Tool Mitutoyo adjustable parallels REVIEW

[Dabbler]

There have been a few references to Mitutoyo adjustable parallels. After a bunch of detective work, and a few bad experiences, it has resulted in a strong suspicion that these are some form of counterfeit. This week I decided to do a practical test.

Before I start - I know I can buy aliexpress stiff at a fraction of the cost, or accusize at about half the price I paid. I bought this item in spite of all that.

The item is the Mitutoyo 985-131 a set of adjustable parallels from .375 to 2.50 (9.53 - 57.15mm). Price was 168$ plus 6$ shipping. Yeah, I know.

They come in a vinyl case, and Mitutoyo asserts that they are made in the USA. The small hole gauges and the telescoping bore gauges from Mit also come in vinyl, but it used to always be red... At least the orange vinyl is consistent with the Mitutoyo colour scheme.

I've tried all of the 6 included parallels. Two of them seem to have a little 'roughness', but a quick swipe from my finger removed whatever dirt/grit that was causing it - there didn't seem to be any residue on my finger though. The smallest of the two screw parallels has one thing that its weird. If the set screws are adjusted tight enough to create friction, there is a point where it has a little more resistance than everywhere else. Working it back and forth for 20 seconds seemed to remove 90% of the difference - perhaps a microburr?

Context before judging: I've used brand new Starrett adjustable parallels (20 years ago), made in USA, and they were FAR rougher and inconsistent than these, heck even a set that was used often over 20 years weren't any better than these ones. And the Starrett ones cost 600 USD+...

Verdict: they aren't perfect, but frankly what I was expecting from Mit. You can do far better 'bang for the buck' going Ali, but expect to stone out a thing or 2. The ali ones are fine, these are nicer than the ones I've used. Will I be sending them back? Nope - I'm OK with the price/performance.

 

[ChazzC]

I’m beginning to think that anything we buy now needs “adjusting” if not modifying/fixing before use.

I have a couple of used individuals name-brand B&S and Fowler) parallels that are reasonably smooth, but my set is HHIP brand purchased on eBay (US$25?) years ago. When I received them I wasn’t happy with the feel and when I complained I was told “they’re all like that, they work in.” It wasn’t worth an eBay claim so I disassembled them, went at the mating surfaces with a toothbrush & Isopropyl alcohol, blew them out and reassembled with a drop of Starrett instrument oil and they were silky smooth.

The biggest problem I had was the soft screws: I replaced them with insert clamping screws (fit the countersinks perfectly). My now Starrett (oil) adjustable parallels work as well or better than any I have tried, and I can tighten them with confidence that I loosen them with ruining the screw heads.

 

[Susquatch]

There have been a few references to Mitutoyo adjustable parallels. After a bunch of detective work, and a few bad experiences, it has resulted in a strong suspicion that these are some form of counterfeit. This week I decided to do a practical test.

Before I start - I know I can buy aliexpress stiff at a fraction of the cost, or accusize at about half the price I paid. I bought this item in spite of all that.

You and I are sooooo similar it's scary. I would never pay that kind of money for something I needed. BUT I WOULD to do a test like that to satisfy my curiosity and in the hope that it would benefit others.

The smallest of the two screw parallels has one thing that its weird. If the set screws are adjusted tight enough to create friction, there is a point where it has a little more resistance than everywhere else. Working it back and forth for 20 seconds seemed to remove 90% of the difference - perhaps a microburr?

I have a much cheaper set of Accusize adjustable parallels. They were EXACTLY like you describe. Right down to wiping out the grit and working the smallest ones back and forth for 30 seconds to smooth them out.

Context before judging: I've used brand new Starrett adjustable parallels (20 years ago), made in USA, and they were FAR rougher and inconsistent than these, heck even a set that was used often over 20 years weren't any better than these ones. And the Starrett ones cost 600 USD+...

I've never owned anything else to compare them with.

Verdict: they aren't perfect, but frankly what I was expecting from Mit. You can do far better 'bang for the buck' going Ali, but expect to stone out a thing or 2. The ali ones are fine, these are nicer than the ones I've used. Will I be sending them back? Nope - I'm OK with the price/performance.

I like my Accusize units. Perhaps the worst thing about them is the crummy plastic folder they come in. I'd have preferred a wooden or even a plastic box.

Thanks for doing this test for us! It answers a lot of important questions.