Has anyone had experience with these tools? I know Starrett is the standard and made in the USA, but I have a chance at a very good deal on one of these. Any downside to these tools?

Buy it if you believe it is a good deal. They make an excellent product.

I have a Mitutoyo caliper. Note the spelling of the name, just in case it's a knock-off. A fine instrument.

Bye
Jack

Thanks for the input guys, the spelling problem is mine. :)

Has anyone had experience with these tools? I know Starrett is the standard and made in the USA, but I have a chance at a very good deal on one of these. Any downside to these tools?
Mitutoyo makes an excellent quality, precision measuring instrument. If you can get one of theirs at a good price, then get it. You won't be disappointed.

Well,
I hope I didn't overpay for it, another bidder jacked up the price in the last seconds of the auction. It was $100 new in the sealed package for the 0-1" digital model, current model. I haven't seen any for cheaper than $140-50 dollars through the normal channels.

You did fine. Latest Enco catalog has them on sale for $99, and I haven't seen them cheaper.

If it has the output port, you did *real* well. Those run a bit more.

Mike,
thanks for the info. I'm happy to see I came out OK on the deal.

The Mitutoyo calipers are very good and are much cheaper than the starret. However you can now buy a Clone to the Mitutoyo that is made in China for $20 that is a great bargain. I have used Mitutoyo exclusively for years and they are great. However I am now using the Chineese copy and when they quit, go get another pair. they are very accurate and will convert from Thousanths to Metric witht he push of a button just like the Mitutoyo. I am all for buying American but a bargain is a bargain today besides Mitutoyo isn't American either.

My dad's a toolmaker, and has been in that industry most of his life. After years of using different instruments, he's decided to use Mitutoyo and Brown and Sharpe exclusively. I just started reloading not too long ago, and he gave me a set of mitutoyo mics and calipers that are like 40 years old, and still operate and perform perfectly.

Has anyone had experience with these tools? I know Starrett is the standard and made in the USA, but I have a chance at a very good deal on one of these. Any downside to these tools?

I have used Mitutoyo caliper's for over 15 years now, very good tools. :D

Upon arrival home from a few days out of town for work my calipers had arrived. They do indeed have a qulality feel about them...and they measure a reference block I had made for bullet swaging perfectly. Makes me happy to see that.

My uncle machines aluminum and steel aircraft parts for Boeing and other companies. Mitutoyo and Starrett are the names on the devices he uses to double-check his work which typically have tolerance requirements of +/- .003" or less. I'm sure you've got a good tool there.

amndouglas

Tool made in Japan. Top quality.

Actually, some of Mitutuoyo's stuff is assembled in Brazil. Sounds like Starrett's livin' off their reputation a little too much. Some interesting comments from people who sell and repair a variety of brands here:

www.longislandindicator.com

HTH,

Monte

I've used both Mitutoyo and Starret tools. Both are extremely accurate. For reloading, you may get by with an RCBS unit. Mitutoyo is my personal favorite. Works on everything from bearings to bullets.

NailGun,
you should read the reviews on Midways website about the RCBS unit. Apparently the ChiComs forgot to put fresh batteries in them before they shipped them off to RCBS. I bought this to replace a lesser tool I was using, which I dropped and destroyed. In the limited use it's seen since I received it, I'm very impressed. When I see what the RCBS unit costs compared to this, I feel sorry for the folks who ended up with the RCBS.

I went to look at the RCBS unit on Midway as I was typing this and it is no longer there! Gotta love the internet, helps weed out some of the crap.