Recomend me a good micrometer

[Renegade_56]

Did you guys ever see the price on vernier calipers? Last time I checked 10 yrs ago the starrett dial calipers were 150 or so but the verniers were maybe triple the price. I never understood that. They are fun to read

Actually the verniers are more accurate than Dials. It is in fact, a fact.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Actually the verniers are more accurate than Dials. It is in fact, a fact.

Yes totally agree. But from a manufacturing standpoint it "seems" they would be cheaper to manufacture. Thus begs the question why are they more expensive?

 

[RBC]

Actually the verniers are more accurate than Dials. It is in fact, a fact.

I completely agree. That is true.

But, I still use a dial caliper. I am far less prone to miss-read them than a venier caliper, and I can read them much quicker.

I, for one, don't understand why a milling machine DRO is always 5 decimal places! I always find myself trying to tweak out that last .0001"! It's Crazy!

I don't like to use a caliper for an internal measurement though. Holes are tough to get a real number on. We use plug gages as a Go/ No Go device.


Royce

 

[Brickcues]

I don't like to use a caliper for an internal measurement though. Holes are tough to get a real number on. We use plug gages as a Go/ No Go device.


Royce

The trick to measuring holes with calipers is to do it while it is spinning in lathe. Been doing this for years and it is very accurate. If you try to measure when stopped it is hard to get calipers into the hole right and the measurement is off.

 

[Renegade_56]

The trick to measuring holes with calipers is to do it while it is spinning in lathe. Been doing this for years and it is very accurate. If you try to measure when stopped it is hard to get calipers into the hole right and the measurement is off.

I do hope you are kidding,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Joe Barringer]

I, for one, don't understand why a milling machine DRO is always 5 decimal places! I always find myself trying to tweak out that last .0001"! It's Crazy!

Royce

Nice to know I'm not alone! No truer words were ever spoken.

 

[RBC]

The trick to measuring holes with calipers is to do it while it is spinning in lathe. Been doing this for years and it is very accurate. If you try to measure when stopped it is hard to get calipers into the hole right and the measurement is off.

Well, I can't say as I've tried that one.

Keep in mind that I'm teaching others to do the work and that sounds like a very specialized method. One that I'm not sure I would feel comfortable teaching someone else who doesn't have the years of measuring experience that I do.

I will say this though. The plug gauges are absolutely the best thing I've done when it comes to making these kinds of parts to fit. I was aware of them but had not tried them out when Jim Babcock recommended that I give them a try. They work very well.

I think, often, we get stuck on trying to hit an exact single dimension, like .382". But, in reality, there's a range of size that will not only work, but is actually ideal. Too small and you don't give the epoxy enough room for strength, and too big and you lose bonding strength as well as proper location.

For example. We've recently started to use the modified thread 3/8-10 joint pins with an alignment barrel. I buy them from Tommy Migliore. They have a barrel diameter of .381". Logic will tell you that you can't fit a .381" steel pin into a .381" hole. So, what is the correct size for the hole? By using a pair of plug gauges, you create the limits or boundaries. Obviously, you want one pin that will fit in the hole, and one that won't fit. For our joint pins, we use a .382" gauge for the "go", and something like a .385" for the "no go". So, while machining the holes for the joint pins, the technician is constantly measuring with these pins. Obviously, if the hole gets too small, the small one won't fit, and if it gets too big, the large one will fit. Either one requires an adjustment to be done. Most people think that, with our CNC equipment, we can just set it and forget it. But, especially when dealing with wood, the numbers will move around a little. In order to hold the right dimensions, you just have to keep checking. We use all carbide tooling, but still deal with tool wear on a regular basis. Especially when machining phenolic.

Royce

 

[RBC]

Nice to know I'm not alone! No truer words were ever spoken.

I don't have any DRO's in the shop right now that aren't part of a CNC control, but when I do, I always want to tape over the last 2 digits!

Imaging having a tolerance of .002", and spending time trying to get that last .00001" just right! That's fussing over 1/20th of your entire tolerance!


Nuts!


Royce

 

[DaveK]

Ok, I'm confused.
The OP asked about MICROMETER'S and most post are about
CALIPERS.

I always hope that folks say what they mean and mean what they say. Precision is a good. I hope this is simply a language issue as the OP is from Norway iirc.

Kim, did you mean to say caliper ?

Dave

 

[Kim Bye]

I always hope that folks say what they mean and mean what they say. Precision is a good. I hope this is simply a language issue as the OP is from Norway iirc.

Kim, did you mean to say caliper ?

Dave

No. I`ve got two quality digital calipers.
I`ve got a cheap China digital micrometer, but I`m looking for a nice quality micrometer for checking ferrules and such.
Starrett seems a bit pricey, I`m leaning towards a Mitutoyo unit.

 

[Brickcues]

I do hope you are kidding,,,,,,,,,,,,

Not kidding, have been doing for almost 20 years, was taught by tool and die maker. I was at first wondering if I would get hit in the face by the calipers but have never had it happen. The part about it spinning makes the calipers go to the center so you get accurate reading.

 

[Renegade_56]

Not kidding, have been doing for almost 20 years, was taught by tool and die maker. I was at first wondering if I would get hit in the face by the calipers but have never had it happen. The part about it spinning makes the calipers go to the center so you get accurate reading.

I'm very sorry to hear this, and I'm extremely glad you have been lucky so far but please stop. It is not, can not, be accurate and its only a matter of time till you get hurt. That toolmaker was just flat out wrong.

 

[Brickcues]

I'm very sorry to hear this, and I'm extremely glad you have been lucky so far but please stop. It is not, can not, be accurate and its only a matter of time till you get hurt. That toolmaker was just flat out wrong.

Sorry you feel this way but it is very accurate. As I said I have been doing for 20 years with no problems and I am sure I am not the only one that does this with no problems. Don't knock it till you have tried it.

I'll bet you are one of those guys that uses a cutter to cut tips down instead of a razor blade. Been doing that for 20 years also with no problem. Still have all my fingers. I guess I have been lucky with that also.

I have been making cues for 20 years and you?

 

[iusedtoberich]

No. I`ve got two quality digital calipers.

I`ve got a cheap China digital micrometer, but I`m looking for a nice quality micrometer for checking ferrules and such.

Starrett seems a bit pricey, I`m leaning towards a Mitutoyo unit.

Thanks for clarifying. Sorry we assumed you were using the wrong name.

I don't have mine in front of me but a few points that are personal preferences, you almost have to hold the mics in your hand and use them...

Friction vs ratchet vs solid spindle clutch. Some units you can switch between 2 of the 3 choices. And some brands you can order them the way you want.

I personally like the clutch locked out and I use my feel. I've found some of the friction clutches to be too loose for my tastes. I have a 0-3 mitutoyo set (their low line with the black frame) and feel the clutch is too loose.

I also have the mitutoyo higher line 0-1 (the entire frame is polished instead of black) and the low line starrett 0-6 ratchet set. I like both of these.

Also have a starrett "digit" mic. This is the mechanical one that had rotating digits to be direct reading. I don't like this one because it's sometimes hard to tell if the last digit clicked over or not.

You also have to choose vernier scale or not. If you get the vernier scale you can read tenths. Even if you don't however, you can estimate pretty well tenths if you wanted to.

I've also used the mitutoyo electronic one with a blue frame. That is nice but I personally thought the frame was bigger than it needed to be and made one handed operation clumsier to me.

Another consideration is the spindle lock being a wheel or lever or something else. Sometimes one is easier than the other to use one handed. This can come into play if you are measuring something where you can't see the mic reading until you move the mic.

Again, most of these are personal choices and without the mic in your hand it's hard to know what you'd prefer.

 

[Renegade_56]

Sorry you feel this way but it is very accurate. As I said I have been doing for 20 years with no problems and I am sure I am not the only one that does this with no problems. Don't knock it till you have tried it.

I'll bet you are one of those guys that uses a cutter to cut tips down instead of a razor blade. Been doing that for 20 years also with no problem. Still have all my fingers. I guess I have been lucky with that also.

I have been making cues for 20 years and you?

Nah, haven't been making cues for 20 years, been making jet fighter and helicopter parts for about 40 though,,,,,,,,,, you really wanna compare resumes on machining? I'm just saying your practices are dangerous and cannot be accurate. Most here would agree. If it's accurate enough for your cues then so be it.

And yes, I cut tips with a turning tool, as razor blades in hand don't really mix well with moving parts,,,,,,,,, maybe you should heed the advice I gave in post 13, it will save you money and teach safety. There are some amazing cuemakers here, but I doubt there are more than a handful who could make a career out of machining. I know where I work if you attempt to measure spinning parts you'll be fired by lunch time.

 

[conetip]

I have seen people mic stock while still turning using castor oil on the surface being measured and mic anvils. I have seen people use callipers on bores while still running, also seen people put their fingers onto grinding wheels feeling for irregularities etc. For touching grinding wheels external or internal, very dry fingers is a must.
Me I am a chicken and measure stuff when not moving. I like my gear to last longer and reducing risks appeals to me.
There are lots of things that people do in various industries. One thing that is sure, eventually a mistake or some miss timing will happen and they get injured.
Neil

 

[LGSM3]

hell, all calipers are already relief cut so why not just use em to open up the hole a bit! Maybe start by drilling .375 hole with an 8" long hss bit then just stick your caliper in and spread till it reads 382. Cue making 101

 

[Tommy-D]

Import tools are getting better ALL the time. A good mic is cheaper than it has ever been.

If I was gonna buy one these days,I MIGHT bite and get an import.

If you want to get a nice one,the one I recommend is a Starrett #436.

That one is a vernier model so it reads to .0001,and no battery to go bad when you need it most. I got 2 of them from my late grandfather,plus a few others,but this is the same model you see Bob Dzuricky using in a couple of his videos.

One of the kids I went to shop school with had some tools donated to him,but they came up for sale when he got in some trouble over dumb shit.

One of the gems I bought from him is a 0-25mm metric vernier model,reading to .001MM.

Since it was mentioned here,I was taught the trick Alex mentioned about using calipers to measure the ID of a hole,but only did it once. My instructor showed us other methods,but included that one too.

The part Alex didn't mention was not doing this at speed. Some lathes have a "jog" function on the headstock,which will turn the spindle at about 20 RPM.

With the amount of torque present in a full-sized lathe,I never felt comfortable trying it there. I've done it a couple times on my Enco and Cuesmith lathes,but if I need to measure a hole accurately,I use one of 2 methods.

I have a box of ground gage pins,but not exactly a full set. I use these if I have one in the right range.

If not,I use small hole or telescoping gages and a vernier mike. Tommy D.

 

[Kim Bye]

Thanks guys I went for a starrett #436 like Joe and Tommy recommended.

 

[Renegade_56]

Import tools are getting better ALL the time. A good mic is cheaper than it has ever been.

If I was gonna buy one these days,I MIGHT bite and get an import.

Tommy D.

I agree some of the import stuff is better now,,,, I bought my precision tools in the mid 70's when I was an apprentice and back then there were no imports and discount catalogs. You bought the same tools the factories used, which were name brands like Starret and B&S, and you bought 1 or 2 at the time through payroll deduction over time until you accumulated what you needed.