Harbor Freight digital micrometer for shim measurement? any good?

Hey all (and Papa Tony!),

I was at Harbor Freight last week, and "almost" bought their Pittsburgh Digital Micrometer - but the plastic thimble didn't impress me too much to start off with.. then I thought, ughh.. I know better - I should have a proper Mitutoyo or Starrett or something rather than this $34 micrometer..

http://www.harborfreight.com/digital-micrometer-68305.html

Does anyone use one of these for valve shims? I want a digital one, I've got hundreds of shims (most of them are used) and want to organize them all. Is it any good? I can't find any horrible reviews on it, but figured I'd check in here first

I don't think calipers are good enough for shim measurement.

micrometer

if you want a good fast reading, I suggest a "snap" micrometer.
has a dial and a thumb lever to open and close. mine is a teclock, model sm-112 from japan. got from a friend at the Ferrari warehouse back in the day when they were in Burlingame. vernier calipers won't work as for the fact you will be reading the outside of the shim, not the contact surface.
and conventional micrometers have to come with a standard, and have to be checked often for accuracy. one good drop on the workbench and the reading might differ on the next use and they can be a b##ch to re-calibrate.
mikemo

I have a set and they are good enough for measuring shims but as the diameter passes anything over the 30mm mark it doesn't repeat measurements very well.

If your shim assortment is stock FIAT, they are in .05mm increments and the range of clearance is .08mm, so your measurements device does not have to be electron microscope quality.

The HF one should be OK for the task. For close tolerance machine work, of course you'd want to use something with higher quality.

Once again Myron... you are spending too much and...

thinking too hard!

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-utility-caliper-7914.html

SERIOUSLY! This is all you need! HA!

But I too bought a digital just like this...

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-composite-digital-caliper-93293.html

I purchased this one about 15 years ago and replaced the battery(s) once! I cannot understand HOW THE HELL IT WORKS but I find it to be consistently accurate...

Spend the 10 bucks (use your 20% off coupons) and AMAZE yourself!

OK... maybe you need something more expensive and accurate for the Pluto Probe... but I doubt you'll need anything more to do maintenance on this vehicle as long as its earthbound...

Yikes! Tony, that plastic vernier looks scary.. hehe.. I already have a decent digital caliper, but as Mike pointed out - measuring the wiped surface - especially on a used shim is important.

I have access to all kinds of good instruments at work and can borrow them, but I'd rather have something in my tool box. I can also verify its accuracy on our gauge blocks.

I might pick up the HF digital micrometer when I'm at the Woodward dream cruise.. unfortunately the exchange rate really sucks right now!

Oh yes... definately in all you said...

Usually you can feel or see a problem with a shim and toss it, or re-mark it with the new correct thickness if its going back in the box. If its gouged its not something you would wanna reuse and if it came out of your engine... you have more problems than just a slightly worn shim.

As for this caliper...



I simply cannot see or understand how it works... If, for instance you have not zero-ed it out and there is a number showing in the window... when you spread the jaws it is "correctly" inaccurate all across the length of it as well and "zeroes" again back to the original number.

I have tried to fool this thing but it only fools me! I don't wanna try and take it apart as I value it and it just plain works. Again I am sure that there is nothing on this car of ours that needs any more accuracy than this caliper provides... unless you are driving to the moon. Just remember to turn it off!

Lastly, I am surely NOT familiar with any and all the exchange issues and duty laws and the like... but what if I were to send a "gift" to you and you can return the favor at some later date? You can PM your address or simply post it here. Let me know...

caliper zero

the reason you can zero it out at any measurement is to start at one size and continue at the new reading. say you are measuring a connecting rod at 2 inches. zero out and it starts at two inches (0).
on to the next journal and the variances are easily noted.
easier to spot a -0056 or a +0006 than adding the 2 inches into the equation. kinda a laymen's caliper, or lazy such as myself. I have several here and I like them. but for a shim, a snap gauge is a "snap":grin:
also check the diameter of the shim. VW used the same style but...
are .012 or so smaller and will spit out of the cup rather easily at speed.
pretty smart for a dago eh' papa