Anyone looking to buy snap gauges should buy Starrett. I've has a set for about a year and they are way smoother and give more consistent readings than most other.. It's not hard to get +- 0.0001 on the reading with a good mike. New Starrett snap gauges are pricey. The ones I bough I got off ebay. The guy selling posted good pics to the point where I could see that they looked new.

The Brown and Sharps I bought a few years ago (Pre-covid) were crap.. The action is rough and inconstant. The bigger anvil on the 1/2-3/4 are too big and makes it hard to get a good reading as the gauge is essentially using 3 points..

The Korean Skoals that I bought before were better than the B&S.

The Starrett small hole gages are also very good.. Bough those used off ebay.

 

I had the Starrett bore gauges for years ... Excellent quality ... Unfortunately I had the Central gauge set first

 

My first micrometer was a 0 - 4 inch central with interchangeable anvils. Inside measurement was a 1.5 to 6 central micrometer. Got them from the Snap-on guy.. What was interesting was the mike had little windows in the spindle that gave you the number to read in 0.005 and marks for 0.001.

Second set of inch was 0 to 6 Mitutoyo miks and snap gauges. They were way better than Central. Unfortunately my second wife got those..

 

I use those every day at work. Starrett and Mitutoyo are the only tools I trust with my name, and my paycheck. A lot of what I work with requires precision down to +/- 0.0003….

 

Yes, sir. Same here.

 

My father in law was a machinist for a titanium manufacturer. He has a full set of Starrett tools in a nice wooden box. I'm sure they will be mine one day. Wish I had the skill set to use them properly.

Zach

 

Proficiency comes with patience, practice and perseverance

 

I agree. For practice, measure a known dimension. You will get to the point where you will consistently get the same correct reading.

 

I don't even know what these are or how to use them, yet strangely they call to me.

 

I've got a Herter's micrometer that belonged to my dad. It may even be pre-WW2 as it's marked "Germany" and not "West Germany."

John