I’m looking for the best quality precision tools on a limited budget (i.e. I don't want to pay $300 for one mic). I plan on building the occasional small- & big-block Chevy (more than one, less than 1000). Names that come up on the limited results I’ve found on the web include Starrett, Browne & Sharpe, Fowler, Mitutoyo. I was hoping for some feedback on both tools to consider as well as what brand you’d buy or what you’d stay away from.

I was thinking about a good set of snap gauges in lieu of an expensive dial bore gauge?

An assortment of micrometers 0-6”, I’ve heard that carbide tips are a necessity. I’ve also read, & seen the higher prices for, mic’s that are coolant resistant?

A 0-6” dial caliper? Thinking about a digital?

A good magnetic base w/a 1” dial indicator for degreeing cams. Curious if anyone can explain why a 16” “Professional degree wheel” is so darn expensive at $180+?

Has anyone bought any of the stuff from Powerhouse?

great question,

first ID suggest that while its always nice to have super accurate precision tools its generally NOT critical in a basic engine rebuild to have the best or even close too the best measuring tools available.
from a practical stand point, getting clearances in an engine down into less that a 1/4 of 1 thousandth (.00025 ) or less on the most critical components) and most down to (.0005 ) is usually sufficient, and on many even a full thousandth variation is not critical., example, a difference in rod side clearance, ring end gap or quench distance is far less critical than a thousandth difference in main bearing clearance, or piston to bore clearance.
now IM not suggesting the more expensive tools are not slightly better, but IM surprised at the level of accuracy the cheaper tools exhibit.
IVE got a wide selection of MICS and Calipers and IVE checked the cheap Chinese crap measurements and consistency against the much more expensive Japanese and American tools and surprisingly most are consistent , and reasonably accurate and decent quality if you get the stainless steel tools
Ive found that a decent set of snap gauges and mics and a decent digital caliper will allow you to get bye quite nicely when used with some other checking tools, like plasti-gauge. repeatability and consistency are important.
plasti-gauge is an excellent cross check tool, easy to use and accurate, if used correctly, and I would not be a bit concerned if thats all you had to check bearing clearances, I use a fairly expensive set of mics, and snap gauges but I always cross check with plasti-gauge, and you ll be surprised at how accurate its really is

even the cheapest Chinese tools are usually adequate if you know what your doing, and are only using them occasionally and take care in carefully measuring components, and you verify with plasti Gage ,feeler gauges, and your consistent and take care during assembly
(SURELY NOT IDEAL BUT FULLY USABLE, frankly IM amazed at the cheap tool accuracy levels) I think a good deal of the reason is that once your down to clearances of a 1/2 thousand or less a few ten thousands difference are less a concern to durability than consistency and care taken in assembly and clearencing, and polishing, or smoothing parts

you'll need check standards to verify accuracy before each use, and you must keep the standards remain rust free in zip loc bags with a fine coat of wd40

checking standards
READ THRU THE LINKS AND SUB LINKS
viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1026&p=4327&hilit=plasti+gauge#p4327

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=3157&p=8449#p8449

http://www.medfordtools.com/metalworking/123blocks.html

http://www.qualitymag.com/CDA/Archives/ ... 32a8c0____

https://www.travers.com/htdocs/pdf/0744cat.pdf

most micrometer sets come with check standards,but youll generally want a few extra sized ones, its important that you verify accuracy with them, remember heat expands metal, don,t expect parts that are warm to measure the same when its cool

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-and-Read-an- ... Micrometer

http://www.worldtools.com/tools/precisi ... p-971.html

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1026

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=1268

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=989

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=903

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=399

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=90

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=88

http://video.google.com/videosearch?oe= ... Q&start=20

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch ... 2&D=300342

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=342

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

viewtopic.php?f=44&t=374&p=457#p457

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=97389

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=66512

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... umber=5649

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=32214

http://www.jegs.com/i/Mopar+Performance ... 9/10002/-1

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=611

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=1027

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=723

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HDF8N4/ref ... nkCode=asn

Thanks for the quick reply.

I've got an itch for a 572 w/afrs w/a mech roller on a dart block for my chevelle. hoping for around 700hp. Mike Lewis on team chevelle has inspired me. I know this sounds insane but I want to take a crack at it.

I was amazed at what Amazon had available to be honest. I'd found some stuff on their earlier as well. Guess it's not just a book store anymore.

buying higher quality matched and ballanced rotating assembly components,from a single source goes a long way too reducing problems, durring engine assembly. and dealing with a quality machineshop on the block and head machine work removes several other potential problem areas.

http://www.lewisracingengines.com/

http://www.cncblocksnortheast.com/

http://www.scatcrankshafts.com/

http://www.dartheads.com/products/engine-blocks

http://www.brodix.com/heads/heads.html

http://www.lunatipower.com/

http://www.crower.com/misc/m_cat.shtml

http://www.ohiocrank.com/chev_sb_shortb.html

http://www.trickflow.com/emain.asp

http://www.jepistons.com/index.shtml

knowing what to measure might help, this list in this thread might prove useful

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=801&p=1370&hilit=+list#p1370

next time your looking
ASK FOR A TAPPET GAUGE
for some reason most auto parts stores don,t seem to have feeler gauges but do have (TAPPET GAUGES)
http://www.jcwhitney.com/jcwhitney/prod ... map=27994G

Let me preface by saying this... I was a Tool & Diemaker for 20 years and have worked in gage calibration for the past 16 years. I have been part owner of an A2LA accredited gage lab for the past 9 years.

With any gaging... mics, calipers etc... You get what you pay for. IMHO, the Chinese Harbor Fright stuff is pretty much crap for any serious work. Believe me.. I've had literally thousands of different micrometers in my hands and there is a difference.

That said, there are a lot of people using them and saying they work well.

An alternative I always suggest is to look on Craigslist or Ebay for used Starrett, Brown and Sharpe, or Mitutoyo tools (to name a few) rather then buy the cheap stuff.

Ive got a full set of Mitutoyo mics 1" 2" 3" 4" 5" I paid several hundred dollars for,
and a cheap duplicate set from northern tool mics along with half a dozen different digital calipers and so far they all are consistent enough that theres not been any effective difference. now I fully agree theres a very noticeable difference in quality , that's not debatable, but if your just measuring something like a piston ring thickness, or crank journal diam. they all work well enough.
and yes I constantly cross check them against each other, in fact I generally use several mics and a digital caliper during engine assembly, and constantly recheck against the precision gauge blocks and feeler gauges

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=852&p=1812&hilit=resistance+rotation#p1812

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=2726&hilit=plastigauge


notice how one side of the bearing holding section has a radias (left)(GOES TOWARD CRANK COUNTER WEIGHT) but the opposite sides flush (right) (FACES MATCHED ROD)the larger bevel faces the crank counter weight, the smaller the adjacent rod its paired with, don,t forget the piston, has an exhaust and intake clearance notch on most designs that needs to match the valve lay out also

read these threads above

if youve used a quality assembly lube it should require NO MORE than 40 ft lbs of force to start an engine to turn and under 20 ft lbs to keep it spinning, and thats with new rings in a newly honed bore, that effort required should drop rapidly to the point that less than 20 ft lbs are required to spin a short block after its been well oiled and rotated dozens of times.
one factor some new guys over look is that rods and bearings are designed with one side having a bevel that faces the counter weights and a non-bevel edge facing the matched rod