quicksylver
Well-Known Member
So which ones do you use?
GOOD DIGITAL CALIPERS
- Thread starter quicksylver
- Start date
Ian
Notorious member
I have three sets of iGauging absolute origin digies that have been as good as my Swiss Fowler certified ones or my Mitutoyo but cost a fraction.
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Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
I own several pair of Horror Fright dial calipers. At least 2 pair are in inch and mm, which is handy for working on Japanese bikes. I find that for the money the dial calipers are hard to beat. I bought a set of their digital calipers, but the battery does not last and seems to always be dead when I want to use it. I have my Mitutoyo micrometers for truly precision work as well as a few Brown & Sharpe mics in 3 inches and larger. But I use those calipers a lot and I'm happy given they were about $20.00. I did have to rebuild one. Something got in the gear rack so I pulled it apart, cleaned it and it is as good as new. They are very well made for the money. They ain't Starrett. But they ain't Starrett priced, either.
Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
/\ this statement pretty much sums up my experience and feelings. /\
A decent dial caliper doesn't cost an arm & leg, they are durable if treated well, and THEY ARE NOT DEPENDANT on batteries.
The "Gee Whiz" factor of digital, battery powered calipers just doesn't outweigh the reliability of a decent dial caliper. IMO
It has consistently been my experience in life that most things break late in the evening, usually on a Saturday night. Unless it is an important piece of gear and then it will break on December 23 at 4:50pm or the Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving at the beginning of an ice storm.
JWFilips
Well-Known Member
I'm correcting my post Below because I made a mistake:
Years ago I sold an excellent 4 digit Starrett Digital Micrometer, on the other side of the street for my friend who was a machinist! I had it for about 4 months and used it before I got an offer to buy it! Fell in love with it but I just could not afford the price I finally sold it for! It was used but brought $175 plus shipping and I'm told it was a deal.
Years ago I sold an excellent 4 digit Starrett Digital Micrometer, on the other side of the street for my friend who was a machinist! I had it for about 4 months and used it before I got an offer to buy it! Fell in love with it but I just could not afford the price I finally sold it for! It was used but brought $175 plus shipping and I'm told it was a deal.
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Yeah, probably right about batteries. I've only been averaging about 10 years on the battery. A quality tool will not drain the battery, battery life warrantied by Mitutoyo for shop use 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for one year. I use mine a bit less than that and little doubt lose the battery more for the age of the battery than actually using.
Buy a cheaper tool and it's your guess what battery life might be.
Buy a cheaper tool and it's your guess what battery life might be.
Ian
Notorious member
yep. Calipers are fast and "very near", to be used as an expedient and to save wear and tear on precision micrometers. The micrometers come with standards which are invaluable for checking calipers.
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
Gave my Starrett digital calipers and micrometers to College Boy (middle son) as they have outputs for SPC. Never did like the digitals. I recommend sticking with Tesa or Brown & Sharpe analog measuring instruments.
As a caveat, while I own Starrett, Mitutoyo, Tesa and Brown & Sharpe measuring tools, I haven't bought a new precision measuring instrument in a least 15 years.
As a caveat, while I own Starrett, Mitutoyo, Tesa and Brown & Sharpe measuring tools, I haven't bought a new precision measuring instrument in a least 15 years.
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Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
A 4" caliper would be handy.
I learned on my father's Vernier scale caliper. When I got the chance to buy a dial caliper I thought that was the pinnacle of convenience.
My father was an electrical engineer, so I’m not sure why he would even have calipers? He probably picked it up when he purchased used tools from technicians or was gifted it at a job.
The mid-range Asian calipers are good enough for my work and I turn to micrometers if I really need to know a dimension. I keep a spare new caliper boxed up and on the shelf for that inevitable replacement if (when) I break the primary one.
I learned on my father's Vernier scale caliper. When I got the chance to buy a dial caliper I thought that was the pinnacle of convenience.
My father was an electrical engineer, so I’m not sure why he would even have calipers? He probably picked it up when he purchased used tools from technicians or was gifted it at a job.
The mid-range Asian calipers are good enough for my work and I turn to micrometers if I really need to know a dimension. I keep a spare new caliper boxed up and on the shelf for that inevitable replacement if (when) I break the primary one.
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
As long as they are not damaged, vernier calipers (and a eye or head loupe) are the gold standard when it comes to calipers.
Ian
Notorious member
Microscope and a carbon-arc light!
I gave away a good set of General Vernier calipers because I struggled too much to read them properly after age 40. I think that dial calipers are pretty decent for the average reloader who isn't a machinist with years of experience reading Vernier scales, unless you're measuring bullet or case neck diameter, then you need a 0-1" Vernier micrometer. I don't like things that take batteries but a GOOD set of digital calipers will get many years out of a single CR2032 battery and can be left on for weeks at a time. The cheapos eat batteries for breakfast unless you take them out each time you put them away.
I gave away a good set of General Vernier calipers because I struggled too much to read them properly after age 40. I think that dial calipers are pretty decent for the average reloader who isn't a machinist with years of experience reading Vernier scales, unless you're measuring bullet or case neck diameter, then you need a 0-1" Vernier micrometer. I don't like things that take batteries but a GOOD set of digital calipers will get many years out of a single CR2032 battery and can be left on for weeks at a time. The cheapos eat batteries for breakfast unless you take them out each time you put them away.
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
Brown & Sharpe manufactured a mechanical-digital micrometer (Digit-Mike) that resolved .0002". One of my favorite mikes.
462
California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
The 27 year old 6" Midway dial caliper is my go-to. Have a 6" Harbor Freight digital, too, but the Midway has many times confirmed that the Harbor Freight does not give accurate nor repeatable measurements.
Anything smaller than 1" gets measured with an iGauging digital micrometer. It's accurate and repeatable.
Bought an iGauging non-digital tubing micrometer, as well, and using it helped me decide -- more-or-less --that turning .223 case necks is not all that necessary. I suppose, though, if the RCBS neck turner tool wasn't so expensive I have a Winter project.
Anything smaller than 1" gets measured with an iGauging digital micrometer. It's accurate and repeatable.
Bought an iGauging non-digital tubing micrometer, as well, and using it helped me decide -- more-or-less --that turning .223 case necks is not all that necessary. I suppose, though, if the RCBS neck turner tool wasn't so expensive I have a Winter project.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I started out with verniers. You need EYES to use them, but they are dead nuts accurate if not abused.
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Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
My "Midway" marked 6" calipers lasted about 20 years before I got some crud in the track and ruined them (guilty as charged, completely my fault)
They looked like the similar units sold under the Lyman name and I doubt they were made in the U.S.A.
I replaced that caliper with one marked "Accusize". Allegedly from Canada but the box had a “China” sticker (don’t know if that meant the box or the contents but for the price, I’m going with Asian made* ). They are good enough for what I use calipers for.
I bought a spare for the inevitable failure of the first one.
I will say that the Accusize model calipers are at least the equal of my old “Midway” brand (whatever they were) and maybe even better.
I do have an old Brown & Sharp micrometer and a few other higher end tools but rarely need that precision for what I’m doing.
As for digital calipers, I’m not spending the money for a high end set and I’m not pulling the battery out every time I put them away. That dial caliper can sit in its box for an indefinite amount of time and work when I pull it out. No fuss, completely reliable, end of discussion for me. YMMV
EDIT:
* I did a little research and it appears that Accusize is a distributor for (among others) Zzw Precision Tool Supply, Shanghai. So, yes, that would be a China made caliper.
They looked like the similar units sold under the Lyman name and I doubt they were made in the U.S.A.
I replaced that caliper with one marked "Accusize". Allegedly from Canada but the box had a “China” sticker (don’t know if that meant the box or the contents but for the price, I’m going with Asian made* ). They are good enough for what I use calipers for.
I bought a spare for the inevitable failure of the first one.
I will say that the Accusize model calipers are at least the equal of my old “Midway” brand (whatever they were) and maybe even better.
I do have an old Brown & Sharp micrometer and a few other higher end tools but rarely need that precision for what I’m doing.
As for digital calipers, I’m not spending the money for a high end set and I’m not pulling the battery out every time I put them away. That dial caliper can sit in its box for an indefinite amount of time and work when I pull it out. No fuss, completely reliable, end of discussion for me. YMMV
EDIT:
* I did a little research and it appears that Accusize is a distributor for (among others) Zzw Precision Tool Supply, Shanghai. So, yes, that would be a China made caliper.
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