Dial indicator- best value/ quality
- Thread starter mbaird
- Start date
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Mitutoyo.
The expensive ones are smooth and accurate (Like Starrett, Brown and Sharpe, and Mitutoyo) The cheaper ones can still be accurate within a thousandth or two.
Plenty of Mitutoyos on Ebay in the 50 dollar range.
If the indicator you have is quality name brand, you may just want to have it serviced/repaired.
I find the best place to buy used tools is swap meets and gun shows where you can check them out in hand.
I find the best place to buy used tools is swap meets and gun shows where you can check them out in hand.
33IMP
Well-Known Member
I have a last minute and a 0-1 that I paid less than $30 for (ea).
My 3" travel Starrett was not quite so cheap.
For most of what I do, the cheap tool house stuff is good enough. Want better without a huge credit card hit? Mitutoyo.
My 3" travel Starrett was not quite so cheap.
For most of what I do, the cheap tool house stuff is good enough. Want better without a huge credit card hit? Mitutoyo.
I am leary of used precision tools .
I'm not leading you by the hand here. There are several NEW ones on there in the price range I said.
NC Engine Builder
Grumpy Old Man
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For what your doing a shars brand from Amazon would work just fine.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
I bought a Shars 30 years ago its still works I've stored it properly and taken care of it though...
gzig5
Well-Known Member
I personally don’t consider a dial indicator as “precision”, but get where you’re coming from. The Shars brand is actually pretty decent for value priced new product. Otherwise I would check Craigslist and marketplace for used name brand stuff you can check the functionality of. Starrett, Mitotoyo, Brown and Sharpe, Tesa, and Teclock are all worthy brands to consider. Just about any brand that functions smoothly will suffice for cam timing.
You could make the case that buying used precision tools is like buying a used virgin, but I have a set of Starrett outside mic’s I bought used from a Mac dealer (laugh it up TMM!) in 1968 that still work fine. They came with a set of standards. Ditto a set of stellite-tipped .0001” accurate Mitutoyo’s. I have used these tools to bore dozens of motorcycle cylinders, measure anything you could get them around, and they have never let me down. Dial indicators are another thing. I have had several off-brands fail, but my Starrett, Tealock, and Mitutoyo have never let me down. My Central dial calipers died a couple of years ago (the pinion gear stripped), but they were 50 years old, so I can’t complain about them. A friend gave me a digital Shars set o replace them. They are very accurate according to my Mitutoyo standards, but the battery tray doesn’t always work right, and they will quickly eat a battery if I leave it in, even though the display is blank.
It’s the sellers I don’t trust . I am sure there are used ones that work fine but it’s a crap shoot .
I sold Central on the truck because that's what MAC stocked in the warehouse. They were ok quality wise and fairly accurate. If you got 50 years worth of use out of one it doesn't owe you a thing.
If I wasn’t spending so much money on Mopars / Dirtbikes / Dual Sport & accessories/ vacations I would pop for the top names . It’s been an expensive year …lol
Besides I will use this once a year
Besides I will use this once a year
https://www.northerntool.com/produc...HP|PLA|GOOG|STND|c|SITEWIDE|OOT|Construction|{adgroup}||168803876|8720542916&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=168803876&gbraid=0AAAAADpPfbNRDAHf2zsiX8llSzAce9s3V&gclid=CjwKCAjw7_DEBhAeEiwAWKiCC0ni5vbsu3AIxxuP70VrOAEIpIhRvqnvpeq4JyxK6zlVZK3eaWt-khoCmjYQAvD_BwE
Wife ? Do my spending habits sound like I have a wife ? Lol
gzig5
Well-Known Member
I strongly prefer analog, especially if buying used. I have a couple vernier calipers that will hold their accuracy until the end of time essentially because there’s nothing to move or fail on them. I guarantee they are as accurate as any dial or digital model, though a little slower to use.
Nice thing about digital is that it doesn’t matter what angle I am looking at it from . And my old eyes aren’t as good at reading small gauges . But I agree with your assessment.
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