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Which Digital Micrometers to Buy

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munruh

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My trusty 0-1 Mitituyo got dropped and it has never been the same. I would like a digital one. I have a 1-2 digital and also need to replace my 3-4. I like the ones with the ratchet thimble. The 0-1 is left out in a micrometer stand and gets used quite a bit. The Mitutoyos are expensive. Is there another brand that I should look at? Coolant proof preferred.
 
I am watching this with interest as I have a 0-6 set of Mitutoyo micrometers that I bought new in 1972. I too am considering a switch to digital. I think you might get more replies if you posted this in the "General" forum.
 
I am watching this with interest as I have a 0-6 set of Mitutoyo micrometers that I bought new in 1972. I too am considering a switch to digital. I think you might get more replies if you posted this in the "General" forum.

Digital micrometers that show in 0.001mm/0.00005" don't cost much more than those that show in 0.01mm/0.0005". They also almost always are more accurate.

Same with internal digital 3 point micrometers.

It's all just a matter of what you need and how much you are willing to pay. In most countries it's the company that buys and not the machinist.

A good 0.25mm/0-1" 0,001mm/0.00005" digital micrometer here (Denmark) cost from about $140. Specified accuracy 0.003mm/0.0001".

Don't ask. I don't sell them :)
 
I have been using some of the shars aventor brand micrometers for general shop use. They are much cheaper than my mitutoyo or starrett mics. I have had three of them for about a year now, so far so good. Haven't had any trouble getting them calibrated. I like using them just for the fact that if I drop one or it gets damaged the financial consequences are much less. They do have the ratcheting thimble, although I prefer the smooth fiction thimbles on my mitutoyos.


My name is Brian and I'm a toolaholic.
 
Observations:
First, Mitutoyo sells at least 3 lines of electronic micrometrs in the 0-1 or 0-1.2 inch ranges. On amazon their price runs from $135 to $600. (Don't compare a Quickmike - which I dearly love but are hyper spendy - to something cheap. That's not a sensible comparison.)

Second, on Shars, there's a Mitutoyo 0-1" listed for $119.
The nicest Aventor seems to be $80 (without a cert...)

Given the comments above, I'd be willing to try the Aventor.

The ones that are cheaper, that look like they have plastic thimbles, to me, look a lot like a Follower I had which did not work very well at all and got replaced with a Mitu.

That said details matter - on/off switch or auto? set 0 somewhere other than physical home? incremental mode? do you use these things? do you care? and of course, ip rating...

I did buy a really cheap slide caliper (not a mic) off amazon (it was like $20 or something) and it seems to work just fine. And it was so cheap I was OK with it maybe being a failure. I don't see any electronic mics that look like I'd want to try them for that low a price yet.
 
I haven't made a detailed comparison in a while, but in the past the Mitutoyo digital mics drew much less current (batteries lasted longer), a better feel as they closed firmly to zero (indicates parallelism of anvils and close spindle thread tolerances) and a much nicer looking circuit board inside.

Since a 1" mic gets used so frequently, I'd be inclined to spend the extra bucks for a Mitutoyo. Were it something like a 5-6", maybe not.

You probably don't need or want an SPC output port, so that can put you into a mid-range Mitutoyo.
 
It would have been very difficult to assemble my race engines if my micrometers were at my employers shop.

I have read in other places--and Gordon has certainly pointed this out as well--that in Europe it is common
practice for the employer to supply all measuring equipment. If someone wanted/needed measuring tools for
a home shop they would certainly have the option of buying their own but they would stay in the home shop...
 
Just for grins I purchased a Aventor 6" digital caliper from Shars. The readout doesn't refresh quickly and makes it difficult to creep around a measurement. When you turn it ON it is slow to power up...weird internal electronics.

This may not hold true to the mic's but IMHO..the Chinese stuff always has some kind of funky baggage attached.

I would steer clear of Starrett but would put my trust in Mitutoyo for sure.


Stuart
 
Just for grins I purchased a Aventor 6" digital caliper from Shars. The readout doesn't refresh quickly and makes it difficult to creep around a measurement. When you turn it ON it is slow to power up...weird internal electronics.

This may not hold true to the mic's but IMHO..the Chinese stuff always has some kind of funky baggage attached.

I would steer clear of Starrett but would put my trust in Mitutoyo for sure.


Stuart

I think that shars shit is junk, the cheap starrett calipers are junk too.
 
Mitutoyo. You can't beat them. They show microns and the best i could ascertain in a 20c controlled inspection dept with 24hr soak and inspection grade A gauge blocks, were they read to the gauge block within .001mm too.
Unbelievable.

They were very good. Now there are other brands I consider just as good in many cases cost less. I suggest going to exhibitions, trying several makes, and then judge.

Many just stick to what they've always had. Nothing wrong with that but there is competition so when possible try something else. I don't mean buy, try.

Some makes I like more than other but don't have one I think is best.
 
They were very good. Now there are other brands I consider just as good in many cases cost less. I suggest going to exhibitions, trying several makes, and then judge.

Many just stick to what they've always had. Nothing wrong with that but there is competition so when possible try something else. I don't mean buy, try.

Some makes I like more than other but don't have one I think is best.

Why fiddle around going to shows and testing stuff out when you can just buy the best and be done with it?
 
Why fiddle around going to shows and testing stuff out when you can just buy the best and be done with it?

My first reaction to your post was a shrug. If you were trying to be serious then what is "the best" in your opinion re digital micrometers and how do you know this?

I'm sure I'm the same as several others and if there is "something out there" that is better than most I'd like to know what it is. "I've never used any other brand and never a problem" isn't an answer or reason. Everything has advantages and disadvantages.
 
My first reaction to your post was a shrug. If you were trying to be serious then what is "the best" in your opinion re digital micrometers and how do you know this?

I'm sure I'm the same as several others and if there is "something out there" that is better than most I'd like to know what it is. "I've never used any other brand and never a problem" isn't an answer or reason. Everything has advantages and disadvantages.

The mits 293 series digital coolant proof mics are well known to be the best commercially available digital mics. Used by machinists all the way up to inspection and calibration. Is there something better, probably will it be available for next day delivery at a reasonable price, probably not.
 
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