Cheap versus name brand calipers?

[BoydAllen]

I have several dial calipers that all work just fine, none is expensive, and they will never have their batteries go dead at an inopportune time. Calipers are not a substitute for a micrometer, no matter how many places their digital displays have. One of the things that we enjoy about this sort of hobby is being able to use the tools that WE like, which may not be the same as someone else likes. No big deal. It is called freedom of choice....a good thing.

 

[dcali]

I've had really cheap (like $8) Chinese mechanical calipers that weren't worth what little they cost. They were just as accurate as the good ones, but they broke quickly - the rack stripped. My digital Mitutoyos have been going strong for 17 years now, and they're very nice, but they're a luxury - more than is needed. I've also used higher quality Chinese calipers that were perfectly acceptable. Don't know how long they'd last, but it's still cheaper in the long run even if they crap out every few years.

 

[Flouncer]

I work at the State Transportation Headquarters Laboratory. I am not a machinist. But I did take my $19 Harbor freight calipers to the machine shop and they compared them to their old, old Starret mechanical and newer Mitutuyo digital. No, zero difference in accuracy or repeatability. That is all I can add.

 

[Canadian bushman]

I think it depends on what you are gonna use the calipers for.

For reloading where i only ever really use the jaws for od or length measurments, and maybe open them 50 times a month, just about any caliper will work pretty good.

At work where i use all 4 ways to measure with a caliper, my work will get looked over by at least 2 other people, i get written up for part discrepancies, and i may open my calipers 5-500 times a day. The quality calipers will start to show their worth.

A lot can happen to a set of calipers after being opened and closed 10,000 times. The cheap ones always work pretty good when they are new.

And calipers are just like anything else. Even top manufactures make turds once in a while.

 

[Brians356]

I'm surprised no one has brought up calibration or verfication (at home, not via a certification service.) We all (don't we?) use check weights to keep an eye on our balance beam scales. How do you check your calipers?

Here's how I do it: I own a set of pin gages. Mine are "minus" type and of a class where that means they are 0.0002" smaller than the nominal size. The pin gages themselves can be validated using two different micrometers (mine are a Mitutoyo and a Harbor Freight) and both agree that, say, the ".250" gage is actually 0.2498". If both mics agree on several other gages (over a wide range of sizes between 0.061" and 0.5") I have now established that a) my pin gages can be relied upon, and b) both my mics can be relied upon.

Now I can use the pin gages to check the calipers, but only in the range 0.061" to .5" (my smallest and largest pin gages.) To check the range between 0.5" and 1.0", find any suitable metal object in that range and check the caliper against one or more 1" micrometers. To check the 1" to 6" inches range, you need a larger micrometer, or a trusted machinist's gage block.
-

 

[dcali]

I'm surprised no one has brought up calibration or verfication (at home, not via a certification service.) We all (don't we?) use check weights to keep an eye on our balance beam scales. How do you check your calipers?
-

Every once in a while I will measure a known item. (bullets, drill bits, etc.). I've never had a set of calipers that was discernibly off. It may not be NASA grade calibration, but it's good enough for our purposes. Almost all of the precise measurements we deal with are relative to something else anyhow, so it really isn't critical in my view.

 

[/VH]

I think cheap calipers are like mo-peds and fat girls. They're all good for a little while, as long as none of your friends see you with them.

On the aforementioned subject of pin gages; I can see several applications where they would be quite useful but as far as measuring/gauging an interior diameter, would an inside mic be more appropriate for best accuracy? ...On account of; how would you know if the hole is as round as the pin gage, especially on something like a case neck? I'm not a machinist or a smith and it seems logical to me but would appreciate the opinion of some of the guys on here that know, if it's not too big of a hijack.

FWIW, I also don't have a mo-ped or know any fat girls.

 

[6MMsteve]

Mitutoyo Absolute are great can take a beating have 3 of them

 

[Jammer Six]

FWIW, I also don't have a mo-ped or know any fat girls.

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

 

[Shaggy357]

I have been loading for 40 years. My loads are done with my dies and components, in my presses, for my firearms. If I was setting up a commercial operation, needing confirmation of meeting SAAMI specifications on ammunition or firearms, I could use a certified dial caliper for confirming production specifications, machine adjustment, machine wear, etc. Being a plain James sportsman, I do not see the need for the expensive calipers.

I know what size my bullets are, I buy them a certain size, and the manufacturer has already measured them and the equipment that made them within tolerance. I can sort them easily within .001" diameter. Do I need to go to .0001"? Specifications on the brass I shoot is in .001" increments and my calipers can keep that tolerance. Again, do I need to go to .0001"? Commercial equipment wears so as you produce, tolerances can change. Yes, it is important to keep your tools certified, your machines adjusted, and your products within specification.

What process in normal personal ammunition reloading requires tighter tolerance than that which the normal economical dial caliper can measure? Let me phrase that differently: If I replace my 40+ year old RCBS Caliper with an expensive Starrett or Mitutoyo, what am I going to gain?

Just wondering.....

Steve

 

[Jammer Six]

Nothing in your world is more important than my rifle loads. They're going to go off next to my face.

I don't understand the logic of using calipers for loading loads that "don't matter".

 

[XTR]

I have a set of 8" Mitutoyos and a set of cheap 6" Frankfort Arsenals from Bass Pro. I typically use the Mitutoyos these days. They were a gift, I like the longer feel but I get the same base to ogive with both of them.

If you are making bullets they both work great. IMO there is no tolerance in reloading (at least for reloading in F class) that requires more precision than either is capable of providing (and I used to load for my 45ACP with a set of plastic RCBS dial calipers, it never cared)

I've also got a 1" RCBS micrometer on my bench that gets used from time to time, but not very often.

Now if you are doing machine work, well, you probably need something better than calipers anyway.

 

[Coolhand]

I'm surprised no one has brought up calibration or verfication (at home, not via a certification service.) We all (don't we?) use check weights to keep an eye on our balance beam scales. How do you check your calipers?

Here's how I do it: I own a set of pin gages. Mine are "minus" type and of a class where that means they are 0.0002" smaller than the nominal size. The pin gages themselves can be validated using two different micrometers (mine are a Mitutoyo and a Harbor Freight) and both agree that, say, the ".250" gage is actually 0.2498". If both mics agree on several other gages (over a wide range of sizes between 0.061" and 0.5") I have now established that a) my pin gages can be relied upon, and b) both my mics can be relied upon.

Now I can use the pin gages to check the calipers, but only in the range 0.061" to .5" (my smallest and largest pin gages.) To check the range between 0.5" and 1.0", find any suitable metal object in that range and check the caliper against one or more 1" micrometers. To check the 1" to 6" inches range, you need a larger micrometer, or a trusted machinist's gage block.
-

Brian , did you mean Gauge Block? Just kidding , its the cultural and geographical difference! Seriously though everybody should have a gage block and a few pin gauges for reference. Luckily my work has a full pin gage library so I am covered.
I have Sylvac ( Swiss Made ) Verniers and an old set of Starrets can't pick the difference , the Sylvacs sure are pretty though.
Now if you really want to get anal Sylvac do a digital vernier that can connect to an android phone app and will record the measurements as you take them. There is also a 1" digital micrometer that has the same features for only around $900.00. Drop once buy twice !

Mike.

 

[ireload2]

The "best" calipers I ever used were heavy duty verniers. I got a really good set about 45 years ago because the original owner could no longer read them.
Now all that time has passed and they are still great verniers but I can no longer read them....

 

[yotehater]

My digital mitutyoyo sp?" Not working even after trying new battery but the Chinese rcbs stainless I bought in 1986 work just fine.