Starrett quality

I'll echo what everyone else has said regarding new production Starrett tools.

That said, when it comes to calipers there is IMO one which stands above the others.

The 8" Mitutoyo Digimatic. The head is reliable and accurate just like the other Digimatics but the size of the 8" Mitutoyo is perfect.
The jaws are larger than those on the 6" but not as huge as those on the 12". A happy medium which just works.
Most other 8" calipers have the same size jaws as their 6" offering.

After using the 8" Mitutoyo a 6" feels like a toy and a 12" feels like a hammer.
 
Starrett has factories in China, Brazil, UK, Dominican Republic and Germany................
 
It really is a shame that the quality is dropping off in the Starrett line.

It doesn't have to be that when you offshore the production of a product it inevitably becomes lower quality.

One example I can relate is that of Burris Optics. 10 or so years ago Burris decided to offshore the production of some of their scope lines. The Fullfield II was one of those lines.
Burris wanted very badly to maintain their quality so when they built a plant in the Philippines they took much of the machinery and the tooling right out of their Colorado plant and shipped it to PI.
More importantly I think, they also relocated much of their Colorado QA staff and key production staff to PI.
After all these years the general consensus is that the quality of the PI made Fullfield IIs is every bit as good, and possibly a bit better than those which had been made in the USA.
I'm sure the way Burris did it isn't the cheapest way but Burris holds their reputation in high regard and the extra expense was worth it to protect that reputation.
Sad to say but it seems that grand old Starrett doesn't value it's reputation as highly.
 
While I do have some Starrett tools I don't have very many at all & most are not measuring tools. Most of my measuring tools are Mitu & is just what I prefer.

I remember using an older model Starrett digital calipers & they went through batteries like crazy. My digital Mitu calipers & micrometers have great battery life. I do have a few older digital Mitu stuff that don't have as great battery life but nothing like that Starrett I used, that one ate batteries like HF calipers.

I have also heard Starrett's quality is not what they used to be but of course that's not the only company these days which is becoming more common. Not sure if the new catalogs are still the same but I remember not that long ago the tools in their catalogs that had a globe icon indicated that those were their global/import models.
 
Catalogue icons: "Global" vs U.S. Flag

darkzero said:
While I do have some Starrett tools I don't have very many at all & most are not measuring tools. Most of my measuring tools are Mitu & is just what I prefer.

I remember using an older model Starrett digital calipers & they went through batteries like crazy. My digital Mitu calipers & micrometers have great battery life. I do have a few older digital Mitu stuff that don't have as great battery life but nothing like that Starrett I used, that one ate batteries like HF calipers.

I have also heard Starrett's quality is not what they used to be but of course that's not the only company these days which is becoming more common. Not sure if the new catalogs are still the same but I remember not that long ago the tools in their catalogs that had a globe icon indicated that those were their global/import models.
Click to expand...

Starrett's catalogue number 31 was the last to have the "Global" vs. U.S. flag icons differentiating products made in the U.S. vs overseas. Unfortunately they stopped this practice with catalogue number 32, their current catalogue.

My catalogue number 31 has a copyright of 2006. I can't find a copyright date on my catalogue number 32; on the outside back cover there is what may be a date code: 08/10. I have a note that I received my first copy of catalogue number 32 in September 2011.

They first used the "Global" and U.S. Flag icons in their catalogue number 125 (for their 125th anniversary). Catalogue number 125 followed catalogue number 30. My copy of catalogue 125 has a copyright of 2004; 2005 was their 125th anniversary.

David
 
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Be aware that chinese made Mitutoyo stuff is available too. Not knocking the quality or accuracy as I have no personal experience, just that its out there.

Cheers Phil
 
12bolts said:
Be aware that chinese made Mitutoyo stuff is available too. Not knocking the quality or accuracy as I have no personal experience, just that its out there.

Cheers Phil
Click to expand...



I think their "chinese made Mitutoyo stuff" is made in Brazil.
 
IIRC I have a Mitu combo square set that says made in Mexico, doesn't bother me though.
 
I've got a little of everything 4,6,8 MIT Dial, Starett 6" Dig, B&S 6" dig, the ones I use the most are HF 6" dig battery last long darn time. My mic's the same thing a little of each in just started getting Fowler carbide tip friction nice. Indicators Starett, B&S dig but are slow to respond, MIT dig work fine.

Todd
 
About 15 years ago,I had a USA made Starrett 6" dial caliper I bought new. I had other calipers in the shop,and had not used the Starrett for inside measurements. When I did,I ruined a piece of work because the inside measuring jaws on the Starrett were .008" off.

I called the repair dept of Starrett and got a bunch of stonewalling because I'd had the caliper 2 years and it was out of warranty. Finally I convinced them to at least look at the caliper since it had been that way all along,and was never dropped.

They returned it with the repair woman's tag in the box. This time it was only off .004"!! I somehow got a vice president on the phone and told him the story."Oh,she's one of our very best technicians". I told him I could see how the caliper had gotten out of the factory the first time,but now that it had special attention..... I thought the repair guy I had talked to had been a real jerk.

He (the VP) told me to return the caliper at once,and he was sending a new one. At least the new one was accurate.

I only buy OLD Starrett tools in like new condition. I hate that they have gone down hill like this. I also recommend the Mitutoyo products. I do have a set of Chinese micrometers,and they all are perfectly accurate.
 
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