Bicycle Mechanics - In search of...digital micrometers

Can any direct me to where I might purchase a set.


Thanks

I am not a huge fan of cheap tools (for all the usual reasons), and so I do not generally recommend Harbor Frieght, but they do sell a cheap digital micrometer that is good enough for bike work.

jim

Can any direct me to where I might purchase a set.


Thanks

Not really an answer to your question, but a cheapo metal vernier caliper reads very accurately down to .1mm, which is overkill for any measuring task that I know of on a bike.

McMaster-Carr if you want real measuring tools though rather than cheap stuff.. http://www.mcmaster.com/

J&L Industrial has some inexpensive stuff, too. But if there's a Harbor Freight close to you, you're not going to beat their price.

OK, if you want to get a very high quality digital caliper or digital micrometer as a decent price, then Mitutoyo all the way. I mean, ok, it's still quite expensive, but the engineering guys that I used to work with all recommended this to me when I was in the search. I used to have the vernier calipers (non-digital) and you would have to line up the lines that match on the scale to figure out what number you had. Big pain in the butt when you just want to measure some things quickly. No muss, no fuss.

Really hard to beat this one for 20 bucks.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47257

I've had mine for 2 years. It comes with one battery installed and a spare. Each battery lasted a year...I just bought 3 more today. I use mine for electric RC airplane work, measuring motor shafts, push rod wire sizes, tiny drill bit sizes, etc. Well built, reliable. Mine was on sale for $14.

Eric

How do you line up the marks on a vernier to find out what the reading is? I inherited mine - and have never managed to figure it out - sadly my Dad didn't get to show me before he passed away.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernier_scale


How do you line up the marks on a vernier to find out what the reading is? I inherited mine - and have never managed to figure it out - sadly my Dad didn't get to show me before he passed away.

I snagged mine at home depot for like 35 bucks, it does the job.

Really hard to beat this one for 20 bucks.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47257

I've had mine for 2 years. It comes with one battery installed and a spare. Each battery lasted a year...I just bought 3 more today. I use mine for electric RC airplane work, measuring motor shafts, push rod wire sizes, tiny drill bit sizes, etc. Well built, reliable. Mine was on sale for $14.

Eric

I have the same one I think. Bought it off of ebay for around $20. Works great.

IS the OP looking for a caliper or micrometer?
Caliper is more useful for general bike work.

These will be more than good enough for anything you need to do at home. If you were doing something that requires more precision than these then a) you are in the wrong forum and b) you wouldn't have to ask.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=895

That's brilliant! Thanks Whatsisname, very much appreciated - why didn't I think of searching the web? - Must be my age!!!

get a mastercraft digital.

guaranteed for life!

while digitals are nice. mine blows through the button batteries it requires (it turns itself on from the slightest bump) therefore i usually use my dial caliper, unfortunately its standard, so i make good use of the google unit converter

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2306

I got one that looks like the dealextreme one above, but at menards for $20.

REAL MEN go blind reading vernier micrometers and calipers.
alf

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2306

These are the same as the Harbor Freight ones. Highly recommended. I'm an engineer and have a box full of expensive measuring tools, but the HF jobbys are my day to day measuring tool. Goes through batteries pretty quick but does the job perfectly.

REAL MEN go blind reading vernier micrometers and calipers.
alf

Amen brother.:)

REAL MEN go blind reading vernier micrometers and calipers.
alf

And use a slide rule to convert inches to mm! (yes I do.)