Sad day for dial test indicaor

[reggie_obe]

Long Island Instrument Repair reportedly does good work..

Consensus is LI Indicator is gone and has been for a few years.

[Bob Engelhardt]

Consensus is LI Indicator is gone and has been for a few years.

"Long Island Indicator Service" still has a web site, copyright 2023.

[ChazzC]

"Long Island Indicator Service" still has a web site, copyright 2023.

And are still selling on Amazon:

[Bob La Londe]

I have imports, Shars, Mitutoyo, some very old Starrets, and another brand that escapes me at the moment. They all seem to work about the same for things like measuring run out, differential edge finding, and center finding. One is a little "notchey" as you put it, but it works okay in a pinch.

[mikey553]

I have a number of dial and test indicators, including BesTest, Tesatast, Alina, Starret, Kafer, etc. But my most used indicator is an old Mitutoyo .0005" test indicator. It has a long leg and it is very convenient. It was crashed in the past, so I do not always believe it. When in doubt, I use one of the Swiss indicators.

I also have a few Chinese no-names, they do not measure up to the brand names, just do not feel right. I am not an indicator expert, but Long Island Indicator certainly is. On their web site they have a number of educational topics. Spend some time reading, you may learn something.

[quadrod]

Thank you all for the reply's. It just figures that shortly after posting I was playing with the indicator in question and it started working normally. I did pull the side cover off but did not see anything amiss. Now the question is do I trust it. I will definitely look at the Long Island site. Again thanks for all the reply's.

[Doozer]

Long Island Indicator is pretty snobby and uppity with their distain for
anything that is not a Swiss made indicator. Read their blog, and that
becomes very clear. I would be more willing to trust a little guy like
MR Tool repair, and a few others. They have more meat in the game
than an establishment that is so cocky with their views on indicators.

-Doozer

[sarge41]

Doozer: Thanks for the tip about MR tool repair. Its about time someone showed Long Island where to go. I haven't used MR yet but have a few candidates for his services.

Sarge41

[Dan Dubeau]

A local watch repair place might be an option too. I've worked with a few guys that have sent indicators to "bobs watch repair" in Peterborough ON for cleaning after years of use for reasonable money. Check your local area, and classifieds, you might find somebody that while they might not specialize in indicators, they have all the tools and equipment and parallel skillset to work on them and do a decent job.

[ChazzC]

Long Island Indicator is pretty snobby and uppity with their distain for
anything that is not a Swiss made indicator. Read their blog, and that
becomes very clear. I would be more willing to trust a little guy like
MR Tool repair, and a few others. They have more meat in the game
than an establishment that is so cocky with their views on indicators.

-Doozer

I noted that in their write-ups as well. One of the reasons I knew about the book I showed they have on Amazon is that I have considered buying it since they don’t repair Chinese equipment and my favorite Shars (which suffered a bump) appears to be an Interapid clone. But then, even though it’s/was my favorite and their newer models aren’t exactly the same, I can buy three of them for the price of the book.

[Mcgyver]

Long Island Indicator is pretty snobby and uppity with their distain for
anything that is not a Swiss made indicator. Read their blog, and that
becomes very clear. I would be more willing to trust a little guy like
MR Tool repair, and a few others. They have more meat in the game
than an establishment that is so cocky with their views on indicators.

-Doozer

I always thought the same, that there was a lot of bias in the commentary. My cynical nature assumed it was who gave the biggest trade discounts, or at least were easiest to deal with buying parts. but....

1) once you've worked on a few, its easy to start thinking that way.
2) its a bit moot that given their fees and two way shipping, it wouldn't be worth it for almost all indicators except the expensive Swiss ones. Even then, I can buy clean used Interapids used for less than the shipping and service cost.

A local watch repair place might be an option too.

A refreshing respite from battery changing.

100% for service, which is probably 90% of it. i.e. cleaning. I would think parts will be an issue though. There is a good supply chain for watch parts, not so for indicator parts and the price will be high if you have to start sourcing and shipping one ofs. Particularly those tiny press in ball bearings hold arm pivot

I would ask them not to oil it though. imo indicators should not be oiled for a few reasons but a watchmaker will oil a movement as a matter of course. What reasons? A watch must be oiled given the high duty cycle. However it must also be serviced every few years as the oil drys up and get contaminates; it become gunky and kind like a lapping paste. Its got to be cleaned out and refreshed. Indicators otoh have comparatively a minuscule duty cycle and nobody regularly gets them serviced to clean out the contaminated, dried up, lapping paste like oil residue. Ergo, without regular service, they will last longer if left dry

[RSG]

comparatively a minuscule duty cycle and nobody regularly gets them serviced to clean out the contaminated, dried up, lapping paste like oil residue. Ergo, without regular service, they will last longer if left dry

I would agree with this, having come to understand bearing jewels myself! A DTI just doesn't get the wear a watch movement does so no need for oil.

Oh, and the new synthetic watch oils these days don't dry up. I just bought three oils for a watch I'm working on, all three synthetic. Stuff is like gold as far as cost too, less than a thimble full was $50 each!!! 😑

[RB211]

I bet the Long Island indicator guy(s) have nothing but import DTI's in their home shop, if they even have a home shop.

[DR]

According to the OP's posting money is an issue.

Sending an instrument off for repair can be incredibly expensive. Years ago we had a local wheelchair bound guy who would put a new crystal in your instrument for 8 bucks while you waited. He's long gone now, the quote I got recently was 75 bucks for my B & S caliper's crystal.