Rotagrip bore gauge?

Happy New Year to all!

I'm looking to buy a new bore gauge, but ideally it needs to be imperial. My principal usage would be for classic car engine rebuilding/checking.

I've seen Rotagrip recommended, specifically this one:

http://rotagriponline.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=6814&Itemid=29

...but I've never heard of them. I like the idea of being able to switch between metric and imperial, and decent (Mitutoyo etc.) sets don't seem to be made in imperial these days. Anybody got any experience of Rotagrip? Any good?

Thanks, Roger

Hi,

I have used Rotagrip for various bits. They have been around for ages and have always given good service when I have dealt with them.

David.

I've bought a couple of items from Rotagrip, one by visiting, one from their website. Their warehouse looks rather chaotic, but friendly service and no problems.

Always had good service and products from Rotagrip from taps to chucks.

Emgee

Rotagrip is a well-respected dealer but, so far as I am aware, not a manufacturer of measuring instruments

See this page: **LINK**

http://www.rotagriponline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=26

The fact that they sell that particular item suggests, but probably does not assure, that it is of decent quality.

... Hopefully someone will step forward with an opinion based on purchase

MichaelG.

Thanks for the advice (so many folk looking at the forum at this time on new year's day??!!).

I guessed that at that price Rotagrip are unlikely to make these gauges in-house. But as you say, their reputation seems good so one would hope the quality's there. That said, a bore gauge is a comparative tool, so as long as I use the same one all the time and set it up properly I hope I'd be OK.

Happy New Year everybody. (we live in hope!)

Rotagrip are in Hockley, Birmingham. I've visited their premises a couple of times in the past. Can't fault their service or the items purchased.

Gordon.

Unless you are looking at something like a Moore & Wright inside micrometer set 903 or similar a lot of bore gauges work on the principle of set something up to contact the bore surface and measure it. The measuring being done with a micrometer. This is how the expanding ball and cheaper telescopic types work. The ones with a clock on an extended arm can have a mechanical clock that is metric or imperial and can often be swapped to give either system as required. They are often set to zero in a micrometer and used as a comparator to get the bore to required size. The electronic one is probably similar in operation to the mechanical ones in not giving an absolute value but a relative value so needs setting to zero in a micrometer or other suitable method before use and checking the zero is still correct as the job progresses. I haven't used the electronic type so may be talking rubbish here but the mechanics of bore measurement are quite an art with most of these tools and require a good feel for repeatable results.

Martin C

Well, actually looking at the one the OP linked to it seems to be a combination, using an electronic indicator (dial gauge) on telescoping "probes". Has the neat feature that it has a "dip hold" rather than a peak hold so you can rock the gauge in the bore and it remembers the minimum reading. Could work pretty well I think.

That's what I thought - I'll talk to Rotagrip when everything opens again next week.

I think it is very nice with a good range and being able to use a mic or caliper to set is a big advantage over the three legged type that have to use ring gauges. It will take more practice to get perfect results, though. The price is also very good.