New Moore & Wright any good?

[Mark SlatterParticipant @markslatter13251]

Hi all,

I was scanning RDG Tools website and noticed they stock Moore & Wright measuring equipment. Has anyone any feedback as to the current quality? There seems to be a fair bit of plastic in the verniers and micrometers judging by the photos.

[Mark SlatterParticipant @markslatter13251]

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

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M&W 'budget line' products are made in the far east.

I bought one of their verniers when I first started the ME malarkey. After a couple of months it started throwing random readings ever now and again. At first I thought it was me that kept making wrong measurements. Changed battery, cleaned etc.

Got to the stage where I did no longer trust it and it got binned.

Also have one of their 6" height guages that was I think about £100. Feels, looks and is generally low quality and 'plasticky' I am sure there are much better options out there for the money.  

Nick

Edited By Nick_G on 28/08/2017 15:47:17

[Mark SlatterParticipant @markslatter13251]

Thanks for the reply Nick, sad to see their products no longer living up to the name.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

It depends on which ones you get/how much you spend.

I think the budget Moore & Wright comes out under the old Baty brand.

Their plastic calipers aren't primarily meant for metalworking, but for surfaces that might be damaged or scratched by metal equipment.

The good M&W models are as good as Mitutoyo.

Neil

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

Definitely stick with mitty-witty-tuyo when it comes to hand measuring equipment, I've put mine through hell, the only thing that's prone to wear is the thumb wheel insert for the Vernier.

The batteries seem to be magic as i'm still on the first and I ALWAYS forget to turn it off.

The only advice I can give is with buying, if the price looks too good to be true, then it probably is, always stick with the approved suppliers to avoid the disappointment of buying a fake,

it's worth it to just buck up and pay the cash, I've found.

Michael W

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 28/08/2017 16:17:10:

Their plastic calipers aren't primarily meant for metalworking, but for surfaces that might be damaged or scratched by metal equipment.

Neil

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Just to be clear. Although I used the term 'Plasticky' the items I have are not actually the plastic range ones.

Nick

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

I got one of the not so cheap M&W digital calipers for a pressy, I think it was around £60, its rubbish, I've changed the battery a couple of times just in case of duds but its still unreliable it now sits in its box on my desk, I've since bought a mito as above different ball game……………..

[ronan walshParticipant @ronanwalsh98054]

I always stick with Starrett, who afaik still have a place in Jedburgh, or Mitutoyo, their stuff is always excellent. The current issue with mitutoyo is the chinese fakes. Go onto ebay and see how much of the "mitutoyo" tools come from China, all fake.

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

I’ve had one of the budget line metal M&W digital calipers for about 2 years and it’s fine. The view of it given in MEW a couple of months back matches my experience.

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

I’ve had one of the budget line metal M&W digital calipers for about 2 years and it’s fine. The view of it given in MEW a couple of months back matches my experience.

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

I’ve had one of the budget line metal M&W digital calipers for about 2 years and it’s fine. The view of it given in MEW a couple of months back matches my experience.

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

Starrett every time for me even though they are a bit expensive. You get what you pay for.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

One way of avoiding the mitutoyo clone issue is to buy from a certified dealer and you will find them listed on the mitutoyo website along with tips on spotting the fake units .

I have a few sets of Starrett digital calipers and a few mitutoyo units and i like the mitutoyo ones better as they seem smoother besides that the Starret ones are made in China under licence . As far as i know mitutoyo are still japanese made but one would never really know where each component came from !

A few months back i was looking at a compac / tesa digital calliper on ebay – now i wish i had bought it even if only to see if it was any good !

battery life in the mitutoyo out performs every other brand of digital caliper i have ever owned – even the starrett.

Ian .

[Bill DawesParticipant @billdawes]

A useful tip I had off Ketan at ARC a while ago and might be relevant here is to use Silver Oxide batteries, apparently they have a more stable output.

Bill D.

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

I have a budget line M&W metal calliper, can't fault it, very smooth action. Are some members experiencing M&W clones, could that be the problem.

Dave

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

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So basically it seems M&W have become to quality measuring kit what Libya has become to military bands.

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Some time back I bought a M & W 110-DBL calliper at the ME exhibition from one their distributors, basically a well made tool and it worked well except for one thing — at lease for me.

The problem for me was the auto shut of — it was far to short a time from last use to shut down, a matter of a minute or two, thus every time you picked it up you had to switch it on to use it — most annoying. A great feature but it needs to be say 30 mins to shut off IMO.

Other than that it was OK however the company gave me a full refund and I purchased a Mitutoyo

Good luck with your choice John

[DrDaveParticipant @drdave]

I bought a M&W callipers after reading the review/comparison in MEW. I have had no problems with mine: my old vernier callipers never see the light of day now. I am not sure why several members have reported problems with theirs.

Dave

[Michael BriggsParticipant @michaelbriggs82422]

Bought this about two years ago from Farnell so no fleabay fake, genuine Moore and Wright. Was offered a replacement or refund, took the refund and was told to bin the faulty item. Pathetic.

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Pretty sure all the big names are 'badge engineering' i.e. sourcing in China/India & putting their name on the resultant offerings, not sure about Mitutoyo though?

Seems the only way they & most other UK/USA companies can stay in business

Tony

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Haha yes, I have a cheap Indian drill vise that I bought in Canada badged as "South Bend". Clearly somebody bought the rights to the name and figured that they could then flog tat to gullible Mercans at a higher price. It even has scraping marks on the slides for that extra level of gullibility. There's a lot of it about. I suspect that you could buy the same tat without the badge for less dosh.

As for the "tip" about using silver oxide batteries, that's generally what is recommended anyway. Silver oxide batteries for these devices are generally SR44, lithium oxide are LR44. Same size, different chemistry. The lithium voltage is lower and also droops more as it discharges. The worst possible battery for digital calipers would be a pound shop LR44. Some calipers are fussier than others.

Murray

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Muzzer on 29/08/2017 07:41:46:

As for the "tip" about using silver oxide batteries, that's generally what is recommended anyway. Silver oxide batteries for these devices are generally SR44 …

.

Also known as 357/303

I have taken to using the Energizer version, from ebay seller 'beakytrading'

… great product, and excellent service.

MichaelG.

.

**LINK**

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Energizer-357-SR44W-SB-B9-Silver-Oxide-Watch-Battery-1-55v-1-Pack/351759196757?

**LINK**

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quality-Silver-Oxide-Batteries-1-55v-to-fit-MITUTOYO-Micrometers-Etc-2-Pack-/351763253838?

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 29/08/2017 08:05:01

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