Adjustable parallels, Starrett v Chinese - Which is "better" ?

[Dan_the_Chemist]

Okay, I know that isn't really a question in some ways... So let's add some detail

Starrett 154 set of 6 for around $150 (used) or $275 (new), versus Chinese set of 6 for $40

Usage - Semi-retiree Home Shop Machinist who likes to try to think he can hold things down to the thousandth's level but can't always achieve his goal. Likes to be precise, but admits that the one thing he worked on that went into orbit was a long time ago and he ain't never doing that again. So I am tending towards the cheaper Chinese products IF they are "okay" in use. But if they are made so poorly that I would be frustrated trying to use them, then I can bite the bullet and buy a used set of Starretts. Or a different product if somebody out there has a recommendation for a hidden gem.

Problem - can't find any specifications on parallelism... even the Starrett site only gives dimensions but not tolerances.

http://www.starrett.com/metrology/pr...rallels/S154LZ

Versus a typical example of the Chinese:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6X-3-8-2-1-4-Steel-Adjustable-Parallels-Set-Precision-Steel-Measurement-Tool/352474966201?hash=item52112528b9

So, I'd like to ask for reviews from people who have used one or the other and recommendations for YATP (yet a third product) if somebody has a line on a good set of parallels that are good value for money.

Thanks

Dan

[dalee100]

Hi,

I got both a Starrett set and a cheap, cheerful Chinese set. Have owned each set for 25+ years. The Starrett set is a bit easier to to snug up vs the CCC set. But it's not $200 better.........

If you are willing to spend the money to have the name to brag about, go for it. But if you need to save egg money to get a set, there is no shame or loss of accuracy in the cheaper set.

[Cuttings]

I have been sort off looking at adjustable parallels also. I read some comments that the Chinese sets were coming with a lot of grit in the slots and required a thorough cleaning before being usable.
I see that KBC has there own Chinese house brand for a fairly low price. I wonder if they would be any better?

[ezduzit]

...If you are willing to spend the money to have the name to brag about, go for it...

If you have no appreciation for, and get no joy from using a quality tool, go for the cheap crap.

[ncjeeper]

I read some comments that the Chinese sets were coming with a lot of grit in the slots and required a thorough cleaning before being usable.

I bought an import set a few years ago and they were like that. They work as intended once cleaned and lubed.

[754]

A word of caution don't use them to clamp down on and do drilling or milling. They will slip.
Now using them in a vise with the jaws doing the clamping they are great.

I scored used Starretts years ago, pretty sure it was under 75 bux, great to use but I drilled I to them a few times.
The narrow ones are excellent for measuring slots accurately.

[reggie_obe]

A good used set doesn't have to be expensive nor does it have to carry the Starrett name. Unless it's an urgent need keep searching.

If you want Starrett, I'd throw this guy an offer: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Starrett-S-...0&LH_Auction=1
or keep a watch on these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Starrett-No...0&LH_Auction=1
or these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/starrett-pa...0&LH_Auction=1

[Tungsten dipper]

If you have no appreciation for, and get no joy from using a quality tool, go for the cheap crap.

OH please!!! You know, some don't have that kind of money!!

[BCRider]

It's nice to have respected name brands for some things. But when it's a hobby and spending won't create any income we have to pick our choices with an eye towards getting the most utility from the budget. And this is one place where we simply don't really need the big dollar name.

How I decide on which is OK to buy for cheap and how I decide on the nice things is how easy or practical it is for me to tune up any shortcomings. And a set of adjustable parallels is something that isn't hard to tune up.

As mentioned above take them apart and give them a good cleaning and even using a fine stone file deburr as needed. Next up you can easily inspect these for parallelism. Just clean your mill table and set up a dial gauge or more sensitive DTI on a stand or in the quill and pass the parallel locked to some suitable height under the finger of the gauge. It'll tell you quickly if it's true enough and how far, if any, it's out of parallel. From there if the amount is something you can easily see and it bothers you reduce it with a bit of focused lapping against some fine wet or dry paper using the mill table or some other suitable known flat surface as your "surface plate". Of course if you have a surface plate you can use that. To wear down the high side but still keep the edge flat and straight push down about 1/3 of the length in from the high side. The focused but off center pressure will keep the lapping straight but reduce it more on the one end. And it doesn't take all that much to remove a couple or three tenths of a thou.

I would never use this trick on fixed and matched parallels. But on adjustable sets? No problem. But more likely than not they'll be just fine but a bit gritty and needing of light deburring and then they'll be fine.

[J Tiers]

While it is not always true, the 'murrican brands can be WORSE than the chinese.

I had a heck of a time with telescoping gages, they always read wrong for me, and I figured my technique was "that" bad.

Then I too a close look.... my "murrican branded telescoping gages were bad.... Several of them had a flatted part on the end, which meant they were reading the diameter at a chord, and not at the full diameter. But the mic would then read the flat spot as the full diameter. It was off a couple thou on the bad ones in the set.

And it was NOT "wear", the flat spot had been plated over when the parts were plated, it was clearly a factory defect.

I found a set of import gages that have worked perfectly ever since.