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Older Dial Indicators, Craftsman brand... who made these for them?

troyken

Plastic
Joined
Sep 29, 2004
I was wondering if anybody knows who made their old line of indicators and other machinists tools in general? Some of their older tools look like they are well made and very similar to well known brands. I have an older(50's vintage I think.) machinists (not carpenter type) combination square that looks like Brown & Sharpe, very well made. The square belonged to my grandfather who was a bench mechanic at Republic Aircraft, WWII through late 70's.

Thanks,

Troyken.
 
Visit the website for Long Island Indicator Repair. They have an incredible amount of information on many manufacturers, brands, or "labels" of dial indicators, mikes, and dial calipers. They even have information as to whether parts or service are available, either thru some branch of the OEM or seller, or thru their own shop.

Craftsman, as is well known, never made anything on their own. The parent company, Sears, Roebuck & Co, wrote up specs for what they wanted or found companies who already made it as a stock item, and simply ordered it in large lots for inventory. It used to be a "secret" as to who Craftsman used for making the various tools. Some years, their power tools were good quality, maybe Millers Falls, maybe Black & Decker (back in the 50's, B & D made good tools) , then they went down a few notches and used Wen (or some firm making similarly low-end power tools). Wrenches used to come from a drop forge shop in Springfield, MA, but not any more. They now come from other plants and the quality really has come downhill. Back "in the day", Sears/Craftsman specified good quality tools and went to reputable US vendors. Nowadays, it is another story, unfortunately.

It would not surprise me to learn that Craftsman machinist tools of the 40's-50's were made by Lufkin. Back in the day, Lufkin made as good machinist tools as Starrett or Brown & Sharpe. Lufkin, not being so big as Starrett or B &S, might have been the more likely firm to have made machinist tools under Craftsman's label. Another firm might have been Union Tool, in Orange, MA. Their combination squares are pretty much what Starrett made. Dial indicators may have been made by Gem, out in Ohio. Gem either made indicators for Lufkin, or took over that portion of Lufkin's business when Lufkin got out of making machinist tools. Federal Gauge, in Providence, RI, is another likely maker of Craftsman dial indicators. I have a Federal dial indicator that is remarkably similar to a Starrett "Last Word" dial indicator.

I think nowdays, Sears may be using Chinese imports for most of their machinist tools, sold to the lowest bidder, let loyalty, quality and reputation be damned.
 
Troyken: I think that Scherr-Tumico of St.James , Minn. made some of them. I had one that was similar to Starrett's "Last Word" indicator. It was different only in that it had a flat, glass face instead of the bowl shaped, plastic face like the L.W. I needed it worked on once and Sears sent to Scherr-Tumico for repair. It was a nice tool that I used for a number of years before I wrecked it.

JH
 
As a follow up to my last post, I would like to say that Scherr-Tumico made nice tools. I had a set of inside mics made by them and they were equal to Lufkin or B & S or Starrett. Does anyone know what happened to the company?

JH
 
If Lufkin made them, that could be good.

My Lufkin are my favorite mics.... they just seem to feel and work better than most others... except B&S.... they are about equal to me.
 
Hard to imagine Federal making for Sears, but maybe they did. Long Island Indicator Repair does not rate them highly (Nor Starrett or most other USA brands either, lol) but "back in the day" Federal were considered several large steps above Starrett, and most others.

Speaking of just marketing, that is what made Starrett big and successful. They famously started out making sausage choppers. They just kept finding and buying out companies they liked, and rebranding them as Starrett. I was using my Starrett-Webber gage blocks (Hoke style) the other day and thinking was a great old Company Webber was, long before Starrett bought 'em. Looked up at the wooden box with my 199 "Master precision" level in it, yep, another old company that Starrett bought out to get a superior tool and eliminate another source of competition. I can't even remember the name now. Ditto the very-handy-for-odd situations magnetic indicator stand. Starret bought out that company, that originated the "push off" magnetic base, attachments, and the cable tensioned snake like arm. Bought the company that make their pink granite surface plates. Etc, etc.

Another interesting thing, Montgomery Wards was often considered second to Sears. But in the tools line when I was growing up & little earlier, Wards always had the superior equipment. Logan lathes instead of Atlas at Sears. L & IJ White, TH Witherby, and Sargeant often made their woodworking tools, many grade levels superior to the tools Satanley made for Sears, etc.

But both did tend to have more serviceable quality than has been available for years, and they stood behind it.

smt
 
I did look at Long Island Indicator site as Joe suggested... dismaying but the price was really right and the finish from the photos looked good. I await delivery and we''ll see how it "measures up".

Thanks for all of the input.
 








 
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