Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic base. They say it's
accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal, or is $32 bucks US just
too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I should just buy more clamps from
LV and look elsewhere for a better dial indicator.
Try Mcmaster Carr, www.mcmaster.com. search on "dial indicator". They
have them ranging from $15-$150. You might be interested in the $30
indicator+magnetic base kit. Mcmaster sells only quality stuff,
nothing like the sh_t that HF sells. Don't be fooled by their
"economy" designation. These should be fine for anything other than a
hi-capacity production machine shop.
Hitch wrote:
> Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
> Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic base. They say it's
> accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal, or is $32 bucks US just
> too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I should just buy more clamps from
> LV and look elsewhere for a better dial indicator.
I believe there's a factory in China that turns out shiploads of these
indicators. I've seen basically the same one sold by several vendors.
I don't have the Lee Valley version, but I've seen it in their store,
and it's better than or equal to any of the other no-name Chinese
indicators you'll find.
I've had one for years, and while I doubt it would last day-in and
day-out in a production machine shop, it's worked just fine for all the
machine alignment and testing I've done.
Have fun,
Tim
If you only need accuracy to 0.001", try
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1593.
Half the accuracy for half the price.
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hitch wrote:
>> Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
>> Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic base. They say
>> it's
>> accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal, or is $32 bucks US just
>> too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I should just buy more clamps
>> from
>> LV and look elsewhere for a better dial indicator.
>
> I believe there's a factory in China that turns out shiploads of these
> indicators. I've seen basically the same one sold by several vendors.
> I don't have the Lee Valley version, but I've seen it in their store,
> and it's better than or equal to any of the other no-name Chinese
> indicators you'll find.
>
> I've had one for years, and while I doubt it would last day-in and
> day-out in a production machine shop, it's worked just fine for all the
> machine alignment and testing I've done.
>
> Have fun,
>
> Tim
>
http://www.use-enco.com
that's the first place i would go for dial indicators and accessories.
--- dz
Hitch wrote:
> Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
> Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic base. They say it's
> accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal, or is $32 bucks US just
> too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I should just buy more clamps from
> LV and look elsewhere for a better dial indicator.
In article <[email protected]>,
Hitch <[email protected]> wrote:
>Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
>Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic base. They say it's
>accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal, or is $32 bucks US just
>too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I should just buy more clamps from
>LV and look elsewhere for a better dial indicator.
For $32 it is almost certainly made in India, Pakistan, China, or
Taiwan, and almost certainly more than adequate for typical
woodworking use, and priced about 100% more than comparable units from
other vendors. Try Grizzly or HFT, you should be able to find a
similar base & gauge for $15-$20. When you get up in the $100 range
you may be looking at a US or Japanese made indicator.
--
Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland
[email protected]
> haven't used these folks - but www.littlemachineshop.com is often
mentioned / recommended as a place to get an inexpensive dial/base/tip
combination.
Theirs is just fine for the wood shop, especially the one with the "tip
collection".
--
Rumpty
Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Patrick Conroy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hitch <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> >
> >
> > Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial
> > indicator. Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic
> > base. They say it's accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal,
> > or is $32 bucks US just too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I
> > should just buy more clamps from LV and look elsewhere for a better
> > dial indicator.
>
> I dunno - my Harbor Frieght one was about five bux USD... :)
>
> I haven't used these folks - but www.littlemachineshop.com is often
> mentioned / recommended as a place to get an inexpensive dial/base/tip
> combination.
"David Bridgeman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> I just bought that exact model for LV. Magnetic base definitely works.
> Seems to be good quality (I new to dial indicators). I don't think I've
> bought anything at LV that wasn't good quality and value.
Worst case scenario, if it doesn't work out within reasonable time use LV
will take it back.
"David" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> $30 bucks is about right for a dial indicator. It isn't too "cheap".
> It's typical unless you look at Starrett.
Or Mititoyo, Teclock, Brown and Sharp, ect, ect.
>
> Dave
>
> Hitch wrote:
>
> > Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
> > Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic base. They say
it's
> > accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal, or is $32 bucks US
just
> > too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I should just buy more clamps
from
> > LV and look elsewhere for a better dial indicator.
I just bought that exact model for LV. Magnetic base definitely works.
Seems to be good quality (I new to dial indicators). I don't think I've
bought anything at LV that wasn't good quality and value.
David
"Andy Dingley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 09:19:01 -0500, Hitch <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
>
> Cheap is OK on dial indicators. Make sure the magnetic base works
> though - they tend to suffer worse from cheapness than the indicators
> do. Poor clamping or lack of rigidity in the arm is a pain to work with.
> I've never seen a "snake" arm that was convincing for rigidity either.
$30 bucks is about right for a dial indicator. It isn't too "cheap".
It's typical unless you look at Starrett.
Dave
Hitch wrote:
> Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
> Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic base. They say it's
> accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal, or is $32 bucks US just
> too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I should just buy more clamps from
> LV and look elsewhere for a better dial indicator.
On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 09:19:01 -0500, Hitch <[email protected]> wrote:
>one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
Cheap is OK on dial indicators. Make sure the magnetic base works
though - they tend to suffer worse from cheapness than the indicators
do. Poor clamping or lack of rigidity in the arm is a pain to work with.
I've never seen a "snake" arm that was convincing for rigidity either.
On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 09:19:01 -0500, Hitch <[email protected]> wrote:
>Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
>Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic base. They say it's
>accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal, or is $32 bucks US just
>too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I should just buy more clamps from
>LV and look elsewhere for a better dial indicator.
Got mine from somewhere like Highland Hardware. It displays both
decimal and fractions of an inch. Ya gotta like that.
Your kidding, right?
"david zaret" <news@__REMOVE__.zaret.com> wrote in message
news:42A5AE18.3080506@__REMOVE__.zaret.com...
> http://www.use-enco.com
>
> that's the first place i would go for dial indicators and accessories.
>
> --- dz
>
>
> Hitch wrote:
> > Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
> > Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic base. They say
it's
> > accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal, or is $32 bucks US
just
> > too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I should just buy more clamps
from
> > LV and look elsewhere for a better dial indicator.
On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 17:39:25 GMT, Jim Weisgram
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 09:19:01 -0500, Hitch <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial indicator.
>>Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic base. They say it's
>>accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal, or is $32 bucks US just
>>too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I should just buy more clamps from
>>LV and look elsewhere for a better dial indicator.
>
>Got mine from somewhere like Highland Hardware. It displays both
>decimal and fractions of an inch. Ya gotta like that.
Mine's from an old physics lab I used to work in. It measures in
microns. I could use the binocular microscope I borrow now and then,
with a bit of interpolation for even more accuracy, but decided enuf
is enuf.
On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 16:07:10 +0000, Lawrence Wasserman wrote:
> When you get up in the $100 range
> you may be looking at a US or Japanese made indicator.
You are also looking at WAY more indicator than you need. It is enough to
get a .001 resolution and estimate any fraction needed. I have .0005
and .0001 indicators and they are just a joke when trying to line up the
table saw trunions because I don't have anything that smooth to measure
against or from.
Bill
Hitch <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
>
>
> Got a bit of birthday money and one thing I'd like is a dial
> indicator. Lee Valley has one for $32 for indicator AND magnetic
> base. They say it's accurate to 0.0005". Is this really a good deal,
> or is $32 bucks US just too cheap for reasonable quality? Maybe I
> should just buy more clamps from LV and look elsewhere for a better
> dial indicator.
I dunno - my Harbor Frieght one was about five bux USD... :)
I haven't used these folks - but www.littlemachineshop.com is often
mentioned / recommended as a place to get an inexpensive dial/base/tip
combination.