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USA manufactured equivilant of NOGA?

savage_hunter

Aluminum
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Does anyone know of an indicator holder that is similar to a NOGAFlex but made in USA? I mistakenly thought the Starrett 660 was, but that model is part of their global line and manufactured in china. I have a Starrett flex-o-post but it isn't quite as limber as i'd like. There have been a few times I couldn't quite the the angle of the dangle to work and had to use the old dowsing rods.

I found this guy on ebay:

Interapid indicator holder (indicol ,noga,similar style MADE IN AMERICA 👌) | eBay


Looks interesting and for the price it's worth taking a chance, but i'd like to know what other options are out there.

I read here about BigKaiser but i'm a little put off by their website. "If you have to ask the price you can't afford it" comes to mind when browsing their products:

Dial Indicator Stands | BIG KAISER
 
The Big Kaiser stands are made by MP-TEC in Switzerland. Depending on which model you go for they cost around €450 here. They are extremely high quality, but not made in the US.

The one in the ebay listing you linked is a crappy generic chinese stand.
 
The Big Kaiser stands are made by MP-TEC in Switzerland. Depending on which model you go for they cost around €450 here. They are extremely high quality, but not made in the US.

The one in the ebay listing you linked is a crappy generic chinese stand.

I think you are right about that ebay one being chinese. Here is one that looks exactly the same and selling for $13 bucks:

Metal Magnetic Base Stand Holder for Dial Indicator and Lever Dial Indicator MX 713382815017 | eBay


What a ripoff! That guy is trying to pull a fast one, good catch gregormarwick! Here I thought the guy was just trying to make some stuff and hock it on ebay, little did I know it's all a scam!
 
Why not just buy a noga and be done with it?

Trying to be different. Trying to throw some money to domestic manufacturing. I'll probably buy a NOGA and if anyone ever makes one here i'll probably one of those too. I'm just surprised that there really isn't any competition for noga!
 
I agree Nogas are really not that great. Pretty cheaply made if you look at them. Of course they are not terribly expensive either. I have a swiss Fisso and it is certainly a lot nicer but I paid for it.
 
like many things if made in quantity the parts can drop in price from $10. each to less than $1. each. a drop forge die and plastic injection molds can cost many $10,000. each and setting up a manufacturing line can easily be $500,000 to over $1,000,000.
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so even a overseas company cause they make so many per year unless USA manufacturer wants to spends millions to make over 10,000 per year there is no way they can compete unless they set up for mass production in large quantities.
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its like manufacturing nuts and bolts on a manual lathe. obviously not going to compete with factory set up to make 100,000 of nuts and bolts with machines setup for more efficient production. price of a bolt going from $10. down to $1. with more efficient factory.
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same with a steel mill or papermill. usually smaller factories cannot compete with larger factories that often can make for a lot lower prices
 
like many things if made in quantity the parts can drop in price from $10. each to less than $1. each. a drop forge die and plastic injection molds can cost many $10,000. each and setting up a manufacturing line can easily be $500,000 to over $1,000,000.
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so even a overseas company cause they make so many per year unless USA manufacturer wants to spends millions to make over 10,000 per year there is no way they can compete unless they set up for mass production in large quantities.
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its like manufacturing nuts and bolts on a manual lathe. obviously not going to compete with factory set up to make 100,000 of nuts and bolts with machines setup for more efficient production. price of a bolt going from $10. down to $1. with more efficient factory.
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same with a steel mill or papermill. usually smaller factories cannot compete with larger factories that often can make for a lot lower prices

GD Man! If it not about toy machines and your "real" machines milling down to .000000 flatness, you are trying to give people economic lessons that a first grader would understand. :angry:
 
I agree Nogas are really not that great. Pretty cheaply made if you look at them. Of course they are not terribly expensive either. I have a swiss Fisso and it is certainly a lot nicer but I paid for it.

I don't know about cheaply made, but they are damn handy compared to the other guys 2-3 rods and big knurled knobs with 5 different holes and an iffy spring setup.... :)

Is there a Noga style (single clamp) by a different manufacturer that is not* $400?

* edit
 
seen many a job where i made small part for $50. in labor. and when a plastic injection mold was made that cost $10,000. the price per part dropped to $0.10.
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obviously if 1000 parts made for $11,000 or $11. each part. or doing with injection mold costing $50,000. the price difference adds up. no way can anybody compete making $50. parts when somebody else can make for less than $11. each cause they invested in the more efficient manufacturing equipment.
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same way a papermill i used to work at in USA closed down cause Germans invested in bigger more efficient papermills in Germany. and Germany not known for being cheap its more they invested in better more efficient factory equipment. so who in USA going to invest in making Noga style magnetic bases in large quantities ?? what business investor would think that was a good and safe investment.
 
I don't know about cheaply made, but they are damn handy compared to the other guys 2-3 rods and big knurled knobs with 5 different holes and an iffy spring setup.... :)

Is there a Noga style (single clamp) by a different manufacturer that is $400?

All of the stands we are discussing are single clamp style.

I have no idea what the price points are likely to be in the US.

Very roughly, over here, Fisso are about 2.5x the price of Noga DG type. MP-Tec are about 1.5x the price of Fisso.

There is also Kanetec, a Japanese brand, to consider; I found one on Misumi USA - MB-MX Type, High Lock Base - $260. I have no experience with these.
 
But if they were made in the US, they would be perfecter if made by perfectest guys in a shop the believed in perfectering.

There are many old great designs now off patent so likely a guy could make a product line or just one handy device and selling off a web site or eBay to not paying a retailer could make a go of such products.
 
genuine Noga magnetic bases are nice but i have damaged them before when they dropped to the floor
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not sure how a more expensive one, say $200. compared to less than $100. would better survive falling to the floor undamaged ?? the magnetic base itself has plastic parts and sheetmetal, have seen many that magnetic base magnet locking knobs was damaged
 
genuine Noga magnetic bases are nice but i have damaged them before when they dropped to the floor
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not sure how a more expensive one, say $200. compared to less than $100. would better survive falling to the floor undamaged ?? the magnetic base itself has plastic parts and sheetmetal, have seen many that magnetic base magnet locking knobs was damaged

I don't imagine it would fair any better.

Don't drop it.
 
I don't imagine it would fair any better.

Don't drop it.
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nobody drops them on purpose. it happens depends on where or how you use. obviously stuck on side of something it can fall easier than if on top of something. and forgetting it is still stuck next to spindle and tool changer arm knocking it off has happened to many people over the decades.
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magnetic base i believe you can order alone for replacement. also unscrewing arm and screwing in a rod to directly mount in tool holder at least saves the arm and indicator holder for use. usually its M8 thread on the end of arm
 
I recently learned of Earth Chain and Techniks holders, I think they are the same items, which are said to be superior to the cheap Nogas but priced less than Fisso and MP Tech. Price said to be ~$300 or so. They look good in a photo. Maybe made in Japan. I'd like to see one for myself. Anyone here have one of these? Or have access to pricing?

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Techniks Products

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