not perfect but they will work to pretty good tolerances. Good enough while you are learning.

Then pick up the quality measurement instruments to replace them one at a time when the price is right and you are not under pressure. You can get really nice stuff second hand much cheaper.
 
Our instructor specifically told us to not buy any thing but cheap digi calipers. Do not show up with analog calipers.

That's interesting & amusing. I took the conventional machining course with my lil brother at the local community since I was his ride anyway, glad I did & decided to finish the entire course without him. Our instructor (now retired) specifically did not want us to use digital anything, dial or vernier only. We were not required to buy our own tools, they were loaned to us, the tool room guy supported the use of non-digital for learning. The loaner dial calipers they had were such pieces of craps that it really challenged you to get a decent reading. This taught you how to get a feel for the different ones & how much pressure was too much. I'm thankful for that.

And digital micrometers, forget it. You had to use vernier mics to learn & get familiarized with reading vernier scales. We did have a nice digi Mitu height guage & Starrett digi calipers but new students were not allowed to use it. Only the tool room guy was allowed to use the digitals. Funny how people teach in different ways but not surprising.

Well guess what I mostly use at home, digital calipers & micrometers! All Mitu though. I use them cause they save me time. But I do have a 0-6" vernier mic set now which I use occasionally & for anything bigger than 2". My height guage & 12" calipers (also Mitu) are verniers & is what I wanted them to be. If you can't tell, I prefer Mitu.
 
Yeah thanks guys , I should really proof eras for now on !
My instructor said get what you want but make sure it's what you want to do for the rest of your life before investing a lot of money,

I've been eyeballing a mito set on eBay that's way under my budget , it contains a gauge, 0-1 mic, 6in caliper , depth gauges that I have used multiple times already 4 weeks in , all are manually read no digi, I like the digis but I want to learn on the manuals,

Becoming a machinist and getting paid to do it for the rest of my life is my current goal, I've kind of fell in love with the precision involved and technicalities of this trade, I come from a carpentry background and still make wood furniture and such as a hobby, it seems that machinist will be around forever, and I can translate machining to my new found hobby of knife pocket tool making.

I'll buy some decent stuff to start with, my dad being involved auto repair pretty much got me addicted to expensive tools! Lol , so this is somewhere I will not skimp on quality.

Mito and Brown and Sharpe are what I'm looking at right now.

thanks guys
 
Let me explain this a bit as maybe I left some confusion. First off the only tool we were told to buy was digi calipers. We could buy what ever, but we had to have digi calipers. The school provided every tool you could want, except digi calipers. He was no against you using regular ones just dont buy them for your only pair. And dont use them for most your checks. That might be all about a time factor..... 30 guys trying to use 3 lathes with 3hrs a night to get in.....

As far as reading them goes.. Well we got tested many times on our ability to properly read mics, calipers, degree and minutes and everything in between. If you cant do it your stay in class and learn it. no shop time.

Now the idea behind this is really simple. Use the digi for roughing and cutting stock. If you need a 5in part use the digi to measure 5.1 and cut it. Then use it to turn down to 5-10thou from where you want to be. Then you switch over to venier mics and bring it to spec.

I use calipers all the time. Even to get to size on alot of things. But if I need to bore a hole and it has to be on the number I will mic it.If I intended to get more accurate with calipers I would use exactly what Bill suggested. Vernier dials. I have considered some nice mitt's in digi. But I have a hard time putting that much faith in electrics. It's foolish I know. But I would always be afraid it was reading wrong. With analog I know how to set them and know it's right or wrong on my merit not the tools ahahahahaha

I dont think it matters how you get to the number so long as the number is got.
That's interesting & amusing. I took the conventional machining course with my lil brother at the local community since I was his ride anyway, glad I did & decided to finish the entire course without him. Our instructor (now retired) specifically did not want us to use digital anything, dial or vernier only. We were not required to buy our own tools, they were loaned to us, the tool room guy supported the use of non-digital for learning. The loaner dial calipers they had were such pieces of craps that it really challenged you to get a decent reading. This taught you how to get a feel for the different ones & how much pressure was too much. I'm thankful for that.

And digital micrometers, forget it. You had to use vernier mics to learn & get familiarized with reading vernier scales. We did have a nice digi Mitu height guage & Starrett digi calipers but new students were not allowed to use it. Only the tool room guy was allowed to use the digitals. Funny how people teach in different ways but not surprising.

Well guess what I mostly use at home, digital calipers & micrometers! All Mitu though. I use them cause they save me time. But I do have a 0-6" vernier mic set now which I use occasionally & for anything bigger than 2". My height guage & 12" calipers (also Mitu) are verniers & is what I wanted them to be. If you can't tell, I prefer Mitu.
 
My Precision Calipers don't even have a dial. They are true Verniers. I don't use them much now because they are difficult to read. I do however use the Dial type quite q bit. Thank you Chuck for r taking the time to explain your first post.

"Billy G"
 
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