probe, tool setting

[bobcor]

I have bought several cheap non feedback, just red light probes and wonder
if anyone can has used a good one. The first one I bought didn't have any movement in it and bent. The second has a ball end on a cable and also bent
in what I consider normal use. I would like to buy a tool setter and would appreciate if someone could recomend a make and model.Dido for the probe.

Thanks

[Ken_Shea]

This unit came highly recommended to me, I purchased one and could not be more satisfied. I still like the reliability of the good ole dial gauges you can easily detect .0001 movements.

Mitutoyo 950-111-1.00
Zero Setter

About $275

[greggv]

J&L Industrial supply sells a dial indicator type also, but it's only about a hundred bucks. I've got one, use it regularly, and like it.

[miljnor]

I have a cheap red light one that uses conductivity to turn the light on. its about 79.00 to 89.00. Enco has them. depending on what your doing, they work well and even can handle accedintal falls into coolant...

they are very simple and thus very durable. I use it in a production environment and it is consistantly within .0002" accuracy.

the dial indicator ones are far and away nicer and more accurate but when you have a production shop and not neccessarily the most concientious worker you will be looking for the most durable piece of equipement.

[DareBee]

miljnor, I believe that you are speaking of the same thing that bobcor asked about. I also have done EXACTLY the same thing as bobcor, I think I went through 3 different "lighted" edge finders before I gave up and went back to the "ol'faithfull" Starrett edge finder.
That Mitutoyo depth setter looks great, I have also seen "laser micrometers" used for depth setting and they can be integrated to read the offset directly to the control.

[bobcor]

I should have said edge finders. I need a new one of them worth having and a tool
setter the mititoyo looks good, I am going to order one. Just need model number on edge finder. I am presently using feeler gages as I was weary of buying junk and did
not want to spend money on more, thanks for the help, much appreciated thank you.

[miljnor]

I haven't tried the edge finders of the same persuasion. ( maybe I should read the post beter! )

Just saw the picture of Height preseter (which is what i was talk about) And if your having problems with these you must have bad luck.. because I have 4 of them and they all work to the same tolerance about .0002-.0003". And with the exception of a drill being driven into one of them. not one has broken. (and that one I was able to repair!)

[miljnor]

If money isn't an issue the laser is what I would go with is the lasers(like darebee mentioned). A friend of mine has one and its AWSOME! but mine is a production shop and and expensive goody like that would probably get broken in no time.

[psychomill]

I have a Mitutoyo edge finder and a Lyndex tool setter that I've been using for years. Never had a problem with either. With the exception of when I have poor conductivity between the part and the spindle. Of course I still have a handful of Starret edgefinders ( a couple of wigglers too!) that I probably use more than the 'fancy' one. They're cheap and I think nothing of having to replace them.

Laser setters are nice but they take up table space so watch that. Then again, the shop I'm at now has a probe in most of the machines, tool setters in some, and we have several external presetters so we don't set many tools at the machine unless you're doing some 'quickie'.

[DareBee]

My favorite edge finder is Starrett Cat# 827A - EDP#53062.
I usually pay about $35ea (CDN) for them. My guys have bought a lot of different ones over the years and always end up throwing them away and ordering the Starrett.