decent micrometer?

[NWMO 901 SOS]

Hell all,

As you can see in other posts I am working on a 134 motor and could use a decent micrometer. I am interested in something that is of course accurate and if taken care of will last 10 years or more with minimal use (just a few hobbies). Any suggestions for an American built unit?

Chris

 

[charlie n]

Starrett.Easy to adjust and built tough.Look on flea bay.Good Luck.

 

[Fordfarmer]

I'm looking for a set right now too. I'll second
Charlie's reply of Starrett. That's what we had in
h.s. shop class. If they can stand up to h.s.
students, they should last your lifetime and beyond
with normal care. If you buy used, just be sure the
standard comes with it, to occasionally check to
make sure it's accurate. Individual sizes seem to be
fairly easy to find; sets less so.

 

[awhtx]

Chris,

Go to a Pawn Shop and remember that the advertised price is ALWAYS negotiable. But check retail prices first so you know that you are paying no more than 50% of new price. Mitutoyo is a good japanese brand but avoid any chinese made junk. For measuring crankshaft journals you will need a 2"/3". If you don"t get the standard take it by a machine shop and have them check it for you.

Alan

 

[NWMO 901 SOS]

Thanks guys, greatly appreciated.

Mark - my boys and wife all said they would feel comfy driving the smaller tractor (vs my HUGE 971 :roll: ). I won't be able to really work on my boys 52' chevy w/o some funds, so I'm not looking to keep. If I can get it together and make $500 while selling for a bargain price to a friend, I wouldn't be opposed . Just something to think about.

I will say I wouldn't likely drag all the way up there, your about 10 hrs away. Would be willing to meet in the middle though, maybe at another YTers place for a cup of coffee/chat.

Chris

 

[Ultradog MN]

Starret, Brown and Sharp, Mitutoyo, Sherr-Tumico
All are good brands.
Make SURE you get one with the little rachet on the end as it takes a LOT of practice to learn the feel of a mic to get the right reading without the rachet. If you aren't experienced with one it probably wouldn't hurt to google using a micrometer or some such to get a few pointers as it would be very easy to get false readings with out a little practice.
Also as awhtx says try to get one with a standard or bring yours to a machine shop to have it checked for accuracy. They can vary a little even between 25° and 75° temperature.
The set I have I got in 1975. Us guys in the machine shop were allowed to go aboard a WWII cruiser that they were going to sink for target practice and bring back anything the our shop/ship could use.
When we got back with our plunder the Chief just told us to get rid of all that damn junk as nobody wanted it here. wink, wink
Fully stocked small machine shop, two lathes, mill, materials, tools, etc, etc all of it except what we could carry off was just taken out to sea and sunk. The whole ship was fully stocked. It was really sad.

 

[souNdguy]

I shudder to say this. but at harbor freight they have a 3 micrometer kit.

I have that and one of theor dial calipers.

I also have 2 older non dial calipers that are very high quality. one is japaneese the other us made.. both from perhaps the 70's.

I dod a lil hobby gunsmithing, and when I have a critical mesaurement for a case or cartridge or bore, or fitted part I use em.. use dthem working on my last 2 tractors when wealing with measuring the crank and pushrods and other parts of the valvetrain when i had it apart.

had no problems with the mi'cs fro HF working as expected.. same with calipers / repeateble / results checked with my other set.

If I was a full time machinist or whatnot.. I'd have a better set. but so far.. nothing has blow up when i pull the trigger, and everything starts when i turn the key and hit the button..

soundguy

 

[Fordfarmer]

Now you're gonna get me in trouble! To tell
you the truth, I'd just as soon buy it as-is, for
a project, though I still need to finish my 4600.
(will be getting back to the 4600 next
month...$3800 first 1/2 of property tax due the 31
of this month)
Meeting half way would be OK, except I'd have to
get a better trailer. Wouldn't trust the rusty pos
I have now, riding on may-pops, to go that far. No
sweat for the F350. Anne has family in IA and I
have family in southern WI...so something probably
could be worked out...

 

[Fordfarmer]

I was just rereading this... How many of us didn't
notice the missing letter in the greeting?

 

[NWMO 901 SOS]

(quoted from post at 11:56:16 01/09/12) I was just rereading this... How many of us didn't
notice the missing letter in the greeting?

:shock: I sure hadn't. I would have had to do 25 push ups at the boys ranch I worked at had that slipped out. Can't say my self control is as good w/o the accountability unfortunately, they slip out far too often now.

I will add, as I lay under the tractor (out in the drive) last night, I thought of the credit card commercial. "Being able to work on your tractor out of doors in the Midwest in January. PRICELESS." :lol:

Chris

 

[Fordfarmer]

Yeah! Here too... supposed to get into the mid 30's
to low 40's the next couple days. Makes outside jobs
MUCH nicer than they usually are this time of year.

 

[Glen]

Hi,I am a fulltime machinist.In my experience you get what you pay for.Starrett is headquartered in Athol,Massachusetts.I live two towns over.I have always had the mindset of "buy american", but today it is very hard to do.I use micrometers when the measuring gets fussy or tighter tolerance.(ex: + or - .001) other than that,a decent 6 inch dial vernier will do.only exception is if you are checking out of round...a micrometer is a must.

 

[NWMO 901 SOS]

(quoted from post at 12:58:18 01/09/12) Hi,I am a fulltime machinist.In my experience you get what you pay for.Starrett is headquartered in Athol,Massachusetts.I live two towns over.I have always had the mindset of "buy american", but today it is very hard to do.I use micrometers when the measuring gets fussy or tighter tolerance.(ex: + or - .001) other than that,a decent 6 inch dial vernier will do.only exception is if you are checking out of round...a micrometer is a must.

What would be reasonable on these two units?

[color=red:29061cc21e]starett 120 old[/color:29061cc21e]

starett 120 newer

Chris

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 10:58:18 01/09/12) Hi,I am a fulltime machinist.In my experience you get what you pay for.Starrett is headquartered in Athol,Massachusetts.I live two towns over.I have always had the mindset of "buy american", but today it is very hard to do.I use micrometers when the measuring gets fussy or tighter tolerance.(ex: + or - .001) other than that,a decent 6 inch dial vernier will do.only exception is if you are checking out of round...a micrometer is a must.

I agree. A GOOD set of dial calipers will nearly always tell the story.

I bought a set of three Scherr-Tumico micrometers a few years ago when I was working in the tool room at the ball bearing factory. The guys I worked with all had the Starrett brand, but they were all very impressed with quality and "feel" of the Scherr-Tumico brand.

 

[Glen]

I would not pay more than 100 for used in good shape.even if it has the added extras rachet spindle and tenths scale.

 

[rustyfarmall]

And keep in mind that a micrometer is a PRECISION tool, and SHOULD be calibrated on a regular basis to guarantee accuracy. I would not be comfortable using a USED set of mics without first having them calibrated.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Despite what has been said earlier I do not think a dial caliper is accurate enough to measure a crankshaft.
Original diameter on a 4 cyl rod journal is given as 2.2985
When a dimension is given to 4 decimal places you want a tool that is capable of measuring to + - .0001
Dial caliper is probably good for + - .0015
Good tool for measuring bolts, plate, tubing etc. But I wouldn't trust my crank to one.

 

[souNdguy]

i used the mic st on the crank.. not the dial caliper... probably wasn't clear in my post.. etc.

soundguy

 

[awhtx]

Exactly what you need and you can't beat the price.
B&S mike

 

[awhtx]

it's chinese.
Unknown mike

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 12:23:44 01/09/12) Despite what has been said earlier I do not think a dial caliper is accurate enough to measure a crankshaft.
Original diameter on a 4 cyl rod journal is given as 2.2985
When a dimension is given to 4 decimal places you want a tool that is capable of measuring to + - .0001
Dial caliper is probably good for + - .0015
Good tool for measuring bolts, plate, tubing etc. But I wouldn't trust my crank to one.

That is correct, but on the other hand, even if you CAN measure the crankshaft precisely, and determine that it needs reground, you still need to take it to a machine shop, so why not just save the expense of buying the micrometers and let the machinist use his own?

 

[ShowMEguy]

My machine shop here will 'mic' anything you bring them for free.... Then they let you decide what you want to do. I'd try that instead of trying to get the feel of a micrometer that I've never mastered... I just don't need one when I can have an expert do it for me for my favorite 4 letter word, FREE.
I believe the tolerances are in the service manual if you don't have one I can post up at home later.
ShowMeGuy

 

[Ultradog MN]

RF,
My thinking is; if you can mic up a rod journal while it is still in place you can decide if you need to pull the engine to get it to the machinest.

 

[Greg Wolodkin]

I have an older Brown & Sharpe 1" (small) micrometer that I picked up for $1 at a flea market. It reads zero when closed, and it agreed with a few random feeler gauges that measured. It worked well for determining roundness of the tumbler on a flintlock I built a few years back, and for deciding which drill bit to use for the hole in the lockplate. It's also been right on the money for 1/64" and 1/32" gasket papers that I've been playing around with lately.

Now I'm curious.. I may have to visit my machinist friend and see how accurate it really is. I haven't yet needed that 0.0001" level of detail yet.

I'm also curious about the cost of calibration.. anyone know? I'll report back what I learn but it may take a while.

Greg

 

[Fordfarmer]

Also, to double-check things as you're reassembling.

 

[36 Coupe]

Buy 6 inch dial caliper and a set of 1 2 3 blocks.the blocks are machined accurate and can be used to check calipers and micrometers.I bought my 1 inch mike new for 7 bucks.The 2 and 3 inch were bought second hand later.I have a few Starret tools but cant afford many.Buy what you can afford and have the tools checked buy a machinist.If he says the tools are accurate tell the experts to pound sand.

 

[WayneIA]

I'll bet I am almost on a line between you two , but I think I am closer to Missouri than Wisconson. I call Willamsburg IA home. Stop in!!!!!

 

[coff52]

I have been machining or in the machining trade for 30 years. All my micrometers are Brown and Sharp and I never have had any trouble with them. They should come with a standard to check them against. I would measure a crank with a micrometer rather than a dial caliper. I have both but for accurate measurement I prefer the micrometer.
Buddy

 

[Ultradog MN]

The beauty of a 0-1" mic is you don't need a standard. When you close the spindle down to the anvil if it reads zero you should be good to go. Generally to adjust a mic you use a little spanner wrench and adjust it that way.
You may notice on the barrel (or sleeve)of the mic there are 10 lines on the top of it. That is a vernier scale that splits each line on the thimble into 10 parts and gives you your .0001 reading.
It takes a very practiced hand to read a mic to .0001. That's why it's recommended to have a rachet on it as it takes away much of the guesswork/feel out of it.
There is a pretty good page on reading a mic at the link below.

here

 

[NWMO 901 SOS]

(quoted from post at 15:45:47 01/09/12) Exactly what you need and you can't beat the price.
B&S mike

Thanks Alan,

Fun thread . I see the B&S was relisted, will keep and eye on it. Do I understand correctly that a standard would be needed to confirm accuracy? Thanks for all of the great info.

Chris

 

[NWMO 901 SOS]

Wayne,

Have been right past you a few times. We visited the quad cities Labor Day 2010 and stopped to meet Dave H at Colfax tractors. Heck of a nice guy.

Participated in the Pigman triathalon 3-1/2 years ago as well in Cedar Rapids. I'm sure we'll be by again sometime and will try to look you up.

Chris

 

[NWMO 901 SOS]

How about this one?

[color=red:b343d24ad9]micrometer[/color:b343d24ad9]

Chris

 

[Ultradog MN]

Real nice old tool and the price is right but...
I think you need a 2-3"

 

[NWMO 901 SOS]

(quoted from post at 23:27:18 01/09/12) Real nice old tool and the price is right but...
I think you need a 2-3"

So I do . Thanks UD. Alan started me down the right path, but it doesn't take much distance for me to find the brush. :shock:

Chris

 

[NWMO 901 SOS]

Just wanted to bring some closure,

I ended up using the "Buy it Now" option on a micrometer that was listed as a Starrett, but the photos pretty clearly showed a Mitutoyo. I had to drill out the screw (small little sucker) that holds the thumb lock on to adjust it as it wouldn't lock when I got it. As expected, it was a Mitutoyo, but moves nicely and seems to be in good repair. I still need to run by the local shop and calibrate with the standard.

I delayed in leaving feedback and then emailed pretty much my explanation above AND indicated I was [i:93249fc309][u:93249fc309]not[/u:93249fc309][/i:93249fc309] dissatisfied as it was what I expected, though a little dissappointed with the needed repair. The fella is pretty new at ebay sales and wants to keep a 100% rating I guess. I responded looking for about 1/2 my money back ($13), but before I sent that request, he provided a full refund (including shipping). Needless to say he got a good rating from me, I just didn't respond on the portion asking about the item description.

Now I need to find the wrench and a standard sometime down the road.

Chris