Wow, these measuring devices are WAY cheap.. can I trust them?

[squale]

I found this store on ebay called: Discount Machine Shop
Here is there link.. http://stores.ebay.com/Discount-Machine-Shop

There prices are unbelievably low on measuring equipment. Their stuff is just off brands but appears to be pretty decent.

For instance, look here.. a 24" Electronic Digital Dual Beam Height Gage for $200
http://cgi.ebay.com/24-600mm-ELECTRO...QQcmdZViewItem

I don't know the brand but it says it's accurate to .001" same as a Mito or Starrett.. I just can't believe these prices.. should I trust this equipment?

[ironDigit]

an output of .001"does not say anything about the tolerance of the device.

With the names you mentioned mitu and starrett you will receive a calibrated device with a detailed report of what tolerances one should wreckon with.

NO you can not : just trust these devices the same as you could with starrett.
maybe you they'll do a better job then a beat-up secondhand starrett from dbay and if you own a set of precision gages i think you could do some decent measurements with these but never like a starrett.

just my 2pence.

[squale]

well a lot of this stuff looks like Starrett stuff just rebranded.. I have heard that some of the new Starrett tools are in face made in china now... so maybe a lot of these tools are the same thing just with a differerent name and a heck of a lot lower price?

[psevin]

We work with gages from a variety of manufacturers every day and like machine tools, the general rule can usually be applied that you get what you pay for.

[ironDigit]

well you could try and convince us beyond any doubt by getting both and try....

may i notice that these "china made" but more important "low budget" tools are made to look like "china made" but even more important high quality tools for a different reason then maybe obvious.

tools designed with cost in mind just can never beat a tool designed with a goal in mind IMHO.

think of the elcheapo ratchets in the supermarket salesadvert.....WOW they look just like me top notch gedore ratchett..... i wonder why that is ...maybe it's the same quality ? !!ouch!! think again....maybe so they can trick a few more unsuspecting souls into buying one cause thats the same thing they saw being sold for a tenfold elsewhere under a brandname.May i also advantage use this occasion to welcome you to the world of marketing as well.
not saying the cheapo ratchett can't get a job done and help it's nurishing owner keeping the attic dry... i just think it will never be topnotch.


i can keep rattling all night on this subject cause it goes for all in ....life probably so i'm signing off rightaway.

good luck with whatever choice you make and sorry for not just answering YES.

[squale]

makes sense.. I was just wondering is it a better idea to buy used Starrett, Mito, B&S tools off ebay or should I get brand new "chinese" tools from a store like I posted above? being that I am only using these tools in my office where I reverse engineer and NOT on the machine shop floor, plus I only really need tolerances to +/- .002" I was thinking that maybe I would be better suited buying brand new lesser quality, cheaper tools instead of buying a name brand tool used and then wondering if it's out of calibration, etc.

[rharter52]

My opinion is to buy American whenever possible,Starrett amd B&S are the best.In this case you get what you pay for.I will not allow any Chinese garbage in my shop.

[ironDigit]

to put it like i experienced it.

i ended up replacing all my cheapo and localbargon"brandname" measuring tools with brand new mitutoyo and will advise anyone that needs a good measurement to do so rightaway saving you MONEY from throwing these in the garbagecan and hassle from finding out how crappy they actually are.

i think you should go check out some local certified tooling "wholesalers"or just look for mitutoyo dealers on their website for anything close to you and do some RFQ's.you might be pleasantly surprised ,cause i was when i finally bit the bullet.

[sbalder]

I'll preface this by saying that I am a hobby machinist. I own 2 sets of measuring tools. The first are chinese tools like the ones you are asking about. The second is a Starrett S908Z Toolmakers master set (pictured below, $800USD new). The Chinese tools are used for general work and I don't crap myself if they get knocked around a little. The Starrett come out of their case when I need to keep higher tolerances and I treat them like intensive care patients when they are in use.

Measurement tools need to match what their intended use is just as everything else in this life. You wouldn't toast your bride at your wedding with a fast food paper cup, and you would want to drink from fine crystal at a fast food restaurant.

[martinw]

Dear squale,

Resolution and accuracy are two entirely different measurement concepts.

Resolution just tells you how many digits there are on the display.

Usually, manufacturers tend to use resolution as a selling point.

If you delve deeper into the literature/website, you will discover the truth and the accuracy . The truth may well be somewhat different from the numbers on the display.

BTW, I've been caught out by the difference loads of times.

The info they post is not dishonest.. just presents their product ...errrr..."in the best light".

Best wishes,

Martin

[ImanCarrot]

A lot of things go into making a precision tool. You get what you pay for imho. Example- micrometers- is the anvil and the bit that screws down on it (can't recall its name) parallel? are the actual faces of the anvil and other bit flat? (they use a glass test plate to see newtons rings, or fringes on it). Is the screw consistent- ie if zeroed will it measure a 1" slip gague at 1", what's the actual thing made of (expansion).

As stated, resolution and accuracy are totaly different- I've seen digital calipers with 0.001mm readout- there's no way calipers are accurate to that.

[ScottC]

Seem to recall the last Starret dial indicator I bought had "made in china" stamped on the back.
Fit and finish is the big difference I find between the mitutoyos etc and the cheap chinese copies. In the case of digital equipment, the clones might use exactly the same electronics, components and even tooling out of the big chinese factories that supply "high grade" stuff to the US, but the steels and precision gound surfaces are of a lower quality.
Generally speaking, large Asian companies produce both export grades and local grades of the same product, with price, quality and materials the being the difference.