Thread: Cheap Edge Finders - Any Good ?

I'm contemplating spending six dollars on a Chinese edge finder so before hitting the "buy it now" button I thought I would ask whether they are a worthwhile investment.

Would anyone recommend the outlay and if so, on which type, the pretend Vertex or the oversize jointed version? Or would I be better off putting the six dollars towards a fifty dollar metric Starrett?

BT

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Bob I have the one on the right - it was on special from CTC. Unfortunately I have nothing to compare it with, but you are welcome to try it.

Hi BT,

I have 3 edge finders. A Brown & Sharpe, Starrett and a no name brand that is audible and has an LED similar to this: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Edge-Fin...oAAOSwiYlaIQXe

The no name one is terrible. While I have never measured it's accuracy, it's repeatability is terrible. Whenever I have used this particular edge finder and re-tested the zero point, I find it deviates by anything up to about 0.1mm. The Starrett and B&S are both excellent and their repeatability is exceptional. I find myself using the B&S more often than the starrett purely because it has an audible click when it gets thrown off centre and also it's metric, which while I can work in either metric or imperial, I naturally prefer metric.

Personally, I think you would find the cheapie edge finder quite frustrating to use and a disappointment.

Edit: then again, don't be a tight wad. Buy both and do a review for us!

Simon

Thanks for replies Bob and Simon and thanks for the offer Bob.

I do have a mint Starrett finder but it is imperial and to use it on the 13 requires a collet chuck or an equally as long end mill holder. The appeal of the metric finder is that it could be used in an ISO 30 collet that sits flush with the vertical head's spindle nose thereby maximising the precious Z and probably more importantly, it could be used in the high speed head. At present most of my edge finding is achieved using the centring microscope, but the scope consumes a fair amount of Z and it won't fit the HS head. Hence the interest in an alternative.

BT

I forgot to mention the CTC edge finder with the LED and audible beep - I just tested it out against the mill. It looks like its doing OK, 0.02 mm reproducibility against the MT3 socket.

Metric ... imp
My starret is 0.100" or 2.54mm
This is why you need dro...lol makes it easy.

Originally Posted by BobL

I forgot to mention the CTC edge finder with the LED and audible beep - I just tested it out against the mill. It looks like its doing OK, 0.02 mm reproducibility against the MT3 socket.

I think this is the same one I have. It has just occured to me that perhaps my repeatability issues may be due to the fact that I used it on my Chinese mill which has standard tapered roller bearings in the spindle. Nothing precision. I will endevour to re-test it in my other mill which uses Fafnir precision bearings. The repeatability issues may be due to the runout of the spindle due to the bearings.

Simon

I have the vertex one on the left. Seems good to me, quite repeatable to within 0.02mm or so, and features end up being similarly accurate relative to found edges. For seven bucks, i sure aint complaining, its easily accurate enough for the work the mill is capable of.

Hi Guys,

I have several edge finders, all home brew. I made a copy of the Starrett one after using a borrowed one that was imperial. I made mine with a 4 mm probe. It works very well. Comparing it with a 1/10th mm dial gauge, it was within a needle thickness every time.

Nowadays I'm getting lazy and use the "Rizla" method ! Very quick and easy.

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The one in the middle is the Starrett copy. The one on the left is for bars and rods, the one on the right is a 1/2" ball race on a 1/4" shaft.

Originally Posted by BaronJ

Rizla" method
.

eh?

Originally Posted by eskimo

eh?

Rizla - I assumed that was jigging a cigarette paper in the gap. If so use that nether setting the gap in between the rollers and the band on the band saw.

I have the edge finder on the right and think it works just fine. Mine seems to be plenty repeatable.

Hi BT,
I have two like the one on the right, both work well, I also have one of the beep /light combo one which I liked but it has just recently died. Be careful with using the ones shown on the right they only need to be run at 900 rpm or below, I run mine at 800 rpm.
Bob

Originally Posted by eskimo

Metric ... imp
My starret is 0.100" or 2.54mm
This is why you need dro...lol makes it easy.

Most would opt for a DRO Richard but I can't bring myself to chucking these out -

DSCN1269 (Large).JPG IMG_20171222_082417313 (Large).jpg

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

Most would opt for a DRO Richard but I can't bring myself to chucking these out -

I have watched AB using his microscope and it is indeed a beautiful thing.