They ****. The dovetail will strip then you have a junk indicator. If you buy a dovetail model get one with replaceable dovetail. Just go with interapid test indicators and be done with it.
Looking to buy Dial Indicator.......HELP!!!
- Thread starter cool50
- Start date
They ****. The dovetail will strip then you have a junk indicator. If you buy a dovetail model get one with replaceable dovetail. Just go with interapid test indicators and be done with it.
They ****. The dovetail will strip then you have a junk indicator. If you buy a dovetail model get one with replaceable dovetail. Just go with interapid test indicators and be done with it.
If a person can manage to strip the steel dovetail off a test indicator I recommend they find an occupation to which they would be better suited, such as demolition.
Steve from Socal
Well-known member
Fowler makes or made OK stuff. Another brand not mentioned here is Scherr-Tumico Many of their small items are purchased like indicators, most are or were Swiss or German. I have a few things from them that are 30+ years old and they are very good quality.
I want to reiterate the notion of getting a good quality USED indicator of ebay or CL in lieu of buying a new indicator. Unless the previous owner was a idiot the instrument will be in good cosmetic condition and of far better quality than what you can buy today without spending a whole lot.
There are as you are learning several kinds of "dial indicators" that term is generally used for the larger plunger type indicators with long travel. You may also want to find a "test indicator" for more precise measurement. As examples dialing in a cam would require a long range dial indicator to check lift, a test indicator would be used to check run out on a distributor shaft.
Steve
Wow, all this talk on Indicator's and I can't believe nobody mentioned Interapid. When I was doing machining and Cad/Cam programming. This is all I used and I loved them. I particularly loved my vertical when setting up machining centers. It was great for making sure surfaces were straight and trying to find a center of a gauge pin or something.
However, I've been out of the machining trade for about 10 years now...not sure if they're relevant anymore.
However, I've been out of the machining trade for about 10 years now...not sure if they're relevant anymore.
I used to work in a tool and die shop, and now for a company that makes part for landing gear. I'm not a professional machinist, but this is my take on test indicators from what I've seen over the years:
Mitutoyo (Japan) - High quality, reasonable price. My department has a .0005 and a .0001 in our toolkit for machine alignments/manual machine work, and I notice what seems like a bit of "slop" in their travel. Overall, they perform very well though.
Peacock (Japan) - High quality, a bit cheaper than Mitutoyo. The machinists at my current workplace swear by them, and that is all we buy for the shop floor now.
Starrett (USA-ish) - I've had little experience with these, but no one where I work now or in the past seems to like them. I'll leave it to the other posters to comment on.
Brown & Sharpe (USA,Swiss) - Very high quality, I think a bit higher priced than Mit. The die makers I've worked with would buy these exclusively, and I have a .0005 that is much more solid than the Mits I have at work.
Tesa (Swiss) - Another Hexagon Metrology brand like Brown & Sharpe, comparable quality to B&S but definitely less common.
Interapid (Swiss) - Hexagon Metrology's high-end indicators. Extremely high quality, and priced to match.
Compac (Swiss) - Another Hexagon brand, falls in-between B&S and Interapid in both quality and price.
Mahr-Federal (Germany) - Comparable to Mit in price and quality.
Fowler (?) - I've never met a man who admitted to preferring Fowler tools. And if it's new, good luck guessing where it was made.
If my diatribe helps anyone...
Edit: I should have mentioned, these are not the only brands out there, but the only ones whose test indicators I have had any experience with. If you are doing "rough" work and don't need any finer than a .001" indicator, most any brand should work with varying levels of longevity. SPI (I believe they're all from China now) would be worth investigating if you don't care where your tools are made. I have a 1-2" digital SPI micrometer (my only Chinese tool) which is the biggest and most awkward mic I've ever used, but it measures dead on. I'm just not into buying HF specials or no-names for inspection tools.
Mitutoyo (Japan) - High quality, reasonable price. My department has a .0005 and a .0001 in our toolkit for machine alignments/manual machine work, and I notice what seems like a bit of "slop" in their travel. Overall, they perform very well though.
Peacock (Japan) - High quality, a bit cheaper than Mitutoyo. The machinists at my current workplace swear by them, and that is all we buy for the shop floor now.
Starrett (USA-ish) - I've had little experience with these, but no one where I work now or in the past seems to like them. I'll leave it to the other posters to comment on.
Brown & Sharpe (USA,Swiss) - Very high quality, I think a bit higher priced than Mit. The die makers I've worked with would buy these exclusively, and I have a .0005 that is much more solid than the Mits I have at work.
Tesa (Swiss) - Another Hexagon Metrology brand like Brown & Sharpe, comparable quality to B&S but definitely less common.
Interapid (Swiss) - Hexagon Metrology's high-end indicators. Extremely high quality, and priced to match.
Compac (Swiss) - Another Hexagon brand, falls in-between B&S and Interapid in both quality and price.
Mahr-Federal (Germany) - Comparable to Mit in price and quality.
Fowler (?) - I've never met a man who admitted to preferring Fowler tools. And if it's new, good luck guessing where it was made.
If my diatribe helps anyone...
Edit: I should have mentioned, these are not the only brands out there, but the only ones whose test indicators I have had any experience with. If you are doing "rough" work and don't need any finer than a .001" indicator, most any brand should work with varying levels of longevity. SPI (I believe they're all from China now) would be worth investigating if you don't care where your tools are made. I have a 1-2" digital SPI micrometer (my only Chinese tool) which is the biggest and most awkward mic I've ever used, but it measures dead on. I'm just not into buying HF specials or no-names for inspection tools.
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Thanks ewe0006 I talked to a buddy of mine that's a tool and die maker and he preety much told me the same. I told him, after 35 yrs of friendship I think I should be given a indicator from him! Well you can only imagine what he told me
Thanks again guys, I still have a lot to learn but you guy will get me there.
Thanks again guys, I still have a lot to learn but you guy will get me there.Free tools? Sign me up!
I know my advice is probably more helpful for someone looking for a trade tool to use day in and day out, but I like to buy the best for the job, no matter how seldom it may be. As far as metrology, almost everything I have is of Swiss origin (inherited from my Dutch immigrant father), and frankly, those are the best tools for doing any type of accurate measurement. As much as I prefer to buy US, like the awesome variety of Channellock tools that graces my toolbox, there just doesn't seem to be anything American in production that is worth a damn in regards to measuring...
Good luck with your search, and I hope I was of some help to you! I'm new to this forum in general, but I have at least have a bit of knowledge in metrology to share.
ewe0006
I know my advice is probably more helpful for someone looking for a trade tool to use day in and day out, but I like to buy the best for the job, no matter how seldom it may be. As far as metrology, almost everything I have is of Swiss origin (inherited from my Dutch immigrant father), and frankly, those are the best tools for doing any type of accurate measurement. As much as I prefer to buy US, like the awesome variety of Channellock tools that graces my toolbox, there just doesn't seem to be anything American in production that is worth a damn in regards to measuring...
Good luck with your search, and I hope I was of some help to you! I'm new to this forum in general, but I have at least have a bit of knowledge in metrology to share.
ewe0006
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boogerboy72
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2009
- Messages
- 212
i picked up a fowler w/magnetic base for 65$ new. i know what im using it on isnt going ot matter if its .0004 off.
justanengineer
Well-known member
+1. Could not have said it better myself.
I have several brands, but the one thats by far the best is the Interrapid. If youre not a machinist, or like me-someone with a serious penchant for machines, dont bother. The community college near my alma mater where I took quite a few classes in the trades during college spent the bucks on tools and forced students to respect them.
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SticketsFTW
Banned
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2011
- Messages
- 84
In your OP you stated that made in the USA was important
Now you want to buy the cheapest chinese **** on the market?
Fowler is not the cheapest of Chinese ****; they're charging you a $10-20 premium to have the Fowler name screen-printed on the cheapest of Chinese ****. That makes it less so cheap...
