Expensive feeler gauges really worth it?
- Thread starter brit road garage
- Start date
Farmall450
Well-known member
I would go somewhere in the middle, not HF, but not necessarily SO either.
Cheapy(ish) ones are ok for a while, but will tend to rust quicker, and very
critical gaps in engine building call for slightly better.
If you're willing to spend a tenner or so, you can get a Facom 19 blade
set, or a 13 blade Stahlwille set. I found these two on ebay now.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FACOM-804...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item5d44d3f79c
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAHLWILL...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item1e7e9bea14
Edit.... It's worth noting the Facom set includes
0.04mm 0.05mm 0.06mm 0.07mm 0.08mm 0.09mm and 0.10mm (Good range for engine building)
Where as the Stahlwille only includes 0.05mm and 0.10mm (Obviously not so good)
critical gaps in engine building call for slightly better.
If you're willing to spend a tenner or so, you can get a Facom 19 blade
set, or a 13 blade Stahlwille set. I found these two on ebay now.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FACOM-804...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item5d44d3f79c
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAHLWILL...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item1e7e9bea14
Edit.... It's worth noting the Facom set includes
0.04mm 0.05mm 0.06mm 0.07mm 0.08mm 0.09mm and 0.10mm (Good range for engine building)
Where as the Stahlwille only includes 0.05mm and 0.10mm (Obviously not so good)
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e30bradley
Well-known member
if you are building and engine I would go with top quality.. or at least somewhere towards the higher end. I would never buy cheap precision measuring tools.
I could be wrong, I'm not thinking a set of blue point feeler gauges are very expensive? $5-10. I might be wrong on that.
One from Snap-on. Less than $12
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?item_ID=630569&group_ID=675336
One from Snap-on. Less than $12
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?item_ID=630569&group_ID=675336
d.mcfarland
Well-known member
The made in USA ones from HJE are like $2. Very well made. Mine is the Wilde one, so that is what I'm referirng to!
sberry
Banned
Anyone think 008 is any different between t gauges. Building an engine doesn't have a "lot of use" for them other than checking some ring end gap which is fairly rudimentary, can do it by eye. I am sure we might have used them more but the thing I recall that comes to mind lately is valve lash in golf cart engines, cant remember the last time I used one on a car,,, I might have, just cant remember.
OP
brit road garage
Banned
383 240z
Well-known member
Only thing I can figure them being useful for is ring gaps, and piston to cylinder wall clearance. That second one is only if you don't want to, or can't measure, the bore and piston correctly. Keith
If you want long ones Facom is probably your best bet, the only way to get
snap-on ones is imported from America or from the UK web site and the price
from the web site is £28 plus delivery....
Their standard length Blue Point branded feeler gauges are a more reasonable
price though.
GoodEnough
Banned
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- Sep 22, 2013
- Messages
- 488
This should be Craftsman's slogan!
If in between is right next to harbor freight.
If your building a cheap engine and don't really care buy cheap tools to guage it with. I've had both Proto and Starrett sets checked and they check good.
http://www.starrett.com/metrology/m...urrentPage=1&displayMode=grid&sortBy=none/asc
lg
no neat sig line
http://www.starrett.com/metrology/m...urrentPage=1&displayMode=grid&sortBy=none/asc
lg
no neat sig line
Back in school for a project I mic'd a HF set of feeler gages and did various statistical analysis on them, std dev etc. 3 sets 3 measurements each... they were on the money. precise to the actual measurement and accurate one to another within the limits of the mic itself.
Now you never know how long they'll stay nice, and you know you could get the one that isn't so accurate, but I kept one of them and still have it. Never had a use for it in the garage but I know exactly where it is and it's still nice and rust free.
Now you never know how long they'll stay nice, and you know you could get the one that isn't so accurate, but I kept one of them and still have it. Never had a use for it in the garage but I know exactly where it is and it's still nice and rust free.
warweapon762
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2013
- Messages
- 323
Evercraft ones at Napa Autoparts are pretty inexpensive and are very accurate for the price.
You can get long 12" individual gages if you like. Some stuff they are better for and you can cut a piece of if needed. Any machine shop supply will have them.
http://www.fastenal.com/web/product...516%20Feeler%209and%20Thickness%20Gauges%22|~
http://www.fastenal.com/web/product...516%20Feeler%209and%20Thickness%20Gauges%22|~
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OP
brit road garage
Banned
Flivver250
Well-known member
I bought Snap-On feeler guages in 1978 and I have not needed to replace them. Sometimes paying a little more is cheaper in a long run. I expect my tools to be willed to my kids or sold to one of you guys by my widow. They will outlast me.
sberry
Banned
I bought a set of Cman in 78 also, havnt replaced them either.
I bought a set of feeler gauges back in the sixties when I first began working on engines. I still have them today but don’t remember the brand. I do keep them lightly oiled to prevent rust. I used them to set the points in the distributor and for valve lash on solid lifter engines. If replaced, I would be looking for a set in the $5 to $8 range.
My biggest use for them now is to check the trueness of my jointer table and other woodworking equipment. However, I do have a Starrett straight edge that cost $190.
My biggest use for them now is to check the trueness of my jointer table and other woodworking equipment. However, I do have a Starrett straight edge that cost $190.
innealtoir
Banned
Armstrong feeler gage sets are like between 30 and 50 dollars for short or long bladed sets. Proto isn't that much different price wise either. SKF sets for long bladed are nicer though in my opinion because you get more sizes in the set. I buy Armstrong because I guess that is what the local place sells and I'm lazy. SOME DAY I will corner an SKF guy and get some schwag though.
That being said they are not rugged enough to be considered something that isn't a disposable item, imho. I replace my long bladed set probably every couple years, give or take? Depends on how much I actively decide to use them I guess. I would say that the more on the ball millwrights I work with replace somewhere in that time frame if they are using them a lot. Depends on what they are being exposed to though, but like chlorine rich environments eat the hell out of them it seems. (FYI, NEVER spray that rust remover spray on them it will ruin your feeler gages.) They get wet, they get rough, pinched from sliding into places, etc.
That being said they are not rugged enough to be considered something that isn't a disposable item, imho. I replace my long bladed set probably every couple years, give or take? Depends on how much I actively decide to use them I guess. I would say that the more on the ball millwrights I work with replace somewhere in that time frame if they are using them a lot. Depends on what they are being exposed to though, but like chlorine rich environments eat the hell out of them it seems. (FYI, NEVER spray that rust remover spray on them it will ruin your feeler gages.) They get wet, they get rough, pinched from sliding into places, etc.