Hi Graeme, might this be the one you are thinking of.

Regards Nick

My 50th Anniversary Starrett Catalogue (1930) shows Micrometer Caliper №230 has a conventional thimble, as do all the micrometers listed back then.   Nothing like John’s T221XL in 1930, though perhaps the tenths №230 was modified later?

The №230 variant pictured by Nick has a friction thimble, which I think is different from Graeme’s tenth’s measuring inline thimble, as per T221XL .  Dunno – does anyone have a tenths №230?

Studying Starrett’s Anniversary Catalogue puts me off collecting them because there are so many models and variants!  For example №575 is a screw-thread micrometer with A,B,C and D models covering different TPI, plus corresponding metric ‘M’ models. Both are supplied with either fixed or moveable anvils.   That makes 16 variants, some them likely to be rare.  Once they’re all acquired, start again with №585 which is the same, apart from having a 2″ frame.

Some unusual ones:

• №204 – Quick Adjusting
• №228 – Hub Micrometer
• №220 & №221 – With Finger ring
• №223 – Paper
• №222 – Sheet Metal
• №210 – Screw Thread Comparator
• №238 – Heavy
• №127 – US Ordnance
• №128 – Round work up to 4″
• №175 – Inspector’s Gauge (fits through holes, for example to measure boiler plates)
• №31   – Inspector’s Gauge (fits through small holes, graduated in ¹⁄₃₂  and ¹⁄₄₀”)

And once one has collected the entire standard range, there’s more:  Starrett sold cased display collections (POA), and had a “Special Order Department”…

If anyone has an unusual Starrett,  please share photos.

Dave

On 3 July 2025 at 11:24 SillyOldDuffer Said:

 

If anyone has an unusual Starrett,  please share photos.

Dave

 

Not sure how unusual it is, but I have a 0-6″. Not the best of photos, but it was already on the hard drive.

It’s getting a bit tired now, is accurate at both ends, but the 2″-3″ and 3″-4″ misread by one and two thou respectively.

I don’t know if it was originally supplied with a set of reference bars.
See also:
https://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?id=18222

https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/002473007/publication/US404057A?q=pn%3DUS404057A

Bill

I have a number of Starrett micrometers,

I picked up this set a while ago

+

This is a metric set and the 230 has carbide faces,I would have to check to see if it has the vernier scale

A metric 220

A A

A Starrett 436 with carbide faces

I also have a Starrett 221, which was available with or without carbide faces. Looks like I need to take a photo of mine as I haven’t got one. Mine has black markings for the tenths.

There are many many variations of Starrett micrometers, ratchet stop, friction thimble, non carbide and carbide faces, 436 series, 225series, 230, 2M, with vernier scale & without, imperial, metric, I’m pretty sure you could fill several toolboxes if you managed to collect each Starrett micrometer in every variation they made, let alone all the other tools they made.

Even Moore & Wright have a few different types of micrometers, but not as many as Starrett

I have a number of micrometers in my collection, which is quite incomplete, M&W, Shardlow, Brown & Sharpe, Starrett, Lufkin, Mitutoyo, Helios, Mahr, Vis etc

Has anyone got a M&W 100-125mm mic in excellent condition, or a Shardlow 0-25mm, not the blued frame type but the latter one with the green painted frame to match the 25-50mm below, for sale?

On 5 July 2025 at 09:12 Clive Foster Said:

Ian

That metric set looks really really nice.

Any idea what wood Starret used for those smart boxes.

I have a couple of rarely used one living in the basic cardboard boxes and it would be nice to give them better homes matching my other Starrett instruments. Boxes are holding up well at couple or three times year use, helped by careful storage, but proper boxes would mean they can live with the rest of the gear.

Clive

Hi Clive, I have a few Starrett wood boxes and they all seem to be made of different woods. I will get the set out again and see if I can determine what wood they used. I can say the older boxes are solid wood not a plywood as some of the later ones I’ve seen.