These digital mics....comments please :)

[saltmine]

I have all different kinds of mics. Vernier, dial, mechanical/digital, and electronic. I think my favorite is my Mitutoyo electronic caliper. It's been amazingly accurate, quick to read, and durable. When I was a mechanic I used to set up a lot of rear differential gears, and they all had shims that had to be measured and stacked to give the correct preload on the bearings. The caliper was a Godsend when you had to measure a dozen shims...especially if you were doing the job on commission (time is money)
Even after I retired I keep my Mitutoyo next to my lathe. The screen is all scratched, but it's still VERY accurate. I also have a complete set of the geared digital readout mics. They are high quality, and have served me well while I was working. Now, the 0" to 1" mic seems to get used the most.
I also have an old dial type caliper that never fails to give unfailing accuracy, for some reason (probably because it cost nearly $200 when I bought it 30 years ago) BTW, I bought the Mitutoyo caliper brand new about the same time, $250 I believe...I recall the other mechanics were astounded that I would spend that much money on a measuring tool..I don't even want to think about how much the set of mechanical/digital mics (in a padded wooden case) cost me...probably somewhere around the price of a weeks' pay, back then...
Try to stay away from the $20 Chinese mic. They're not really that good.
I also have an OLD browne & Sharpe 1" mic...I've kept it all of these years because I was the only one, besides my uncle, who could read it (it's an old vernier scale mic) It was good to scare off tool borrowers looking for a mic...

[garyphansen]

I have one made by Mititoyo that I bought 30 years ago. It still works fine. Gary P. Hansen

[dockrat]

No experience with the mics or the seller, but for what looks like about $180 Cdn I would take the guesswork out of the equation and buy a digital Mititoyo locally. If there is a problem it will be easier to deal with and I usually don't question Mititoyo's quality.
Isn't $45 Cdn a little steep for shipping?

I just looked up the price of a set of mitutoyo 1"-6" at KBC Tools in Vancouver Canada. Would be over $1000.00!!! Far cry from the Ebay Chinese set for $180.00Can. So how bad can the chicom ones be for that kind of difference???

[Willy]

Sorry Ernie, that's what I get for trying to eat supper,read the paper, and post a reply all at the same time.
I took a quick look at the Ebay link and thought it was for a 0-1" mic!

I do have some Mitutoyo mics and dial indicators but they have been procured over many years, so not a big hit all at once.
Given the fact that I don't earn my living with them I would be hard pressed to justify spending close to a thousand bucks on a set of mics at one time.

So based on that premise, I can see your point in looking at a lower cost alternative. As a matter of fact I too own a set of lower cost mics, but mine are of the old vernier scale type. I check them occasionally against standards to verify their accuracy. I have had them a number of years and have had good service from them, although I don't think they would hold up well in shop environment were they would be exposed to a lot more abuse on a daily basis than they do in my little shop.

So, once again sorry for jumping in without looking. I don't have any personal experience with mechanical type digital mics, but would tend to be cautious with them if they were not sealed from the elements very well. In the end you are the best judge as to the type of service they will be subjected to.

[Circlip]

My 0-25mm mechanical/digital has been in my possession for over twenty five years and is soooooooo easy to read, an' the batteries NEVER run down.

OH yes, in their infinate wisdom, made by GKN- SHARDLOW METROLOGY Ltd, SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND.

Regards Ian

[HSS]

I have a Mititoyo Electronic caliper (also given to me by my young bride ) that changes its reading, when its cold in the shop, and I touch it to any metal chucked up in the lathe. I have gotten to measuring with it, take it off the work, zero it and then close it. Only way I can read it when it is cold. Strange!!!

Patrick

[Optics Curmudgeon]

I have the non digital version of this set, $69 at Wholesale Tool. The biggest difference between those and any other mics is that the markings aren't engraved, but laser marked, they have no actual depth. Other than that, they are accurate, the standards they came with are also accurate and you can't beat the price. In a home shop they'll outlast the owner.

[dockrat]

Well after reading all the feedback on my question, I decided to scrap the cheap chicom set idea and go more middle of the road. I ended up going with an IP54 set.(still chicom tho) Considerably more expensive but bearable. The only problem is this set only goes up to 4 inches and I do work with some 5" stuff now and then. You can read the specs on this set on page 622 at kbctools.com. It almost looks like a ringer for the brown & sharpe digitmike plus. So far I am liking it. It has all the functions I like and is easy to read Thanks to all for thier input