From where do you guys buy your vernier calipers and dial indicators?

[mike911996]

I have been looking all over the internet and all i have found are seemingly shady third party sellers for these precision instruments.

Baum tools doesnt show them on their website although i have not called them.

Mitutoyo doesnt sell from their website.

Are there any brick and mortar type stores that sell these things so i can look at them in person before i buy?

Anyone here get them through the internet with satisfaction? From where?

Thank you

[Grady Clay]

Amazon under 'Industrial & Scientific "Mitutoyo"
Good deals on all the best stuff.

Best,
Grady

[4sd911]

Try Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Tools and Shop Supplies be ware of chinese stuff. Most Mitutoyo is made in Japan I have there 8" caliper it is made in Brazil, if in doubt ask them.

[HawgRyder]

You could also try McMaster-Carr ... they have a wide selection at reasonable prices.
I have used one from them for many years and found it to be accurate...and if I remember correctly...paid about $40 for it...even came with fresh battery and spare.
Bob

[Bob Kontak]

Harbor Freight Tools have the Chinese (low cost / ?? quality) versions of precision instruments in their stores.

[Jesse16]

Tru industrial quality tools are definitely more expensive but you can pass them to your grandkids.
Travers Tool, MSC Tool both have brick and morter buildings in city's with decent amount of industrial customers. Mine in Greenville, SC has a walk-up counter. Most everything in their catalog is in stock. McMaster is always reliable and even Sears has alot of decent stuff these days.
Starett in my mind is the most expensive old school American brand if you really want to step up. Have to buy mail order I think. Add in Fowler and Mitutoyo and those are mostly whats in every toolroom I've ever been in.

[cgarr]

Both MSC and Production Tool Supply www.pts-tools.com are both good..

[hcoles]

comment, get digital helps avoid mistakes and easily does metric to English conversions/etc.

[mpetry]

I've bought several off ebay with no problem. I got a Starret dial caliper - metric - out of the UK for $60, new.

The Starrett is wonderful but their digital caliper is made by Mitutoyo. Don't buy the el cheapo stuff, just spend the extra $30 bucks, it will last forever.

[RWebb]

yes, any small city will have a tool house where the machinists go to buy things they need -- selection may be limited in terms of things to look at

but why do you need to look at physical examples?

[aadrew10]

Mitutoyo all the way. Take good care of it.

[Joeaksa]

Bought a Brown & Sharpe dial caliper about 35 years ago at a yard sale where a machinist was retiring. Cost $20 then.

Still have them and they have worked perfect the entire time.

Buy quality ONE time and keep it for life. Its cheaper that way.

EDIT, here is one on Ebay and starting bid is $20. Even has the factory case.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brown-Sharpe-Dial-Caliper-model-578-stainless-/150611797509?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231129a605

[r_towle]

Quality Precision Innovation... since 1880 - The L.S. Starrett Company

[ivangene]

TRAVERS TOOL

I am a machinist with 25 years of shop time and 15 years of R&D
I dont care for Starrett, they dont feel very smooth to me... Brown & Sharpe has always treated me well. Best feel, great value, made in either Switzerland or Germany....

nuff said

Travers has good prices, and offers the cheap stuff too.. their online catalog sucks...but the books are good.

599-579-5

[304065]

I have been treated very well by Long Island Indicator Service. They sell everything and service as well (at least the repairable swiss or German stuff, not the inexpensive Chinese).

027 : Long Island Indicator Service : Sales, Repairs and Spare Parts

Here is my old thread on the subject, I hope it is helpful to you.

Measurement, Instruments and Metrology

[kwikt 911]

Try Granger Industrial Supply.

[ivangene]

RE: digital calipers....

this year I got the B&S "shop cal" shich is digital and being able to "zero" on the fly helps sometimes... I am finding it useful..also switching mellemetrics to inchusas is easy

[Bob Kontak]

I would consider joeaska's suggestion and look at ebay. Given there are far fewer machinist jobs in the US than there were 20 years ago, there are quality tools-a-plenty to be had for cheap.

[Ken911]

starrett measuring devices are by far the best around and have been for many years. My grand father was a gunsmith and machinist since before WW-2 and always used them. I currently work in the nuclear industry all the precision measuring instruments are made by starrett.

[dw1]

Loyalty is a good thing, esp. to a US manufacturer, but Starrett has been playing "catch up" to Mitutoyo for years.

McMaster-Carr, Grainger, and MSC are all good suggestions.

You can also contact Mitutoyo, Starrett, Fowler, or others via their web sites to find the local (to you) distributors. Many independent "factory supply" type places are also a good bet.

You don't say where you are located, but in NJ, my favorites are Wilcox Slidders Inc. and Willrich Precision. Burns Factory Supply are good guys also.

Be VERY careful buying precision measuring equipment from eBay. Calibration of the gages is extremely important, and used micrometers, calipers, indicators may not be calibrated or be in the best of shape.

Think about just how important differences of less than the thickness of a piece of paper (0.003 to 0.004 inches) may be. Too many people never check their equipment calibration - using either NIST-traceable measurement standards, or by sending them to a calibration service periodically.

Btw, Dad was a machinist (USN & merchant marine), and I was a machinist in the aerospace industry (incl. working for a maker of gyroscopes) before moving into the medical device industry. I also have worked as a Metrology Engineer, so I know a little bit about this.