vintage chromoly

iTrader: (3)

Hello all.
I'm looking to buy some basic machinists tooling.
Some stuff I'd like to put into my stash:

A good bore gauge
A good set of micrometers
A good magnetic base dial indicator setup
Possibly a depth micrometer ( maybe I'm calling it the wrong name ) to measure how far a piston is down the bore.
Good caliper.

Just would like to be able to accurately quantify stuff even though one of my best buds is a machinist and puts all my junk together.

Is starret the industry standard for quality tools?
Is ebay my best bet?
Can you guys post up some part numbers of the stuff you prefer?

Thanks guys,
Rob

JIMKID Motorsports

Look on crags list find somebody retiring is best old stuff is still good good luck

waybomb

Starret in the wood boxes.

Interceptor

Before I returned to college and became an engineer I served a toolmakers apprenticeship and worked in the trade for twelve years. Starret was one of the standards and Mitutoyo was one of the new kids on the block. Used equipment if cared for are fine. I have some of my dads tools that he apprenticed with in the late 1940's. As long as the tools were not exposed to a bad enviroment and not used as a hammer they usually can be calibrated and work fine. A real find would be to find an retired toolmakers/die makers Kennedy tool box with everything in it. Most of the stuff you want a individual would have except for the bore gauge, those are usually owned by the lab or shop.
Stay away from Harbor Frieght.
ed

vintage chromoly

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the replies.
Definitely not looking for Chinese crap. I hate even going into a hazard fraught, er, I mean, harbor freight.

Any suggestions on part numbers or ranges of measurement I should be looking at?

Would an inside micrometer be better for general inside measuring than a bore gauge? I'd me measuring main and rod journals.

86Nova2

I really like Mitutoyo tools and the old school starrett tools in the wood boxes. Pawn shops Craig's list are always good places to look. And sometimes your lucky and they will have current calibration stickers on it

Interceptor

Yes, with experience inside adjustable mikes work well

GO4BROKE

iTrader: (1)

x 2

86Nova2

I am a manual Machinist for a living for the last 6+ years I'm young in the trade 23yrs old but a family full of machinist also I have learned a lot from them about tools and measuring equipment. A lot of time MSC industrial supply will have deals on different brands to if you look into buying new tools instead of used

midwest272

You will want O.D. mics up to 5 inch and look for ones that read in tenths with a "clicker" or ratchet on the thumbwheel . I find I use telescoping gauges more than bore mics , maybe because I always double check bore mic readings with a OD mic anyway. If you can find a Starrett back plunger indicator set that would be a good starter set for indicators. Get calipers that read one hundred thousands per revolution the two hundred ones suck.

And like these guys have already said go with Starrett and used ones in good shape are the best , I have twenty year old tools that are much better quality than today's stuff.