Reddit mentions: The best micrometers

Very cool and informative video. Really neat use of salvaged parts and the guy is intelligent and skilled. However I think he kind of down plays and under estimates the cost of the product and tools he was using and he also mentions the fact that you can buy a lathe (that would almost certainly work better) for a similar price. The big kicker is the other tools. The tools to use and or build this lathe would cost more than the machine itself. I'm going to link you some of the tools you'd want to be able to use this machine effectively (and make it).

This granite block will be the basis for all of your measurements it is extremely flat. You'd probably want to make a stand for it and it is very heavy as well. The 933$ version would be ideal for bigger stuff but maybe you could just make small stuff it's a small lathe anyways so lets say the 235$ version

https://www.amazon.com/HHIP-4401-1812-Granite-Surface-Accuracy/dp/B01LTHIHCK/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=granite%2Bblock&qid=1569402248&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=1&psc=1

Mitutoyo Digital Caliper 120$ The waterproof version is better if you intend to use coolant. I think you could use cheaper no name ones for the ones that he built into the machine but you would need one good one.

https://www.amazon.com/Mitutoyo-500-196-30-Advanced-Measuring-Resolution/dp/B00IG46NL2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=mitutoyo+digital+calipers&qid=1569402063&s=gateway&sprefix=mitutoyo+digital&sr=8-3

Range dial indicator (runout gauge). He used one in the video and you'd be using one a lot. 219$

https://www.amazon.com/Mitutoyo-64PKA075-Indicator-Magnetic-Plastic/dp/B007XZIT5I/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=runout+gauge+mitutoyo&qid=1569402528&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Micrometer set with standards. 354$

https://www.amazon.com/Mitutoyo-103-922-Micrometer-Standards-Graduation/dp/B0006J42OA/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=mitutoyo+micrometer&qid=1569403065&s=gateway&sr=8-5

That's just getting started. Now you might be able to find some of this stuff used but I'm not sure if I would trust it. You wouldn't believe how careless people treat tools that cost several hundred dollars. If you did go used I'd try to find someone getting rid of their personal tools, not shop tools.

This isn't to discourage you though. I just want people to realize it's not easy or cheap. I'd start out with a lathe for wood and make stuff on it that doesn't need the tight tolerances.

Check out this guy. https://youtu.be/yCaGW9z4blM

The perfect micrometer for mechanic work is a Mitutoyo digital caliper. Link.

If his mechanic work truly requires the precision of a micrometer, you should buy him a mechanical micrometer where the entire thimble is a ratchet. Link.

If your mechanic boyfriend is actually a machinist, you should buy him this. Link. Be careful with this one though... he may take a knee and propose to you on the spot.

I just picked out the first link to the product I'm describing. There may or may not be cheaper options out there.

Best of luck! You're awesome for deciding to buy him a tool he will use.

Hey I actually just bought both and returned them. Got them from amazon, and they were accurate. I triple checked everything using better measuring devices. I only returned them because I wouldn’t need them again.

HFS (R) Dial Indicator Bore Gage... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OU7SYZ2?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Professional Premium Outside... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FNYBKLP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

The dial bore gauge didn’t feel great, but seemed accurate. The micrometer felt nice. The clicky bit didn’t work well but it was easy to use and locked well.

I love How It's Made. After watching videos like this, I always have a greater appreciation for how things are priced.

Hell, $200 seems like a straight up bargain after seeing the amount of manual labor, industrial processes, and quality control mechanisms that go into a tool like this.

honestly I would go for something like this if I were you.

truth be told, out in the real world you'll come across 20 mill jobs for every turn job, so unless you get into a shop with a lot of lathe work you, wont be using micrometers that much when you get out of school. and if you do get in a shop with a lot of lathe work then go head and get a set of quality mics.

These , and this.

Better than the clapped out ones knocking about in a machining tech class for sure. And quality enough to last well into the job market.

I think so, but I haven't seen them in digital. I hope 60" isn't too small for you. ;)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VDZBVE/ref=biss_dp_t_asn

Don't bother with a digit mic.

Get a plain jane vernier, such as this one for simplicity and cost or go to a fully digital one like this for flexibility and speed.

As a student, you probably don't need it to come with a certificate of calibration or traceability which sometimes costs you quite a bit extra. You really need to get practice checking your tools using gage blocks or a standard, a cert just states that it was in compliance when they tested it after making it, not that it is in compliance when it's in your hands after a few months of class.

Speaking of trust, you should inherently not trust any of your tools and verify that they are good to a known standard regularly. Digitals are easier to re-zero a few tenths (or many thou) off true zero, but that's not to say some ham-fisted fellow student couldn't bung up your regular mechanical mic either.

Since it isn't my money, i'd recommend a msc - Gerardi Standard over a Kurt vise. Well out of the price range buy it's got European design slathered all over it.


Albrecht drill chuck. Highest quality drill chuck and German made too. Go with an integrated R8 for best runout accuracy. Amazon - Albrecht 1/2 capacity R8 / Amazon - Albrecht 5/8 capacity R8

Bottle of blue/red dykem.

Gauge Block and gauge Pin set. Amazon - Gauge Pin set of 3 (.011-.06)(.061-.125)(.126-.500)

Dial Bore gauge set. Amazon has smaller range sets for cheaper as well.
Amazon - Mitutoyo .7-6" range bore dial gauge set

1-4" set of micrometers. I personally prefer Amazon - Brown and Sharpe Micrometer set 1-3". it's out of stock atm and actually I bought all of them individually.

Rotary indexer.

You could be wasting money on old mics when new chinese mics may be a better choice. The problem is that it's difficult, although not impossible, to know if the screw is unevenly worn. So you might calibrate it using a 1 inch standard, but it could have significant wear when you try to measure at .875. As I said, it's not impossible, and the right way around this is to calibrate it to the measurement you're taking, which you might do with a .875 gage pin. That said, you should always calibrate to the measurements you're taking even if your mic is brand new and swiss or japanese. And seriously, if your job requires a thousand dollar mic, the job should have it as part of their tool inventory. It's unreasonable to expect a machinist to have incredibly expensive super large or extremely precise mics. A Quantumike is already pushing it for most machinists, and personally, I wouldn't buy a mic more expensive than a 4 inch Quantumike, which is roughly $400, unless my job heavily subsidizes it. Like there's no way I'm paying 100% two of these nearly thousand dollar Mitutoyo Absolute Digimatic mics just to be able to measure between 0-1 inches.

Well, the kit includes calibration standards so in my book they are good enough.

im assuming its this one btw, the link seems a bit wonky: http://www.amazon.ca/Accusize-Ultra-Precision-Outside-Micrometers-EG00-0906/dp/B00I4AV6BK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_60_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=518k-ga3eJL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0PDEBSR7CAEBMD6NSA28

they are redding dies. just because one is willing to splurge on one product does not mean they can on all products. I am sure there are plenty of people who have reloading setups that consist of a mix of high end pieces and lower to mid end. It seems there are plenty of people who use the harbor freight tumbler and they do so because it gets the job done without spending a lot of money on it. I am just trying to find out of this particular item will get the job done so I dont have to spend a ton of money on that particular task (so i can spend it elsewhere). Simply trying to find out if this is one of those items that can be bought from the bargain bin as i dont have any real experience with micrometers. There is a decent price gap between that mic and this one.

I am looking to start reloading for precision rifle rounds (so case prep will be a big factor) and i am new to reloading so I am still in the process of piecing everything together.

I have most items ordered and on there way so far, just playing the waiting game with shipping.

You mean Vernier slide calipers like these? https://www.amazon.com/Mitutoyo-Vernier-Caliper-Metric/dp/B007K34YO8

Dial calipers are quicker to read and often have a dual scale that reads in MM and SAE. The needle is also more sensitive so you gain even higher resolution than even a digital caliper since you can read the space between the lines.

Calipers like the ones I linked above are strictly for masochists and vegans.

like this?

http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-G5623-Depth-Micrometer-6-22/dp/B0000DD4D3

or

http://www.amazon.com/Fowler-FOW72-225-226-Depth-Micrometer-0-6in/dp/B000R6S1D0

iGaging stuff would work fine for this and is cheap. https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-Digital-Electronic-Micrometer-Display/dp/B0087TMUQ8/ref=sr_1_3?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1539289545&sr=1-3&keywords=igaging+micrometer

For a lot of things-- especially measuring filament diameter --a micrometer would actually be preferable.

That said, only reading one decimal place is weird... I've got like a dozen calipers and they all display two decimal places for mm... (And my mic displays three) o_O

Supposedly they fixed the battery problems within the last few years. Also if you want best of both worlds they make a line with mechanical counters. Something to note though, the barrels are sometimes in metric and readout in imperial or vice versa for quick conversions, but they are available in either full standard or full metric.

https://www.amazon.com/Mitutoyo-159-212-Combimike-Micrometer-Graduation/dp/B003UATG3Y

I use this one on a daily basis.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002SG7QCO/ref=pd_aw_sim_sbs_328_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=AW2WQWTHW3EQKG68VV2P

OMG. Just got my new micrometer. It can tell that the printed part of a business card has swollen up by 0.0002 inches or so due to the ink.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SG7QCO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I suspect /u/kuteKerri is correct in part. I find my inexpensive digital calipers are very repeatable. By that I mean that I can take a finished round, record the length of that round, come back to it days later, and get exactly the same measure (+/- .001). Now then, I do wonder how accurate they are, even if they are repeatable. I'm guessing that accuracy increases with price, but that's a guess with zero research behind it.

A micrometer (the 0-1" tool) offers more precision at displaying five digits after the decimal (Here's one on Amazon for comparison)