Ebay’ed some used mic’s

[motormech1]

So, after searching in here and reading up on micrometer advice I decided to take a chance on some older brand name micrometers to start out with. I’ve used a friend’s very cheap Chinese stuff and just felt the eBay risk was worth not having to use junk like that. I paid between $32 and $46 for them each shipped. My goal was to stay under $50 each shipped. They all have a return policy, good seller rating/feedback and had decent pics to see overall condition, they look pretty good to me. Hopefully I got lucky! Did I make a mistake? These are what I picked out:

TESA 0-1" Micrometer Brevete Swiss Made


Brown & Sharpe No 20-1 Slant Line Outside Diameter Micrometer 1-2" Range .0001"


Brown & Sharpe 30-1 Slant line, 2-3” .0001” Grad Micrometer

 

[benmychree]

Good choices, all of mine are either Starrett or Brown & Sharpe, most Starrett since B&S was not well represented in the West USA.

 

[markba633csi]

I have bought several older measuring tools on Ebay and never been disappointed yet
You can get some great quality tools if you can overlook a few minor cosmetic issues
These kind of tools essentially never wear out- good for a couple lifetimes at least

 

[benmychree]

I have bought several older measuring tools on Ebay and never been disappointed yet
You can get some great quality tools if you can overlook a few minor cosmetic issues
These kind of tools essentially never wear out- good for a couple lifetimes at least

I quite agree; when I peruse these tools on e bay, frequently it comes to my mind "dead men's tools". It used to be that when a man retired or passed, his tools were sold to one of the apprentices, since apprenticeship seems to be a thing of the past, most of the tools seem to end up on e bay, I feel this is all too bad, but tools do seem to end up in the hands of worthy and appreciative folks, maybe they wii get lots less daily use, and they will filter down to many more generations.

 

[rwdenney]

All my larger mics (4-9”) were eBay specials, and they are Lufkins and quite old. But as long as you have standards to calibrate them against, they can be made accurate.

My smaller mics (0-4”) are Fowlers that I bought long enough ago that they are probably Swiss or Japanese. They are tenth-reading with carbide anvils and ratchet thimbles. They may be ripoffs of Mitutoyo mics but they work really well.

I also have several 0-25mm metric mics made in the USSR back in the 70’s. Excellent mics.

And I have a Shars tubing-wall mic that works fine and will get places my other mics won’t.

So, I guess I’m not that picky about mics

Dial indicators are my example of old stuff from eBay. I have SPI (Käfer), Teclock, Federal, Ames, Lufkin, Käfer and a few I’m forgetting. I think I like the Ames dial indicators the best, but they all have their own special features.

For test indicators, though, I’m much pickier. I prefer the Brown and Sharpe Bestest, which I seem to recall are made by Tesa in Switzerland. I haven’t spent the money for Interapid or Compac.

My favorite calipers—dial or vernier—are made by Etalon. I also have Mitutoyo and Tesa dial calipers. All predate any Chinese involvement and all were bought on eBay. I do have a Mauser vernier calipers that was my father’s.

Rick “much better luck with worn-out quality brands than with new Asian imports” Denney

 

[motormech1]

But as long as you have standards to calibrate them against, they can be made accurate.

Fortunately, I have a gauge lab at work to fulfill all my metrology needs. I’ll bring them in and get them checked out. I think only one has it’s standard in the case. At least one is missing it’s wrench as well. Jeff “the gauge guy” at my work has everything I need to cal them and show me how to work on them. I’ve used so much measuring equipment over the years but never owned any personally.

 

[projectnut]

Maybe I'm just old, but I really prefer the manual mechanical micrometers over the more modern digital ones. I have nothing against the newer styles. In fact, they are probably easier and quicker to use, equally accurate. I just like the feel of the older Starrett's and Brown & Sharpe models in my hands. Since the majority of mine were inherited from relatives, they also carry some sentimental value. Both my wife's grandfathers were machinists, and her father started his career as a machinist working to earn a Mechanical Engineering degree.

I never knew her grandfathers, but I was always impressed and sometimes dumbfounded at the skill and precision her father displayed when making or repairing a part. Not only was it second nature to him, but it also seemed as though he'd done it thousands of times even though he was creating a replacement part for or repairing something built long after his time in the machine shop. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when all those people were using those tools making a living to support their families. Somehow, they had the thought processes and ingenuity to make exceptionally high-quality parts and tooling without the aid of a computer, or someone on You Tube showing them how to do it.

I'm sure I'll never be the caliber machinist any of them were, but it's refreshing to know that the tools are still capable of measuring accurately. That puts the responsibility of getting the parts to within specifications squarely on the shoulders of the machine operator.

 

[motormech1]

@projectnut That’s a great story and history. Thanks for sharing that! I share your sentiment on the analog over electronic digital tools. I use electronic measuring equipment exclusively at the day job now, but 25yrs ago we still had a few analog drop gauges and mic’s, some vernier. The modern stuff is top shelf stuff and has a great feel in the hand and all but I don’t like the loss of interpretation of tenths. Most of it only reads to 5 tenths and so it flickers between 0 and 5. For what we’re doing (mostly measuring for stack ups) that’s fine but I think for machining I’d rather interpret the tenths myself. Or maybe I’m just old too and like reading dials instead.

 

[ErichKeane]

Maybe I'm just old, but I really prefer the manual mechanical micrometers over the more modern digital ones. I have nothing against the newer styles. In fact, they are probably easier and quicker to use, equally accurate. I just like the feel of the older Starrett's and Brown & Sharpe models in my hands. Since the majority of mine were inherited from relatives, they also carry some sentimental value. Both my wife's grandfathers were machinists, and her father started his career as a machinist working to earn a Mechanical Engineering degree.

I never knew her grandfathers, but I was always impressed and sometimes dumbfounded at the skill and precision her father displayed when making or repairing a part. Not only was it second nature to him, but it also seemed as though he'd done it thousands of times even though he was creating a replacement part for or repairing something built long after his time in the machine shop. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when all those people were using those tools making a living to support their families. Somehow, they had the thought processes and ingenuity to make exceptionally high-quality parts and tooling without the aid of a computer, or someone on You Tube showing them how to do it.

I'm sure I'll never be the caliber machinist any of them were, but it's refreshing to know that the tools are still capable of measuring accurately. That puts the responsibility of getting the parts to within specifications squarely on the shoulders of the machine operator.

I very much dislike the digital mics, and wouldn't consider it for anything but a 0-1 (or perhaps 1-2) for 1 big reason: Batteries.

I had a 2-3" digital Mitutoyo at one point I'd picked up used, and every time I reached for it, the batteries had died AGAIN. I needed the size rarely enough that they'd just die in the drawer, so I'd replace the battery after I noticed it was dead, then get zero uses out of it before I reached for it and found it dead again!

I decided to stop spending money on batteries and just gave it away

 

[projectnut]

I very much dislike the digital mics, and wouldn't consider it for anything but a 0-1 (or perhaps 1-2) for 1 big reason: Batteries.

I had a 2-3" digital Mitutoyo at one point I'd picked up used, and every time I reached for it, the batteries had died AGAIN. I needed the size rarely enough that they'd just die in the drawer, so I'd replace the battery after I noticed it was dead, then get zero uses out of it before I reached for it and found it dead again!

I decided to stop spending money on batteries and just gave it

I have several cheapie calipers that do the same thing. I got tired of replacing the batteries so I just remove them and put them in the case until I need the tool.

On the other hand I have a Mitutoyo caliper that still has the original battery and it’s going on 5 years old. I do check it occasionally just to be sure it isn’t leaking