Author Topic: Are Shars micrometers a good choice?  (Read 14959 times)

Offline marfaguy

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Are Shars micrometers a good choice?
« on: April 13, 2011, 09:01:19 AM »
 Man did I luck out. I copied this posting just before I posted it on Monday. Then the server
went off line and restored back up was taken before my post. I thought I would have to
re-type the whole thing but it turned out the post was still on the clipboard. Anyway on to
my original question...

So the shop remodel is starting in earnest this week.
http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=4496.0

 In the meantime I'm shopping around for some deals on good measuring tools.
Stopped by a pawn shop on the way home and asked if they had any micrometers.
First place had a 0-1.0000 Mitotuyo vernier style in a card board  case. They wanted $49.00 for it.
Not bad but is that a good deal?

 I don't actually need mics yet since it'll be 4-6 weeks before the is shop done and I can unpack and start organizing everything, but I was curious. Later on the way home I stopped by a second pawn shop to see what they had. The second Pawn shop had a full set of 0 thru 6"
(also vernier style) mics including the spring gauges for measuring inside diameters for $120.00 in a wooden case. The mics looked brand new or at least well taken care of.

 I explained that I'd have to get the approval from the Director of Standards, Practices, and Finance before spending that amount, to which he said "We'll take 100.00". Sounds like a good deal. Maybe too good a deal. The manufacturer is Shars, or at least thats the label on
the 0-1" I looked at. Should I go hat in hand to the D of SP&F (aka SWMBO, aka my wife) that this is a good deal or should I keep looking? Are Shars a good brand at any price? If a set of micrometers can't fulfill the basic function of accurate measurement then what's the point?

Thanks for any guidance or suggestions.
-Charles

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Are Shars micrometers a good choice?
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2011, 01:03:33 PM »
Honestly, I don't know. I lucked out and bought 2 Starrett micrometers at a flea market (less than $5 for the pair...)

Mitotuyo is a good name but if it is this ONE you may be able to get a better deal.

Dunno about the Shars brand.
Science is fun.

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Offline Bogstandard

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Re: Are Shars micrometers a good choice?
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2011, 02:14:37 PM »
Charles,

I have in my workshop all the top brands of precision instruments, ranging thru Mitutoyo to Moore & Wright, all obtained during the time I was working for a living, and they have all stood the test of time very well.

But they are now consigned to the bottom draw after I purchased a set of Imperial and Metric Chinese micrometers and the same in dial verniers.

I couldn't believe the price they were at, but on checking them over and in comparison with the very expensive ones I have, I could find no difference in their overall measuring capabilities.

After using them for the last three years, almost continuously, and at times slightly abused, they have more than paid for themselves, and still read as accurate as the day I purchesed them.

What I am saying is that unless they have been used as adjustable C spanners, and really abused, by checking them out against the setting gauges, which should be with them, that should put your mind at rest as to their useability, and they should give you many years service.

If you are tight for cash at this time, they should be perfectly satisfactory for your use, and later, when funds allow, you can invest in the superior makes, and then do as I have done, put them away in the bottom drawer, in favour of the cheapo ones, which do a damned fine job.


Bogs
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Offline marfaguy

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Re: Are Shars micrometers a good choice?
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2011, 02:58:46 PM »
Thanks Bogs and Eric,
 I'll give'em another look.

Offline Bogstandard

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Re: Are Shars micrometers a good choice?
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2011, 06:20:40 PM »
By the way, don't calibrate your precision tools like this wan plonker does.


If you don't try it, you will never know if you can do it.

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Offline bigmini

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Re: Are Shars micrometers a good choice?
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2011, 03:57:27 AM »
By the way, don't calibrate your precision tools like this wan plonker does.




 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I don't think he likes dial calipers much.

I get pretty good results with my cheap Chinese micrometer. Between that and my cheap Chinese lathe I get close enough for most things.

Offline BiggerHammer

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Re: Are Shars micrometers a good choice?
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2011, 09:19:08 AM »
Now Bogs, I see nothing wrong with his technique. As a matter of fact I had a nice four foot aluminum level guaranteed accurate to within .0005 per inch (an Empire E70). I allowed a couple of guys use it when I sent them to install some handrail. The next time I went to use the level I noticed an odd gap between the level and the workpiece, it was about 1cm at the center. I then checked the level for true with the MK1 eyeball. It appeared that they had used it as a pry-bar. I then taught my young helper how to re-adjust a damaged aluminum level by breaking it in half over a concrete wall so that no one would accidentally use it. I am now trying to figure out what use I can get out of the remaining bits of the level.

Offline marfaguy

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Re: Are Shars micrometers a good choice?
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2011, 01:55:04 PM »
Now Bogs, I see nothing wrong with his technique. As a matter of fact I had a nice four foot aluminum level guaranteed accurate to within .0005 per inch (an Empire E70). I allowed a couple of guys use it when I sent them to install some handrail. The next time I went to use the level I noticed an odd gap between the level and the workpiece, it was about 1cm at the center. I then checked the level for true with the MK1 eyeball. It appeared that they had used it as a pry-bar. I then taught my young helper how to re-adjust a damaged aluminum level by breaking it in half over a concrete wall so that no one would accidentally use it. I am now trying to figure out what use I can get out of the remaining bits of the level.

 Back when I did custom cabinets many moons ago we would always start the job with a surveyors level and find the high spot in the floor where any base cabinet was going to sit. We'd then mark the walls based on that elevation plus however much the toe kick height was going to be. We'd then make and set the toe kicks, sort of a plinth type affair, screw them to the line on the wall and shim up from the floor until they were level front to back and left to right. We'd then face/scribe a front piece to the floor. This way not only would the cabinets be level but would all be the same elevation. Since the base cabinets were all made the same height  in the shop we knew when we set them and screwed them down to the plinths and the walls they would be nice and level. Much easier than trying to shim the individual cabinets, and also much quicker.

 So one day I went to finish up one job by installing the drawer and door pulls. Really nice custom job with granite countertop surfaces. I walk in the door and the customer and his wife are absolutely hopping mad. They insist we rip out the countertop and the base cabinets and reset the whole thing at our expense of course since the countertops were so badly out of level. Asking them to please demonstrate how they had reached this conclusion they pointed to a 6' carpenters level setting on the longest countertop and showing about 3/4 of a bubble out of level. I calmly picked up the level and swapped it end for end and set it back on the countertop. Sure enough it now showed about 3/4 of a bubble out in the opposite direction. The wife saw immediately  what this mean't but the husband still insisted that the countertop and base cabs had to be re-done. I finally had to put a scrap under the one side and get him the agree that OK, so the countertop has to come up that much in this direction. Then swap end for end again and show him that NOW the countertop has to come up that same amount in the opposite direction. Finally the penny dropped. After some profuse apologies (and later a nice bottle of bourbon he gave me) all was well. I asked him where he got his fine piece of leveling equipment, his neighbor  had lent it to him insisting he use it to "check" how well we had done our job.