Subject: Re: Reasonably priced dial indicators?

From: [email-masked] (Al Taylor)
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 18:24:12 GMT

On 27 Mar 1997 03:03:00 GMT, [email-masked] (Doug Dawson)
wrote:

>Edward LeBlanc <[email-masked]> wrote:
>
>>Jim, you are probably looking for an indicator with .001" graduations and
>>something like 1.00" of travel.  IMHO the best are Starrett, Brown &
>>Sharpe, and Mitutoyo.  I think these are overkill for a woodworker.  I have
>>had a Teclock indicator for years that I use for general purpose stuff and
>>I find that it is good enough. 

>
>   What could go wrong with a dial indicator?, I'm wondering.  Such a
>   simple device, particularly for measuring in the small-thou range.
>   What conceivably could the US-made units give you that we don't get
>   with the Chinese stuff?  For woodworking and machine setup, it
>   didn't add up...

>   Doug Dawson
>   [email-masked]
>

Actually you would be suprised to find out just how complex a device
the simple looking dial indicator IS. My father repairs watches, you
know the old wind up kind, and it looks similar to the inside of a
watch. I had one sticking every once in a while. I thought...hell,
I'll just take it apart and clean out whatever is sticking it up.
Well, I wouldn't advise anyone to do THAT! Luckily I got it all back
together and fixed the problem which turned out to be a tiny loose
screw, but I was impressed by just how much went into measuring .001".
I keep it around to set up new jigs and to check on the fence every
once in a while (which hasn't changed from the first time I set it up)
and other things.

Like anything else, you can spend as much money as you want to but I
think 30-50 bucks will get you what you need for woodworking. That's
just my two cents.

Al

---

From: [email-masked] (Joel Shapiro)
Date: 28 Mar 1997 13:22:24 GMT

Grizzly has some in the $12-$15 range that are very good for adjusting 
WW machinery.  I have one I got for $19 a year ago the compares very 
favorably with my Starrett when checking DP runout, Miter slot to blade 
squareness, etc.

In article <[email-masked]>, 
[email-masked] says...
>
>Jim, you are probably looking for an indicator with .001" graduations 
an
>d
>Sharpe, and Mitutoyo.  I think these are overkill for a woodworker.  I 
h
>ave
>had a Teclock indicator for years that I use for general purpose stuff 
a
>nd
>I find that it is good enough.  This model indicator can be had through 
>J&L
>Industrial Supply for $32.95 cat no.TTS-20005A.  I recommend you call 
th
>em
>and get a catalog as there are many options, e.g. travel, dial color, 
0-
>100
>of 0-50-0 graduation, etc.  Phone no. is 800-525-6817.
>
>I think with some shopping you can probably beat their price, but it 
giv
>es
>you a place to start.  I think a magnetic base would also be of value 
to
>you.
>
>BTW, the Starrett, B&S, etc. indicators run from about $80 on up 
dependi
>ng
>on accuracy class, etc.
>
>Regards,
>
>Ed
>
>BigJim <[email-masked]> wrote in article
><[email-masked]>...
>> I've read so many posts here regarding misalignment, runout, etc. 
that
>I've
>> decided to add a dial indicator to my tool chest... yet I haven't 
seen
>them
>> advertised in any of my woodworking catalogs.  Can anyone recommend a
>> source and some idea of what they cost?
>> 
>> I'm the kinda guy who doesn't need a gold-plated unit, but doesn't 
wan
>t
>> cheap either.. (i.e. I paid about $50 for my dial micrometer).  What
>> suggestions can those of you who have "been there" offer me in 
selecti
>ng
>> one.  Is $50-60 a reasonable investment, or will it only buy junk?
>>

---

From: [email-masked] (Bennett Leeds)
Date: 28 Mar 1997 03:27:01 GMT

Doug Dawson writes
>    with the Chinese stuff?  For woodworking and machine setup, it

I'm no expert on this, but I can think of two things off the top of my
head:
1) Accuracy. Just because the thing has 0.001" graduations doesn't mean
   that it's accuracy is within 0.001". However, since most setups
   don't require that anywhere near the full range of the indicator is
   used, any errors are probably minimal - and considering that 0.001"
   is close to an order of magnitude more than is needed for most
   woodworking setups, I'll agree the cheap ones are fine.

   If you've got a set of accurate feeler gauges you can get a handle
   on how accurate your dial indicator is over a small range. Zero it 
   against a fence, then stick different size feelers between the tip 
   and the fence and see if the readings match the markings. Over the 
   0.000" to 0.035" range of most feeler gauge sets, you'll probably be
   fine.

2) Indicators will wear, and dust can get in the mechanism. But again,
   for woodworking they aren't an every day use item, and at this price
   they're cheap to replace when/if they do break. You can get 10 of
   the cheapies for one really good one.

- Bennett Leeds
[email-masked]

Opinions are mine alone.

---

From: [email-masked] (David Roseman)
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 1997 17:04:31 GMT

On 28 Mar 1997 13:22:24 GMT, [email-masked]

>favorably with my Starrett when checking DP runout, Miter slot to blade 

I've wondered from time to time how a Grizzly or comparably-priced
import dial indicator would stack up in accuracy against a Starrett,
even if the comparison is just anecdotal.   I've been happy with the
grizzly indicator for years, and it seems to work great.  But
ignorance may be bliss here.  Suppose I could check it with feeler
gauges.  This subject is no doubt visited from time to time in
rec.crafts.metalworking, but I've not researched it. dcr

---

From: [email-masked] (Doug Dawson)
Date: 29 Mar 1997 21:06:47 GMT

>1) Accuracy. [ tamp ]

>2) Indicators will wear, [ tamp ]

   When I got my dial indicator, it was at a local machinist supply
   shop.  I've never totally trusted all the Chinese machinery and
   so forth, and was quite prepared to purchase one of the Starrett
   units for that reason alone.  Alas, when I expressed my concerns
   at some length in a discussion with the machinist/sales people,
   about the exact things you refer to above, the general reaction
   I got was that I had to be nuts.  Allegedly, they rarely sell
   any of the premium domestic units because "the machinist community
   in Austin seems to be quite pleased with the value afforded by
   the Chinese unit" that I bought.  Take it for what you will.  I
   _still_ wish I'd gotten the Starrett, but I've had no problems
   with the unit I ended up with.  

   This might not apply to the ultra-cheap units you can get, though.
   I'm sure there's some real crap floating around.

   Probably rec.crafts.metalworking would be the best place to go
   for further information, or the archive of it.

   Doug Dawson

---

From: "J. Brent Taylor" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 08:36:49 -0500

> rec.crafts.metalworking, but I've not researched it. dcr

I checked my $10 Harbor Freight dial indicator with feeler gauges
and found no discrepency.  I would not be surprised to see error at
the full range of 1 inch.  Seems to me that the accuracy would be a 
percentage of the width measured rather than the full range.  So,
to be off by .001 when measuring .010 would be a 10% error.  Even
the cheapest are WAY better than that, so they should be fine for
measuring alignment.

Brent Taylor