MICS

[cros36]

i would love to have a great starrett set up of micrometers, bore gauges, calipers, etc, etc. but im an average adult and i have kids, bills, motorcycle obsession, and currently only my wife is working while i finish up school.

are their any other brands that you guys have used in this realm of measuring that have proven to be correct. i know i could get on ebay and get some deals, but id rather buy new because when dealing with these tolerances i dont really want to buy some used shit that has fallen off of someones work bench a few hundred times.

what i was hoping for would be something basic, mainly outside micrometers and bore gauges for doing engines our size. something around maybe 100 bucks or so for a set.
i dont need digital, would rather not have digital. is this possible? what do you have in your setup?

thanks.

 

[RCGRT]

There are a handful of other brands out there that aren't quite as expensive as starrett, however, you don't necessarily have to buy name brands, as long as it is in good working condition, clean threads, and the faces are beat up too bad, should be fine. A lot of mics come with standards, for example a 0-1" mic will come with a 1.0000 standard, so you can measure the standard and verify that your mic is reading 1.0000, as well as close the mic face to face and verify that it is reading 0.0000. Not all mics come with these standards... Another thing is, $$$...for 100 bucks, no way you'll be able to get a full set of mics (say 0-6") much less bore gages...you could get telescoping gages in place of real bore gages, but without a lot of experience they won't serve you quite as accurate as a say a good mitutoyo bore gage will... You never know though, you could find a good score on ebay, I picked up a set of practically brand new starrett mics 0-150mm (METRIC) for 100 bucks about 6 years ago...keep in mind I was watching ebay for tools of the like daily through out that entire year...
SPI is a decent off brand
China brand......in all honesty, I've seen lots of really good machinists with nothing but CHINA tools, (mics calipers and such)...and they work just fine as long as you take care of them...and yes they'll be a fraction of the cost.
Check mscdirect.com or even enco, just to browse and get familiar with whats out there...

 

[oldbiker]

hi guys,,, i was bought up on the ols trle mics,,,, and they had their place for sure ... i have used mittoyo verniers /mics ,,,they are not expensive and are world class... well worth buying... hope this helps regards oldbiker

 

[gggGary]

For typical MC R&R work a $20.00 digital caliper does 95% of what you need. Not to mention it makes a very handy inch mm converter. I guess what I am saying is if you don't have machine tools you probably don't much need the gauges..
I have my dad's Tool and die makers box, measuring tools, and an ancient South Bend lathe and use some of it but still the digital caliper does 90%+ of my measuring. I see measuring tools on Craigslist but I live in Wisconsin and there's of old tool and die guys and their stuff here. If I were to add one measuring tool it would be a digital metric indicator. Checking runout is a fairly frequent trouble shooting task.

 

[ReycleBill]

If it's Japanese or German and the price is right, buy it. Starrett is great but they're not the only ones.

 

[RCGRT]

For typical MC R&R work a $20.00 digital caliper does 95% of what you need. Not to mention it makes a very handy inch mm converter. I guess what I am saying is if you don't have machine tools you probably don't much need the gauges..
I have my dad's Tool and die makers box, measuring tools, and an ancient South Bend lathe and use some of it but still the digital caliper does 90%+ of my measuring. I see measuring tools on Craigslist but I live in Wisconsin and there's of old tool and die guys and their stuff here. If I were to add one measuring tool it would be a digital metric indicator. Checking runout is a fairly frequent trouble shooting task.

Good point, gggGary. He's right, if you don't have the machine tools to do the work yourself, all you'll really be able to do is inspect what you have, which is cool too, I'd never discourage anyone from something they want to do, but he's got a good point.
And +1 on the calipers, they can be very versatile around the shop. A pair of decent 0-6" calipers will cost a fraction of what a set of 0-6" mics will, and you can measure inside dimensions as well as depths with a pair of calipers, opposed to outside only with mics.

 

[cros36]

hey guys thanks for the responses.

i do not have any machine tools right now. but someday i will. but besides that. i want to accurately measure my pistons and cylinders while my engine is out. i wont be able to bore if necessary, but i dont want the machinist that is measuring them to say that its needed,only to get the bore job. i have trust issues i guess. maybe a real deal caliper and some telescoping gauges are in order. baby steps.
thanks again

 

[gggGary]

I get you. Just as a heads up measuring cylinders for out of round taper etc. Is one of the trickier things to measure well, accurately, and repeatably. Technique is at LEAST as important as the instruments you use. Add to that, that probably ALL used cylinders with some miles on them are "better" if bored oversize, with the new pistons at the machinist's before the final boring and "trust issues" are big issues. A digital dial gauge is probably the easiest way to get meaningful readings and even a so so gauge will be more accurate than transferring readings from a locking telescoping gauge to a micrometer in all but the most experienced hands. not to mention much quicker to do. You have nearly convinced me to go buy a digital bore gauge!

Edit; That came off as my being an expert, I'm not. I have a measured a few bores here and there but that's about it.