# Tubular Micrometer Co. Micrometer



## Strtspdlx (Jun 16, 2015)

I recently purchased this micrometer it is in nice shape came in a box with a calibration label from 1968. Has a ratchet stop and I believe it reads to .0001 not entirely positive though. What do you guys think the value may be or has anyone had good or bad experiences with this company? 
	

		
			
		

		
	







Regards-Carlo


----------



## w9jbc (Jun 16, 2015)

I have or have had a bigger version of one of these at some point


----------



## VSAncona (Jun 16, 2015)

I have a couple of larger ones -- 3" and 4" -- that I picked up at a garage sale. I think I paid $5 or $10 each for them. They seem to be decent quality.

I believe that company is now Scherr-Tumico


----------



## Strtspdlx (Jun 16, 2015)

I have a scherr tumico back plunger indicator set. They seem to be good tools. 
I may have paid a bit much for these at 35$ am I correct on the fact it reads .0001 or is the 0-9-0 for something else?

Regards-Carlo


----------



## Andre (Jun 16, 2015)

Yes, that is a tenths reading micrometer.


----------



## Strtspdlx (Jun 16, 2015)

I'm gonna have to find a YouTube video on how to read it. I don't understand how I'm supposed too honestly. 


Regards-Carlo


----------



## mzayd3 (Jun 16, 2015)

One of the vernier numbers on the end of the "thimble" will line up with one of the thousandths lines.  The vernier number the lines up with your thousandths with be your tenths digit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## george wilson (Jun 17, 2015)

Don't leave your mikes laying around with their spindles closed. Leave them slightly open. Increases in temperature can sprain the frames if they are left closed.

Tubular mikes had hollow frames(hence the name) to make them lighter. They were usually polished chrome plated. Your 1" mike looks like it has a solid frame.


----------



## Strtspdlx (Jun 17, 2015)

george wilson said:


> Don't leave your mikes laying around with their spindles closed. Leave them slightly open. Increases in temperature can sprain the frames if they are left closed.
> 
> Tubular mikes had hollow frames(hence the name) to make them lighter. They were usually polished chrome plated. Your 1" mike looks like it has a solid frame.



I didn't know to them leave Slightly open. I've always lightly closed them to help avoid contamination of the contacts. Also it does seem to be a sold
Frame unless it has a hollow in it but I'd imagine all the measurements on the frame would be hard to stamp in if it was hollow. 


Regards-Carlo


----------



## george wilson (Jun 17, 2015)

Your 1" mike does have a solid frame,but the larger ones that Tumico made were hollow. Plus,yours is a later mike,so I'm not sure what they were doing by then. If you want to protedt the faces of the mike,close it on a piece of oiled cloth lightly. DO NOT use a piece of wool as wool will attack steel. I'd not use wool even if your mike has carbide faces,as the wool might attack the steel just behind the faces.

I got a Civil War pistol that was kept for years (before I got it)in a coarsely woven wool sock. It got so corroded that you could see the FULL weaving(or knitted) pattern of the sock in the metal.


----------



## Strtspdlx (Jun 17, 2015)

george wilson said:


> Your 1" mike does have a solid frame,but the larger ones that Tumico made were hollow. Plus,yours is a later mike,so I'm not sure what they were doing by then. If you want to protedt the faces of the mike,close it on a piece of oiled cloth lightly. DO NOT use a piece of wool as wool will attack steel. I'd not use wool even if your mike has carbide faces,as the wool might attack the steel just behind the faces.
> 
> I got a Civil War pistol that was kept for years (before I got it)in a coarsely woven wool sock. It got so corroded that you could see the FULL weaving(or knitted) pattern of the sock in the metal.



Wow that's pretty amazing. Good to know too hopefully I remember that. This mic has lightly surface rust on the anvil. And I have to adjust the barrel as it doesn't read on zero. 


Regards-Carlo


----------



## silence dogood (Jun 17, 2015)

George,  I find that it's curious on the thing about wool and steel.  Aren't some of the old tool boxes lined with wool felt?   I also once tuned pianos for  a living. The dampers are made of wool and press against the steel strings most of the time.  I never saw rust areas specific to that area.  In fact, just the opposite.  The strings could be rusty, but where the dampers touching was shiny metal.  There has to be another factor involved.  However, until I know more, I will keep wool away from my mics.  Thanks Mark


----------



## planeflyer21 (Jun 18, 2015)

Could it be that wool is naturally oily?  That whole lanolin thing?


----------



## george wilson (Jun 18, 2015)

Yes,many old tool boxes were lined with wool felt. Not the best thing to do. I am not sure what causes the rust. It might be lanolin,which might be found in more or less quantity in different wool cloths.

Years ago,I made a leather covered box with brass head tacks on it. The stupid shoe maker advised me to use a product that turned out to be loaded with lanolin on it. The next day,the brass head tacks were furry with green all around the edges. I should have shellacked or sprayed it with lacquer like I always had before. Turns out everything this shoe maker has EVER told me has been completely wrong. And,he acts like such a smart guy. He was new at the time,and fooled me.


----------



## silence dogood (Jun 18, 2015)

George, as far as I know the lanolin  has been processed out before being made into  piano felt.  How ever lanolin is a type of wax and is not water soluble.  I suspect since felt can absorb moisture quite well and hold it is the problem.  If there is good air circulation, then maybe felt should be okay, at least on pianos.  Unless someone  knows more that's the best explanation that I can come up with.  Mark


----------



## Strtspdlx (Jun 18, 2015)

I would think the constant movement/ vibration would be enough on any surface to polish something. 


Regards-Carlo


----------



## kingmt01 (Jun 19, 2015)

Lanolin is a oil use in wax. It is a very good oil for brass. However leather & brass don't get along. That is why nickel plated 38 case came about.

Wool as a good polishing media & as far as I know lanolin is a very good oil for steel also.


----------



## george wilson (Jun 19, 2015)

The leather had nothing to do with the green fuzz. Didn't happen till I put on the lanolin based crud. Then,overnight,green fuzz!!

I would agree that over much time,the leather could attack the brass. But this was a FAST reaction to the brass.


----------



## John Hasler (Jun 19, 2015)

kingmt01 said:


> Lanolin is a oil use in wax. It is a very good oil for brass. However leather & brass don't get along.


Tell me more.  I have leather horse tack with brass fittings.  Seems to work ok.


----------



## VSAncona (Jun 19, 2015)

What about the wool felt used as wicking? Doesn't seem like manufacturers would have used wool for this if it reacted negatively with steel and iron.


----------



## John Hasler (Jun 19, 2015)

george wilson said:


> Don't leave your mikes laying around with their spindles closed. Leave them slightly open. Increases in temperature can sprain the frames if they are left closed.


Wouldn't the ratchet or friction mechanism in the thimble relieve any force due to thermal expansion?  But isn't the entire device made of the same material anyway?


----------



## JimDawson (Jun 19, 2015)

John Hasler said:


> Wouldn't the ratchet or friction mechanism in the thimble relieve any force due to thermal expansion?  But isn't the entire device made of the same material anyway?



The ratchet only controls the thimble tension as you tighten to measure.  The threads are directly connected.

It's good practice to leave mics open a bit.  This was drummed into my head about 50 years ago by my high school shop instructor.


----------



## kingmt01 (Jun 19, 2015)

John Hasler said:


> Tell me more.  I have leather horse tack with brass fittings.  Seems to work ok.


Actually I'm just repeating what I've been told. Corrosion is caused from a reaction in chemicals but I don't know which is acidic & which is caustic. Is assume the brass is the caustic & leather is the acidic. I have been told Law Enforcement went to the nickel platted brass because their leather cases caused the brass to corrode. I know the brass does corrode in leather. I also know there is several reloaders that swear by lanolin as a lube to run brass through a press & these guys should know brass better then most people. 

Now with that said all brass isn't equal.


----------



## John Hasler (Jun 19, 2015)

kingmt01 said:


> Actually I'm just repeating what I've been told. Corrosion is caused from a reaction in chemicals but I don't know which is acidic & which is caustic. Is assume the brass is the caustic & leather is the acidic. I have been told Law Enforcement went to the nickel platted brass because their leather cases caused the brass to corrode. I know the brass does corrode in leather. I also know there is several reloaders that swear by lanolin as a lube to run brass through a press & these guys should know brass better then most people.
> 
> Now with that said all brass isn't equal.


Neither is all leather.  There are different tanning processes.


----------



## kingmt01 (Jun 19, 2015)

John Hasler said:


> Neither is all leather.  There are different tanning processes.


True.
I have to admit I probably know less about leather then I do about brass. I'm sure that conditioners for the leather could have an affect as well. I have some leather tact but I don't believe there is any brass on mine. My favorite is the stuff made from synthics. I believe it was called "new (something)".

To the op I was going to mention something earlier & forgot. You should always wipe you anvils of every time you measure even if you just measured & your going to again. Unseen dust is huge when your measuring to the ten thousandths of a inch. So dry wipe every time.


----------



## silence dogood (Jun 19, 2015)

I hope that I'm not beating this subject to death, but George you got me thinking.  You live in Williamsburg, Virginia,  aren't you pretty close to the ocean?  I live in eastern Oregon, as they say the dry side.  I'm  300 miles east of the Pacific Ocean.  I went down to my shop and pulled out my rarely used machinist toolbox.  The outside has rust, but the felt lined drawers loaded with steel, iron, and brass tools are just fine.  Go figure.  Mark


----------



## silence dogood (Jun 19, 2015)

Darn! I forgot to mention, that box is over 35 yrs old.  Mark


----------



## george wilson (Jun 20, 2015)

I am not that close to the ocean. About leather: here are differently tanned leathers. I carry 2 carbon steel pocket knives in an oak tanned double sheath. I do this to keep them outside of my pocket and any sweat,etc. that invariably darkens carbon steel that is kept in the pocket. I've been carrying these knives for over 20 years. They are left in the sheath day and night. Somehow my blades are still perfectly bright.

There's oak tanned,chrome tanned,sumac tanned,and I don't know what else. Oh,I have a 19th. C. ship maker's adze that has always been in its original old,nearly starting to fall apart leather blade guard. The bright bevel on the adze is still bright,though I'd have thought the tannin is certainly freely available to rust it.

So,another "go figure".


----------

