Magnetic Dial Indicator Bases

[anythingyoucanimagine]

I've never owned one. I'm a weekend warrior by trade. Is Starrett still the brand? I'm fine with buy once, cry once. Don't need something that can take daily abuse but I'd like to pass it on to my kids someday. What is the good "go-to" these days? Thanks.

 

[superduty1]

Harbor freight. You can pass it on to your kids as a paper weight. Seriously, for occasional use and you don't need the best or near perfect precision, my HF one does the trick.

Starrett if you got the funds and want high quality.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[larry_g]

Noga seems to be the top of the pile currently.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Htscheg]

+1 on Starrett and Noga!!! Both great products!!!

 

[gtr1999]

I use mag bases a lot rebuilding differentials. Get a good one now. I had the cheap chinese bases and indicators and Starrett. I store the chinese ones in the trash can, where they belong. My push button Starrett base and 1" indicator are the best. Never had an issue with them, where as I found the Chinese indicator stuck from weak springs and the mag bases were not as tight. Look on ebay there are plenty of Starretts.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I purchased a noga based on input here. I mainly use it for checking run out on rotors, attached to a rack or section of the suspension.

 

[Dave455]

I’d probably vote Eclipse in the first instance, they specialise in magnetic stuff so very much their thing. I’ve got two, both superb, but appreciate they are a British firm, so not sure what the availability is like in the U.S. Starrett would be, in fact are, very similar.

Don’t think you don’t need a decent one if you are a ‘weekend warrior’. The decent ones are just so much nicer to use. But... another vote here for buying used. I have two magnetic bases, a magnetic V block and a magnetic chuck, all bought used without any issues, and at a huge saving!

Alternatively, I might be tempted to check the MSC specials. Here in the U.K. decent bases turn up on offer quite often!

 

[SteveW1000]

From the old world Eclipse. Not sure what there current production is like but they were up with Starrett. Concentrated on blades including hacksaw blades and magnets from magnetic machine chucks to pot magnets including magnetic bases. I've four of different styles around the place.

 

[measuredtwice]

Check your local university surplus store. You can sometimes get really nice ones for a couple of bucks.

 

[Strouty]

Another vote for NOGA, I would not hesitate to buy used, unless it looks like it was put through the wringer.

 

[DFB]

Harbor freight. You can pass it on to your kids as a paper weight. Seriously, for occasional use and you don't need the best or near perfect precision, my HF one does the trick.

Starrett if you got the funds and want high quality.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

I have the HF one also

 

[MattT]

I mainly use it for checking run out on rotors, attached to a rack or section of the suspension.

For rotors I prefer a vise grip indicator holder. Not always easy to find something a mag base can get a good hold on. Especially for a DIYer who probably doesn't have a rack.

 

[KBigg]

Another vote for Noga, but if you find a good deal on a Starrett second hand then I wouldn't hesitate.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Noga, I even prefer Chinese over Starrett .I like a switch over a push button.

 

[zmotorsports]

+1 on Starrett and Noga!!! Both great products!!!

Another vote for either of these as well. These are my two go-to indicators/bases.

 

[Buckaroo5]

For rotors I prefer a vise grip indicator holder. Not always easy to find something a mag base can get a good hold on. Especially for a DIYer who probably doesn't have a rack.

Agree with MattT - more & more suspension parts are aluminum necessitating the use of vise grip holder.

Buckaroo

 

[jsteih]

NOGA! The best I've used for my 22 year career. Mitutoyo dial indicators, Interapid test indicators.

 

[davethorik]

With an OP that vaguely written, gonna guess HF is all you need.

If you don't even tell us what you're going to use it for, I'm gonna suggest HF. Because professional weekend warrior literally tells us nothing. Car repair? Millwright? Machinist?

If you were a millwright or machinist, you wouldn't be asking this question here. Again, HF.

 

[larry_g]

There is one Starrett to avoid though. That is the one with the segmented arm made up of 20 or so segments. These are prone to failure.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[jseymour]

My favourite local tool store doesn't currently stock magnetic dial indicator bases, so I headed to the HF up the road a ways. *shrug* Seems solid enough. Base "clamps" plenty solidly. The bits and pieces that secure this-to-that work smoothly and positively.

As I noted in my very first post, here, in the HF pass/fail thread: I generally opt for higher-end tools. But I'm really at a loss to see just how much better something so simple could be.

 

[bob15]

Starrett isn't bad price-wise if you have a bit of patience and watch e-bay.

 

[dwilliams35]

Noga, Hands down. I do purchasing in a pretty good sized machine shop, probably get fifty of them a year for people. Nothing else comes close.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Get a Noga! I have several different indicator stands and the Noga is the best hands down.

 

[gearhead1]

I use the cheapies, good enough for the mill, lathe, and setting up car differentials. If you want a better quality then get used on eBay (Starrett, Brown & Sharpe, Mitutoyo) - the same for high end hand tools. I can get a used Snap-on ratchet on eBay for almost what I can get a new cheapie for. Depends on what you want.

 

[Joebass]

I own a metal fab and machine shop. I've had Starrett,Mitutoyo, and Brown & Sharpe. I now own 3 Nogas. Best there is. Keep watching Travers Tool or KBC Tool for a sale.

 

[rmack898]

Noga or nothing

 

[darkzero]

Most of mine are Noga & I'm happy with them. Have a few of the Starrett push button mag bases also but don't use them for holding indicators.

If you really want to spend money on a good indicator holder, get a swiss made Mptec or Fisso.

 

[dr_clyde]

Noga or bust. The mechanism is hands down better than only one else’s, and it’s not like it’s a very expensive tool.

I have 3 or 4 and wouldn’t mind a couple more. They’re that good.

 

[Steve_P]

I haven't used noga but I have two 20 yr old Mitutoyo's (Brazil) and a HF or Enco Chinese generic almost as old. The generic one is garbage. Get something decent. I'm not sure why there isn't a good generic on these yet. Or at least I haven't read about one