In General: Dial Bore Gages Dial bore gages are used as comparators. You will be comparing the bore of your work against the bore of a master, such as a ring gage or a preset micrometer. If your work piece has to be .375" for example, place your bore gage head into a .375" ring gage and set the dial to zero. Then place the bore gage head into your work piece and you will be able to see how close to zero your bore is. The graduations on the dial, be they .0001" or .0005" (or metric) will indicate the difference between your work piece and the ring gage. Bore gages typically have 2 point measurement. The fixed—but interchangeable—range contact is opposite the movable measuring plunger. This arrangement allows you to check for irregularities in the bore. You'll easily see if you're out of round, or if you've created a taper. Since direct measurements are never taken with a bore gage, there is no point in having the gage calibrated. What is important is that the indicator hand moves freely and the gage doesn't stick; that there is no excessive play in the movable anvil at the measuring head; and that the fixed or interchangeable anvils (there may be one or more) are not worn flat. If any of these conditions exist, then the gage needs servicing. The dial indicator which is attached to the measuring head must, of course, be accurate and this indicator can be calibrated just like any other dial indicator. (See this web site for information on dial indicators.) Please note: if you need to take direct measurements of the bore then you'll want to use an internal micrometer or a bore micrometer such as an Intrimik or ingage. (see page 25) Bore gages are available from many manufacturers with a great range of prices which are a reflection of the tool's durability and workmanship. Gages with carbide plungers and points will of necessity cost more but last longer. On the other hand, steel plungers and points are cheaper to buy and replace. As with other gages, if the tool will only be rarely used there is not much sense in investing in high-end equipment. All bore gages are accurate comparators when new. The measuring head and the indicator portion can usually be purchased separately if one or the other becomes damaged. Replaceable anvils and other repair parts are generally available except for the inexpensive models such as Teclock and other Asian imports. |
Alina |
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Alina dial bore gauges were manufactured in Switzerland and discontinued in the late 1960's. They were American versions of the early Compac dial bore gage. It's a testimony to the skill of this manufacturer that these gages are still in circulation. Parts for the measuring head are identical to current Compac models (see below). The dial indicator has been replaced with a newer version but it is easy to install this new indicator on your old gage. - Repairs: Long Island Indicator Service
- Sales: Long Island Indicator Service
- Parts: Long Island Indicator Service
- Information: refer to information on Compac dial bore gages
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Boice |
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Boice formerly manufactured by Federal Gage. These are discontinued. - Repairs: no longer possible if parts are involved
- Sales: no longer available
- Parts: no longer available
- Information: no longer available
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Bowers |
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Bowers made in England and distributed in the US by Fred Fowler. Originally designed for the British automobile manufacturers. They have 2 point measurement and depth extensions are available. We have no experience with these and can't pass judgment. - Repairs: contact Fowler
- Sales: Fowler distributors nationwide
- Parts: contact Fowler
- Information: contact Fowler or see their web site
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Compac |
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Compac dial bore gauge manufactured in Switzerland since 1943. Formerly sold with the Alina, Interapid and SPI name on the dial. They have long been the very finest bore gages available. The design and constructions of these bore gages is unlike any other on the market. However, we've said it before and it's still true: the workmanship on the new generation Compac dial bore gages is sub-standard. We have close to 50% rejection on brand new gages. Also, there have been delivery problems while the manufacturer is trying to figure out what's going on. If you buy one of these gages from us, we'll check it out thoroughly so that you don't get stuck with a lemon. Depth extension options, although theoretically available, are limited. - Repairs: Long Island Indicator Service
- Sales: Long Island Indicator Service
- Parts: Long Island Indicator Service
- Information: Long Island Indicator Service
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Dorsey |
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Dorsey Standard Style dial bore gage made in USA. Dorsey offers an impressive variety of bore gage styles. Among them are the "Standard Gage" style which is a look-alike of the old made-in-Poughkeepsie bore gages except that they now have a Dorsey indicator (which we can only see as an improvement). - Repairs: Long Island Indicator Service
- Sales: Long Island Indicator Service
- Parts: see information on Standard Bore Gage
- Information: see information on Standard Bore Gages
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Hemco |
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Hemco of Holland, Michigan, bore gages made in England. No information available. |
Interapid |
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Interapid dial bore gauge was manufactured in Switzerland by Compac and previously sold by Borel & Dunner. These are no longer being sold under the Interapid name. They are identical to the Compac dial bore gage (see above). |
Kent Moore |
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Kent Moore dial bore gages were manufactured by Standard Gage in Poughkeepsie. Kent Moore tools are usually associated with the automotive industry. See Standard Gage, below. |
Mitutoyo |
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Mitutoyo dial bore gages Series 511, manufactured in Japan, can't compete with the workmanship of the Swiss made bore gages. However, they're much more affordable. Depth extensions up to 39" are available. Dial bore gage Series 545 is patterned after the Standard Gage dial bore gages but Mitutoyo offers fewer models. Mitutoyo dial indicators are included with the bore gage. It must be pointed out that spare parts, including replacement anvils, often have a 3 month back order. - Repairs: Long Island Indicator Service
- Sales: Long Island Indicator Service
- Parts: currently unavailable (4-6 month back order)
- Information: Long Island Indicator Service (Series 511)
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Peacock |
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Peacock dial bore gages are manufactured in Japan. Apparently the metric models are popular in the auto industry. They're an "economy model" and should probably be treated as throw-aways. Available in ranges from .25" up to 10". A series of anvils and washers are used to get the different bore diameters. For what it's worth, you can get the dial in white or black. - Repairs: probably not economical
- Sales: some catalogs
- Parts: not generally available
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Schwenk |
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Schwenk dial bore gauge. Made in Germany by Oskar Schwenk using Kafer dial indicators. A light, well made gage available in standard and right-angle versions is sold under the brand name Subito. They are much less expensive than other European bore gages. These are similar to the ones sold under the name Etalon in the 1950's. Etalon dropped the line when the better designed Compac bore gages were introduced. Tesa's Veribor is suspiciously similar. - Repairs: Long Island Indicator Service
- Sales: unknown
- Parts: unknown
- Information: unknown
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SPI |
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SPI is a vanity dial. SPI had put its name on the Swiss made Compac dial bore gage (see above). Other than the dial, all parts are identical. SPI has stopped carrying these. If you need new gages or spare parts, simply order the original Compac version. Beware of economy bore gages made in Asia, also sold with the SPI vanity dial. The cheap price should give them away. If you want the real thing, make sure it's made in Switzerland. Parts and service for the Asian bore gages are not available. - Repairs: Long Island Indicator Service
- Sales: see Compac Bore Gage on this page
- Parts: see Compac Bore Gage on this page
- Information: see Compac Bore Gage on this page
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Standard Gage |
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Standard Gage dial bore gage. The best bore gage currently available although problems with brand new gages are not uncommon. One of the most frequent complaints is that range extensions won't screw into the body because of poorly matched threads. New models are manufactured in Switzerland by Tesa but some of the assembly work is done in the USA. (Older models were made entirely in Poughkeepsie, New York.) They're mongrels of sorts since the dial movement is made by Kafer in Germany. Standard bore gages are of simple design and are available in many different custom lengths up to 72". The self-centering mechanism consists of two spring-loaded anvils which are easily replaced when worn. The bore gage has a large and convenient handle so you can get a good grip. A "rinsable" version as well as bore gages with a right-angle measuring head are available. If they have a glaring weakness it's that spare parts for the dial indicator portion of the gage are not available. Standard models often have 3-4 week deliveries and custom lengths can take up to 3 months. Most parts for the measuring head of the new models are interchangeable with the old models. Dorsey makes a look-alike which is worth considering. - Repairs: Long Island Indicator Service
- Sales: Long Island Indicator Service
- Parts: Long Island Indicator Service
- Information: Long Island Indicator Service
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Sunnen |
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Sunnen dial bore gage. These American made models, designed as an accessory for Sunnen honing and bore-sizing machines, have fully exposed measuring heads making them easy to slosh around in cleaning fluid when needed. The current dial indicator is a modified Mitutoyo indicator. Early model Sunnen bore gages used the easily damaged Federal indicator. The largest models have a convenient lifting lever. To our detriment, Sunnen does not have a distributor network, so you'll have to buy directly from them. Disappointments: some thin-walled moving parts in the head break quickly, and often, and since the manufacturer does not make these parts available, your only option is to replace the entire head. Although small quantities are usually in stock, the manufacturer makes custom lengths on request and this can take up to 4 weeks. - Repairs: Long Island Indicator Service
- Sales: the manufacturer at 1-800-325-3670
- Parts: the manufacturer
- Information: the manufacturer
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Teclock |
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Teclock dial bore gage made in Japan. Models CCI-35, CCI-60, CCI-150, CCI-250 may be available but finding a distributor who carries these is a task for Miss Marple. These are cheap bore gages which have the disadvantage that parts (accessories and spare parts) may be impossible to get. Other cheap bore gages exist and if money is your only criterion then you have plenty of options. If you need quality, on the other hand, consider Standard bore gages or Compac mentioned above. - Repairs: not possible
- Sales: unknown
- Parts: not available
- Information: not available
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Veribor Light |
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Veribor Light dial bore gage is made by Tesa, Switzerland, is of European origin. This "light" version was introduced in 2007. It looks like Tesa resurrected an old Etalon design with modifications, perhaps to offset the problems with their costly Compac bore gages. They look pretty much like the Mitutoyo (which was also a copy of the old Etalon design). The centering device is a pair of wheels which some say reduces scratching or marring of polished surfaces. A major difference between the Veribor and other bore gages is the Veribor will take any dial indicator or probe, without having to use a special housing. The complete set ranging from .7" to 6.0" is a pretty good deal since these are currently being offered at an introductory discount. Tesa claims that replacement parts will be available. |
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This page's most recent revision: 5 May 2008
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