# Dial indicator purchase recommendations



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, I need 2 dial indicators, one a test indicator, and another a general purpose one.

Since I got a $2200 gift certificate on Amazon (part of tax rebate), looking there first.

https://www.amazon.com/Mitutoyo-241...=UTF8&qid=1494282865&sr=8-5&keywords=Mitutoyo










I know Mitutoyo is a good brand name, and I'm just a neophyte, so this one, with a 1" travel looks ok, although you have to make sure it's not a cheap copy, noticed several counterfeit "mitutoyo" edge finders on the site.

What do you all think?

Greg


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Ahh, maybe that one is too low in resolution... will keep looking...

For a test indicator, this looks ok:


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Maybe this one? 
0.00005 Inch Resolution











Only $840 .... yikes!

Greg


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I have never used this type of device that costs THAT much, but I have used both Analog/mechanical and Digital/electronic devices and both types can break or have weird difficulties, but I feel that the Digital/electronic types tend to break in ways that make it difficult to detect that it is out of whack.

Also, with a good eye, you can accomplish a much greater resolution with an Analog/mechanical type over a Digital/electronic.

I cannot attest to the quality of any brand, but I have always coveted Starrett! But have only been able to afford one Starrett Digital/electronic calipers, and there is just such a difference in using them over the el-cheap-o's from Harbor Freight.


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,
Can't speak directly to your wants here, I tend to use the less expensive lathe/mill equipment as it is just a hobby for me, ( but not Harbor Freight stuff) .

Have you taken a look here? http://littlemachineshop.com/ They tend to have pretty good stuff at reasonable prices.
Rick


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep will be looking everywhere, would prefer to not buy Chinese made, especially since seems to be a lot of counterfeits.

I'd appreciate opinions on the specs... for the test dial, I think the 15-0-15 with 0.03 of travel and 0.0005 resolution seems to be right for squaring and truing.

For the general purpose dial indicator, I've had a 1" travel with 0.001 resolution recommended.

For you experienced guys out there, are these specs good starting points?

Cost is somewhat of an issue, not shelling out $800, but willing to go $200 to $250 for something that will last me a long time, and from a company that can rebuild them when they break.

Greg


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,
I just happened to stumble onto your thread tonight. You would br good to go on both the Mitutoyo 1 inch travel and the test indicator. How much are they asking for these? Make sure that you can attach other points to the 1 inch model. Many varieties of shapes and purposes. I'll get a photo of the set that I have had for over 50 years. Made by starrett. I believe the thread is common to most manufacturers now. One of the points is like a "shock absorber". I'll get a photo of that one so you can see what I'm trying to describe. Also make sure the point on the test indicator is on a "ratchet" so it can be adjusted at the appropriate angle for a good reading. Most good quality test indicators will have this feature. As Semper mention, you will get closer resolution with the "mechanical" indicators than the digital. In my fifty years as a machinist, I NEVER used digital tools! Period. I have a couple of digital pics I received as gifts many years ago, but they stay in their cases as shelf queens. Same goes for calipers (any caliper is useless IMOH! Called "square nut wrenches" in my trade)) and digital height gauges and protractors!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks like both Starrett and Mitutoyo are made in China. 

Yeah, I put the digital up for fun, give me mechanical, just bought a mechanical watch myself, good to 4 seconds a day, good enough.

On the specs I put in, is that good enough in your opinion, on a dial indicator with graduations to 0.001, I assume I can read to 1/2 a thousandth. Also thinking getting the 1.5" dial over the 1" dial for visibility.

I'm also looking at buying a kit with the holders and additional tips, for sure on the test gauge, and also want the carbide tips, although that's most likely overkill for me, I'll be dead and buried before I accumulate significant wear on that ha ha!

Greg


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,

As promised.......this is a photo of my 50 year old Starrett Indicator Points Set. I added a couple of points (loose in the box) through the years or had duplicates. The "shock absorber" point is unique. Nice to use on a sinning part in a lathe. The tip at the bottom with a "pointed end" is used to indicate location on a specific part when checking a "swarfed surface" in a die cavity. . You set the point on two datum points (A & B) and set the Z zero point plane. Set your dials on the milling machine or DRO to 0,0,0. Then working from the "grid" coordinates on a blueprint, you can check your swarfed surface and make siure the ENTIRE surface falls within specs BEFORE you remove the die from the mill. The finish is done by hand "benching to get the surface within .002-.003. The die sinker only get 1/3 of the tolerance of the as forged part when it leaves the forging press. The forging house gets the FULL .009-.010!

To give you an idea of comparative sizes........the box is 3 inches square and the aluminum ring is 1-5/8 in diameter.

IMHO, I would definitely buy both of these indicators for my own use including in the trade if I were still working. If I were doing first article inspection, I would go for a better test indicator and it would be American made. 30-50 years ago, Stattet was American made in Athol, MA. Mitutoyo was made in Japan. I have quite a few really nice Starrett satin chrome finish stainless steel blades for my Starrett square heads (used to layout forging die cavities on a die block surface. Very accurate. Ends are always protected when stored in your tool box. Anywhere from 12 inch long up to 36 inch, graduated in .010 increments. 4 different scales on both sides of these blades. I still have them and I actually used them yesterday to layout parts for my little 1-1/2 inch scale Super Huskie critter. The 36 inch blade sells today for about $370 and the 24 inch for about $150. 12 inch are over $100 each. As you can see, good tools cost some serious money. Same goes for the indicators you want.

Forget the carbide tips for your points. These are for heavy industrial use. You won't be using your indicators in that kind of environment. Way overkill for you.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm a sucker for good tools, rather have one really good one, than 3 middle of the road ones.

I'll start honing in on my selection, finding out that there are significant counterfeit markets for these!

Thanks for all your advice!

Greg


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## steamermeister (Feb 20, 2013)

The thousandths indicator is for general use. The half thou and tenths (.0001) indicators are for for when extra precision is required, like when checking your lathe/mill for runout and squareness. These should only be used AFTER using a thousandths indicator to get your part mostly dialed in; .030" range is really short and these finer indicators are extremely delicate. 

I love Mitutoyo tools but you should also get a set of cheap indicators for day in day out use. Buying an expensive measuring tool is not like buying an expensive power drill. You buy the expensive drill because it'll take more abuse before it dies. You buy an expensive measuring tool because it's more accurate and repeatable. They are no more rugged than the cheap ones and are easily broken if you're not careful with them. The indicator I use most cost only $20 from Grizzly Industrial. If I think I need more resolution, I break out the Starrett "Last Word" test indicator. 

That said, if you go digital, get good ones. I have two sets of calipers and they're both digital (Mitutoyo Absolute Digimatic and Mitutoyo Mycal lite). Cheap digital calipers, indicators, etc. draw more current than Mitutoyo/Starrett ones even when they're turned off. Even worse than the lowered battery life is that they generally lack brown-out protection circuitry. As the battery gets close to dying the tool will give increasingly less accurate readings with no warning as to what is going on.


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## Tenwheeler (Mar 5, 2010)

Greg,

Speaking as a metrology technician for 31 years, you can't beat Mitutoyo for accuracy, repeatability and quality of materials. Mitutoyo is headquartered in Japan and is well known in the metrology community for their excellent quality and innovation in the science of measurement. I have never seen a Mitutoyo instrument fail to meet the stated specifications, or fail for mechanical or electrical reasons. Mitutoyo gets a ***** 5 star rating from me.

I personally own several Mitutoyo tools. A man is only as good as the tools he uses... quality in, quality out.

Jerry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, that's why I was thinking 2 units, the test indicator for squaring up my setup, won't be used every day, but when I do use it, and I'm going to be making stuff for as small as Z scale, nice to get things set up properly.

Also great to hear from someone who sees what works and what breaks.

Jerry, what is your opinion of Brown and Sharpe products?

Thanks, Greg


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

OK, for the test indicator, pretty much settled on a Mitutoyo or Brown & Sharpe, 0.03 travel, .0005 resolution unit... Found the Brown and Sharpe at $200... will check Mitutoyo pricing.

For my "regular" dial indicator, also found a Brown and Sharpe with a 2" face, .001 resolution... figured 2" face easier to read.

Looks good also


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,

Good choice on the B&S 1 inch indicator. I DO like the large 180 degree sweep dial to keep track of the .100 moves. Most are small 360 degree sweep dials like the one in your Mitutoyo 1 inch sample. The dial on THAT indicator and my generic Techlock are almost identical (for whatever that's worth ).


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks like I can get this one in a 2" dial too, for this unit, I would think 2" dial easier to use, but is the larger dial going to get in the way on a small mill like the Sherline?

Opinions?

Greg


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Looks like I can get this one in a 2" dial too, for this unit, I would think 2" dial easier to use, but is the larger dial going to get in the way on a small mill like the Sherline?
> 
> Opinions?
> 
> Greg


Most ANY of the 2 inch face indicators will "get in the way" on your Sherline . Its just a very small piece of precision machinery. I was indicating some small work on my Enco mill today and that 2 inch face dial is too big for that mill!. I have a smaller Starrett (.200 travel) with about an 1-1/2 inch face that I would have rather used. But I needed the 2 inch travel for the angles I was "trigging" out. My mill is significantly larger with a 9 X 30 inch table and even this is too small for a 2 inch face on MY mill. You will be "fighting" this situation until you get the experience with the base and the bars on your indicators and how to adjust them for different set-up situations.


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank guys. I'm enjoying this learning experience.
Makes me want to get a mill. Don't know why

I'm almost there. I already have a made in the USA Starrett 650 Dial Indicator and magnetic base, right?



Tommy
Rio Gracie


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

tmejia said:


> Thank guys. I'm enjoying this learning experience.
> Makes me want to get a mill. Don't know why
> 
> I'm almost there. I already have a made in the USA Starrett 650 Dial Indicator and magnetic base, right?
> ...


Tommy,

That's the EXACT indicator/indicators I use today. This one is my favorite. My first one is over fifty years old and my NEW one is about 30 years old.

BTW Tommy, I check my messages on my cell tonight and noticed your call. I'll call you tomorrow after my eye doctor in the morning.


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## Tenwheeler (Mar 5, 2010)

Greg - Brown & Sharpe makes quality instruments as well. Accuracy, precision and repeatability is very good.

If possible, find a vendor that will allow you to examine both a Brown & Sharpe and Mitutoyo indicator. Specifically, carefully run the spindle through 100% of the range. "Feel" how the movement responds. There should be no lateral free play through the entire range. The complete travel should feel very smooth. There should never be any resistance in travel. Should be as smooth as a mechanical watch movement... Both manufacturers make high quality equipment.


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