possible problem with starret dial indicator

[nathan_454]

as some of you may have seen, I picked up this starrett dial indicator at a garage sale today. upon closer inspection it seems the small dials are reading incorrectly? am I seeing this correctly?

shouldn't everything be 0 when in the static position?

 

[franzdom]

No, they generally are below zero at static, so they are working well when they get to zero.

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

Most of them are engineered like that so you'll have "X" amount of travel in both directions from zero.

My Mitutoyos all have something like .050 below zero static.

 

[nathan_454]

OK makes sense to me! thanks guys.

the next question is where to get a base that's stout enough to hold this big fella in place!

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

My favorite base is a Fowler - they make good stuff at a decent price.

 

[Watchwatch]

http://www.noga.com/nogaProducts.php?catID=afab

Enco carries those indicator bases. They are far any away the best bases. I can't believe I spent so many years using ****** bases. They are pricey but worth every damn penny. ~$100

 

[finley31]

http://www.noga.com/nogaProducts.php?catID=afab

Enco carries those indicator bases. They are far any away the best bases. I can't believe I spent so many years using ****** bases. They are pricey but worth every damn penny. ~$100

I will second this reccomendation. I have a noga at work and it is by far my favorite base.

 

[Jim Johnstone]

The Noga's are my faves, I don't own one but have used them. I use a Mitutoyo and a chinese mag base. They both work fine.

 

[Linh]

Love my noga. Also if you get one get one with the fine adjustment knob!

 

[senlow]

Noga

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I guess we should have also asked what you plan on doing with it (what type of work). Some bases are more suited to certain tasks/environments than others. I've got a dozen different bases for different jobs, so it is hard to really say for certain. My biggest and baddest base is absolutely useless for all but the biggest alignments, since it is big enough to get in the way of the second indicator.

 

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

OK makes sense to me! thanks guys.

the next question is where to get a base that's stout enough to hold this big fella in place!

How do you plan on using this indicator? Three inches is a lot of travel, and as you know, these aren't very small indicators. I have 2 small Noga's and their largest also. For my 2" or 3" I only use my largest Noga base. I sometimes will use a Mighty Mag if it will do what I need.