Thread depth on a $35 indicator vs a $900 one, no difference?

I was setting up a job last Thursday and grabbed a cheap import dial indicator from the bottom drawer just to check a bore. Ran it against the good Mitutoyo we keep locked up. Over 20 readings, the cheap one stayed within 0.0002 of the expensive one. Found the comparison in a forum thread from some metrology nerd who tested 5 indicators on a granite block. I honestly thought we were paying for accuracy, not just the name. Has anyone else run a budget tool that beat their high end gear on a repeatability check?

2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

2 Comments

tara_jones941mo ago

I mean, that 0.0002 number is pretty impressive for a cheap one, but I don't think it tells the whole story. Those budget indicators can hold up fine on a single check, but they tend to drift more after heavy use or when they get bumped around on a shop floor. The Mitutoyo might seem like a waste until you drop it on concrete and it still reads true, where the cheap one will probably need a tap or two to settle back. Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather pay the extra for the one that's boringly consistent over a year, not just on a good day.

8

mila_flores81mo ago

Wait, you actually drop your indicators on concrete?

8