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Posted

Loads of these on eBay - but  wonder whether anyone has any recommendations. For the watch sizes we're used to, accuracy is all important.

Posted (edited)

I tend to use Mitutoyo, they are excellent..........but I bought a cheap Chinese one and in all honesty it works just fine. Whatever you make sure you get a metal one and not a cheap plastic one.

The cheap one was the same as this one:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150mm-ELECTRONIC-DIGITAL-CALIPERS-VERNIER-WITH-LCD-INC-HARD-CASE-/290679682771?pt=UK_Measuring_Tools_Levels&hash=item43addbf6d3

Edited by Geo
Posted

ooops! I got the cheapo! In any case, I haven't had any issues with it either, but the all metal one will be my goal if Bergeon -- which keeps coming out with more and more different tools -- allows it!

Posted

I also have a cheapo but I have to keep stock on LR44's (357) as the thing seems to eat through those batteries.

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Posted

FWIW, I've got a Mitutoyo true vernier scale caliper (metric and imperial), an import dial vernier caliper and a Brown and Sharpe 1 inch micrometer with carbide faces all of which I use in the machine shop that range in price from $20 - $30 CDN although the micrometer was not bought new but second hand.

 

I find the imports are fine too for the most part but have heard if you buy a digital caliper to keep an eye on the batteries as they tend to leak and ruin the internals.

 

Starrett is the ultimate in some machine shop circles but very, very pricey.

 

Rossco

Posted

I have a digital Mitutoyo, and a conventional Moore and Wright. I have had them for 26 and 29 years respectively and have never had an issue with accuracy or battery usage. I have changed the battery in the Mitutoyo 10 times over the years and it does a fair amount of work.  As for micrometers I user Moore and Wright. as with the conventional vainer callipers I have had my micrometers for 29 years and again never had a problem with accuracy. 

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Posted

At the beginning of the month I bought a JKA FEINTASTER comparator in as new condition. For this horology lark it really is the business. I have a couple of jeweling jobs to do and having watched Mark's video, I thought it was the way to go.

post-124-0-38865000-1406208407_thumb.jpg

  • Like 1
Posted

At the beginning of the month I bought a JKA FEINTASTER comparator in as new condition. For this horology lark it really is the business. I have a couple of jeweling jobs to do and having watched Mark's video, I thought it was the way to go.

 

I would love one of these, but the budget and wife, won't allow it.

So I bought a reasonable quality 0.001mm micrometer and formed a small piece of aluminium around the shaft, which will also slide to allow normal use of the tool.

It is excellent for Jewels as they sit flat on the arc of the sleeve.

 

post-227-0-85804800-1406712198_thumb.jpg

 

post-227-0-41349800-1406712231_thumb.jpg

  • Like 2
Posted

I bought a reasonable quality 0.001mm micrometer and formed a small piece of aluminium around the shaft, which will also slide to allow normal use of the tool.

It is excellent for Jewels as they sit flat on the arc of the sleeve.

 

What a delightfully simple yet effective solution to a fiddly problem. I like it!

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I use a cheapo Chinese vernier which I tend to use a lot and is great for most measurements. However I have a Mitutoyo micrometer for more the accurate readings. However I wish I had a Comparator as the micrometer can be real fiddly when measuring jewels etc.

Posted

I use a cheapo Chinese vernier which I tend to use a lot and is great for most measurements. However I have a Mitutoyo micrometer for more the accurate readings. However I wish I had a Comparator as the micrometer can be real fiddly when measuring jewels etc.

 

 

 I bought a reasonable quality 0.001mm micrometer and formed a small piece of aluminium around the shaft, which will also slide to allow normal use of the tool.

It is excellent for Jewels as they sit flat on the arc of the sleeve.

 

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Posted 30 July 2014 - 10:24 AM

Posted

At the beginning of the month I bought a JKA FEINTASTER comparator in as new condition. For this horology lark it really is the business. I have a couple of jeweling jobs to do and having watched Mark's video, I thought it was the way to go.

Good choice. I purchased mine from a seller in Germany on the eBay.de website - it cost significantly less than buying it here in the uk. Think it cost me about £100 all in with postage which is a bargain but I had to do a little work on it to make it perfect. And the wooden box is prone to splitting but a bit of PVA sorted that out.

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Posted

I purchased mine from Germany too. Luckily it was as new with instructions and ready to go, I did pay a bit more £170, but it was still a good buy. :-)

Posted

Being of a careful nature and wanting the best bang for my buck I bought a Chinese one off the Bay,  I'm no toolmaker but it works fine for me.  I would say the one from Lidl would be just the job.

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