PEC VS Starrett - actual difference?

[Matthew N. Masail]

The PEC combo Squares are almost half the price of a Starrettt, and they seem to get high praise. I often read about people using their Starrett for more than 15years and it's still dead on, I was wondering if the PEC is the same? what is the actual difference between them? I am looking to get a 12" combo and a 4" double and want tools that I know I can count on.

[ian maybury]

We don't get PEC here Matthew, and they do seem to get good reviews - but my experience a couple of years ago with squares was perhaps illustrative of what can happen. Led by a major magazine review i bought a mid priced example they praised only to find that it wasn't accurate, was sticky in movement - and the stud snapped off due to a heat treatment problem on first or second use. I then bought what was/still is for their higher end lines a highly regarded Japanese metrology brand, only to find that it was also sticky and inaccurate and the stud assembly was a poor fit which made it tough to get the rule back in - they had recently switched production to a low cost location. Thinking it was likely an exception i accepted a replacement, only for it to be the same.

Reading the signs in the air i breathed deeply and bought a Starrett - the lower cost cast version with the crinkle finish. Night and day. Dead accurate, well finished, lovely feel, lots of heft. A pleasure every time I pick it up. Just about the only negative was the realisation that in retrospect the more expensive stainless rule is probably quite a bit easier to read over time - the steel one darkens up. Significantly more expensive, but i paid out far more than any difference in return shipping costs and had about 3 months of hassle and messing about.

If you happen to live close to a source that will accept returns 'in the event of' and not result in restocking or return shipping charges then maybe it's worth trying for a decent example of a lower cost square, but i've no idea where the high profile US mag that ran the above review of squares got its product from because they didn't get a single bum example across heaven knows how many brands. No doubt they would say i was unlucky.

Definitely a case of getting what you pay for in my view….

[Larry Edgerton]

I have a Mitatoyo combination set that is another option. I have used it for over twenty years heavily, every day use, and when amortized over that time period its about 2 cents a day and counting. I actually like the mitatoyo stuff better but do have some Starrett stuff and it is first rate as well.

[Matt Evans]

I'll vouch for Mitutoyo as a Starrett alternative. No experience with PEC.

I have a mixture of Starrett and Mitutoyo squares, calipers, dial indicators, etc. Both work, are accurate, easy to use, easy to read....and stay that way though heavy use. I've tried cheaper brands, and never had any luck with them, at least not for long term accurate work.

[Phil Thien]

PEC is very good stuff.

[Jim Matthews]

+2 on the PEC

I have both the Starret and PEC 4" doubles.
I bought the Starret, starting out.

The PEC came with a trade.

I can't tell the difference, in practice.
I use them mainly to check edges for square off a reference face.

If I have more than one depth to maintain, it's nice to have more than one.

I will say that the PEC beam is easier to replace than the Starrett.
Perhaps that means there's more play in the mechanism.

They both rust, in my shop and must be kept lightly oiled.

[Mike Henderson]

I have Mitutoyo and Starrett for larger combination squares and PEC for the small 4" double squares. All of it is good. I bought my Starrett and Mitutoyo squares on eBay a while back. Don't know how they're priced now there (whether it's a good deal or not).

Mike

[george wilson]

I like PEC tools just fine.

[glenn bradley]

I actually sold my Starrett double squares and kept the PECs. They were smoother in operation and better finished; the Starretts were sharp to the hand (which is probably a level of precision and maybe not a bad thing) and a bit jumpy in use. I do have a 12" Starrett combo which again, is not as smooth as my PEC but, after some use has proven to be quite usable.

[john zulu]

I have a Mitutoyo and PEC square. Both are fine tools. I made a mistake with Mitutoyo. The ruler seem to rust. I am quite sure I got the harden steel..... Anyway it is dead accurate.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Thanks guys, I think I'll give the PEC a shot, maybe even cosmetic seconds. I have a lot of tools to buy and saving 100$-150$ will help.

[ian maybury]

A note of caution on the Mitutoyos - their products are normally excellent. Not only that but the head is hardened. It's unfortunately one i had problems with as above roughly a couple of years ago though. According to a customer service guy i spoke to at the time production had recently been relocated. It's probably still very much worth a look, as it seems very unlikely that the situation would have been allowed to continue.

This might be worth a look, but there's a few watching it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mitutoyo-6-C...-/221646840804

[Dave Cav]

I have a couple of PEC squares and I'm pretty happy with them; they seem to be nearly as nice as the one Starrett square I have.

I also have a couple of iGaging double squares. All I can say is that you get what you pay for. They're the ones I use at school because they get beat up and if I loose it, no big deal.

[Winton Applegate]

You know me . . . I'm not ver literate so I like lots of pictures . . . but I can't take pictures . . .
well any way hopefully to stimulate some real photographers here to put some up
The top Mitutoyo is like thirty years old and is very high quality the only chintz is the thin adjust knob next to the larger one is plastic. Its only function though is as an indicator. I tried to show that but failed. There is a white mark on it to show where the hook is that goes into the groove in the rule. This is very handy and I wish the Starretts had this. I like the Mitutoyo very much in every way.

I am interested to see how Mitutoyo has changed. Does any one have photos of a new one.

An how PECs compare ( I have never heard of them but then I am a hermit).

The smaller squares are both Starretts and are about a decade old. The 45° one I had to over haul when I got it. The hook was rough and would stick and had burs on it. As I recall I had to correct for square some by filing a few whispers off.

I really like the black wrinkle finish as I said. I was disappointed it did not have Starrett engraved on the edge like the hardened one has. I like the Starrett rules quite a lot and would buy Starrett again.

Bottom line check every thing / buy the best / have fun / learn to take photos so you aren't like me.

PS: I left the overall photo huge so some body might get some sort of detail out of it if you zoom in. Sigh

[ian maybury]

Searching for a photo of the model of Mitutoyo square I was supplied with in 2011 but returned (see my post above about the poor quality) for you Winton i notice that (a) it's very different to your old one, and (b) quite different to the one offered from the last link below - which may (?) be a replacement product/the current model.

This is the type that was shipped to me in late 2011 from the UK supplier , it or one visually very similar is still on offer here from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/MITUTOYO-Piece.../dp/B005PX87ZW

Here it is again, but this time marked as discontinued but pointing to a replacement product also on offer (i found at least one more source saying the same):

https://www.acklandsgrainger.com/AGI...de=MTT180-905U

Here's the set currently offered by a US supplier that just came up on a quick Google - it's clearly a different set. The protractor casting is different, and the casting flanges/webs in general look thicker. Yet its painted in the pale grey of the type above:

https://www.penntoolco.com/catalog/p...ategoryID=9132

I'm not sure what to think. What I do know is that the quality of the example of the first type that i was supplied with in 2011 was poor as described above - worse even than described, because the protrator was such a loose fit in its housing that it would have been highly inaccurate. It'd be great if they have returned to product of their original very high quality product.

I'm guessing two possibilities - (a) that there's a second higher quality version of the combo square set available (but this didn't seem to be the case when i was searching back in 2011), or (b) that as seemed possible back in 2011 they have switched to a new source - or maybe even reverted to their old one. (the poor 2011 product they said came from a new supplier they had recently switched to)

Anybody have any hard information?