Thread mic brands

I got a like new 0-1 Tesa with a full set of imperial anvils for $150 off EBay a few weeks ago :)

My thread wires were driving me crazy. So I patiently waited for a good deal on a quality mic. Plenty of quality mics for that price. But they didn’t have anvils. IIRC, anvils run about $30+ a pair.
 
I pieced together a set of thread mics from the usual suspects; Lufkin, Tumico, Slocomb, Starrett. On eBay, it cost less to put together a quality set that is always ready than it would to buy one with interchangeable anvils that need to be fiddled with.
 
I pieced together a set of thread mics from the usual suspects; Lufkin, Tumico, Slocomb, Starrett. On eBay, it cost less to put together a quality set that is always ready than it would to buy one with interchangeable anvils that need to be fiddled with.

That's easy to fix, just always cut the same TPI! 20 TPI for everything! :grin:
 
I got a like new 0-1 Tesa with a full set of imperial anvils for $150 off EBay a few weeks ago :)

My thread wires were driving me crazy. So I patiently waited for a good deal on a quality mic. Plenty of quality mics for that price. But they didn’t have anvils. IIRC, anvils run about $30+ a pair.

You got one of the best thread mics made. Smooth, precise and very accurate. I have the 0-1" and 1-2" and the same anvil set fits both. Really nice price you got - congrats!

Prior to finding my Tesa set, I used a Fowler thread mic and it looked identical to the one sold by Shars and others. Although the fit and finish isn't in the same class as a Tesa, the accuracy seemed to be. Given the high cost of the upper tier mics, I don't think I would opt for a Mit or Tesa at retail. I would go for a Shars.
 
Personally, I would buy one with changeable anvils. They are just as accurate.
 
That is honestly what i am thinking of doing. I was looking at the shars as well.
 
Brento, I'll tell you how I ended up in this position, the owner of several thread mics. I was looking for a Tesa, since I love my Tesa mics and snap mics. I found several at the going price, but all of them had missing anvils of one size or another. Foo on that, I said, and ordered a used, American-made mic in every size I thought I would encounter. At the end, I spent about $25 each for five mics from 32 pitch to 10 pitch. So I saved a little money, but there is still the part that I think is priceless- the cost of opening my drawer with one hand still on the work piece, grabbing the mic I need, and measuring my part. Nothing irritates me more than needing a tool right now that needs some fiddling, set-up, or whatever. I just want to grab what I need, make my measurement, and get on with it. Sure, I have nothing better to do on a Sunday morning than tinker and fiddle, and will have even more time to waste doing menial crap when I retire, but I don't want to have to do that every single time I pick up a tool. That peace of mind is worth it to me.
 
Well my secret on this is that this mic is for a job coming up. Idr what size thread it was but it was a special uncommon pitch for a motorcycle part. Since it is a special tool needed for the job i would charge the customer maybe 20% of the tool and i would pay the rest obviously.
 
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