Lufkin Tools

[jackellis]

Anyone have an opinion on these as an alternative to Starrett rules and squares?

[bigsteel15]

Yes.
You get what you pay for.
Sorry to be blunt but I have yet to find an equal to Starrett except maybe the Incra or Lee Valley products.
Lufkin is a contractor product and when was the last time you found a square wall in your house?

[kwgeorge]

Lufkin is a contractor product and when was the last time you found a square wall in your house?

See now that’s funny! Painful but funny! Awhile back while doing a kitchen remodel in our house I pulled out the oven from the wall and enlarged the pantry. I found the small wall was out almost 3” from the top to the bottom. I ended up having to dig out the nails, move the lower section of the wall and re-shoot the plate. So I can so relate to that answer.

To the question though. I am of the firm belief that you must own at least one good square and one good ruler by which you check everything else you own with. Never had this hit home so much as when I found the Craftsmen tri-square I was using to be out of square by almost a 8th of an inch or a 12” length. Starrett is without a doubt top of the line and you do not have to pay retail. I have bought quite a few nice Starrett products lately on ebay for much less.

Ken

[jackellis]

I'm sorry, Brian, could you be a little clearer about that

OK, Starrett it is. My rule-of-thumb is to pay no more than half the retail price so I avoid the temptation to get into a bidding war but in this case, any discount is probably better than none.

Hartwell tool does have a good deal on Starrett combination squares with a Hi Gauge, which appears to be quite handy:

http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11790

I might buy that one if I can't find a better deal between now and January 10th.

I did buy both the 12" and 6" Starrett pocket rules at an estate sale a few weeks back for the princely sum of....$1. I could tell they were worth more but only now realize what a steal I got.

[TB Roye]

I have some Starett rules and squares that I bought in 1963 while working in a Sheet Metal shop I still use them today including a 12' tape. I also have a Kennedy tool box and a bunch of SK sockets, ratchets and end wrenches and they are all in like new shapeand they were used a lot over the years. It pays to get good stuff.

Tom

[eezlock]

Lufkin tools....

Anyone have an opinion on these as an alternative to Starrett rules and squares?

These are contractor/ handyman/ homeowner grade tools for the most part.
If you want accuracy buy Starret. If you want precision machinist quality
that all good machinist use...get Brown & Sharpe dial calipers, micrometers,
depth gauges, inside & outside gauges, I think you get the picture here...
just a word of caution before going on a buying spree...get your money,
your mind and wallet right because they can get EXPENSIVE ! And, by the
way....look at local flea markets, yard sales, etc. sometimes they can be bought cheaper there if someone doesn't know what they really have
and are trying to unload for a few bucks. I know about precision tools,
in my business 1/1000 th of an inch makes a lot of difference when working
with close tolerances. eezlock

[jackellis]

Thanks for the advice. I still have not gotten over the sticker shock of new Starrett tools, though I can tell from the ones I have that they are indeed very good quality.

Interestingly enough, Starrett tools on eBay are priced surprisingly close to retail. I have found some good dial indicators at good prices and will probably snag one tomorrow.

[cgallery]

Older Lufkin squares (these were hardened just like Starrett) are very high quality and accurate (and collectible). I wasn't aware that Lufkin (now owned by someone else) was still making squares. If you have stumbled upon some NOS in a old hardware store, you may want to research them a little. 12" in fine condition with three heads can go $150 pretty easily. But I've heard of old hardware stores still having them on the shelf for $20!

[Tom Slick]

PEC is a high quality substitute for starret. IMHO starret at one time was top of the line, and some of their stuff still is, but alot of their stuff is overpriced and not any better then many others. one example is their dial calipers, still built the way they were 30 years ago, and chips still fall into thier open rack and mess up the gears yet they cost $50 more then any others.
as mentioned Brown and Sharpe, Mitutoyo, Interapid, PEC, and a few others are very high quality and not nearly as "expensive".
take a look at
www.jlindustrial.com
www.mscdirect.com
www.use-enco.com
www.mcmaster.com
for precision rules

[maxparot]

For steel contractor squares Lufkin is fine. So are Craftsman, Irwin, Great neck and a lot of middle of the road toolmakers products.

The reason I can say this is I don't expect them to be square to begin with. It is really a simple task to make them square with a center punch.

Whether this type of square does the job for you depends on the type of work you are doing with it and how well you tune it with a punch.

[JTimmons]

Lufkin is a contractor product and when was the last time you found a square wall in your house?

LMAO!

Ain't that the truth! I always assumed this was caused by today's builders eye balling, but who knows could be the instruments they are using.

[bigsteel15]

I was in HD yesterday and saw a new product (new here anyways) made by Empire. They seem to guarantee some good accuracy. Of course the price is higher than normal but certainly less than Starrett.

[JSCOOK]

Lufkin is a contractor product and when was the last time you found a square wall in your house?

ROFLMAO ... that was priceless and made my morning!