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Best Reasonably Priced Digital Caliper

Learn to read a dial caliper and leave the batteries for flash lights. I had to finally stop using the vernier scales because of my eyes and I use a big magnifier when I use micrometers. A dial caliper is easy to read and very accurate.
 
A few months ago I pushed my self away from the computer, seems someone wanted a pocket watch I wanted to sell. He wanted to trade a 45 ACP Springfield. A few of the parts did not match so he purchased 2 pocket watches straight out; problem, he has close to $40,000 tied up in micrometers. I was looking at his dial calipers when I picked up a sears/Craftsman, he said I could have that one, no batteries, I did purchased 65 dial indicators, again none of them used batteries.

Reloaders complain about small cheap batteries but have smiths make their rifles and they have die makers on speed dial. If you do not use your digital equipment remove the battery while not in use. Reloaders assume there is no current flow because the switch if off, they assume there is no current flow from one post of a battery to the other post while the ignition of off.

F. Guffey
 
Sixty-five dial indicators, or sixty-five indicating tools? $40k of new quality Starrett, B&S, Mitutoyo would NOT be all that many mics. Indicating mics, ID & O/D, depth, a 1" to 12" set could go for $2k easy. $40k of used mics could be a ton... I have a B&S wood cased .5" mic that reads to .0001" spendy stuff.

Not much demand for precision hand tools anymore. Detroit yellowpages had 15 pages of tool & die maker listings in the late 90s; by late 00's there were fewer than 30 shops still open for business, or maybe it was 30 pages of yp ads and then only 15 shops still open? There is your indicator. A metric for the manufacturing health of this nation.
 
It sounds like you've had problems with a number of digitals. My cheap Frankford Arsenal model has measured accurately for years, with only one battery replacement. After use I turn it off and place it in the storage case for safe keeping. An occasional cleaning has maintained smooth operation.

We have one of these at work and it has been fine, and tools in our shop do not get care, but rather abuse. Dial calipers, even Mitutoyo fail in these conditions. Digitals outlast dial calipers when abused. In good conditions, either should be fine. This is not an endorsement that abuse is ok, either.

Danny
 
I have a B&S wood cased .5" mic that reads to .0001" spendy stuff.

Not much demand for precision hand tools anymore. Detroit yellow pages had 15 pages of tool & die maker listings in the late 90s; by late 00's there were fewer than 30 shops still open for business, or maybe it was 30 pages of yp ads and then only 15 shops still open?

I have a Pratt & Whitney that measures .000005", it is one smooth gage, useless but smooth. I removed the electronics and then installed a dial indicator.

I also had an opportunity to 'dig' through 55 gallon barrels of tools hauled off for scrap metal from Bridgeport Mill, 10" chucks for $5.00 each.

F. Guffey
 
Unless you work in a clean room, stay away from dial calipers. If you want the best, buy a quality set of verniers. Mitutoyo Digitals are as good as you are ever going to need. If they are not accurate enough you should be using Micrometers, not calipers.

Don't be swayed by 4 digit .0005 calipers. they only read somewhere around the middle of a thousand. You don't really know where it's at within .0005, like you do with a quality indicator or mic.

For all those who hold their work to .0001 the digital might not serve you well. :rolleyes:

BTW turning off your dial indicator is a waste of energy. I have one here that has been on the day I got it and it's still on the same battery. It's at least 6-8 years old. Using them is what wears out the batteries.
 
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Right... $157 buys a LOT of batteries for that $15 caliper I bet!

Accuracy counts when you're comparing to known standards, or measuring to meet/cull to specs. For our needs it's more likely consistency that's needed, rather than inherent accuracy.

I've been using a Mitu 6" digital I bought eight, nine years ago for around $75, does what I need it to despite the battery held captive by a piece of duct tape for the past six. I rarely turn it off, batteries last ~ 6 months, cost ~ $3.
 
fwiw & imho,
Those with a big heap of gratuitous assertions seem never to grow tired of repeating them. You can't say the IP-67 Mitutoyo Absolute Calipers are impressive without someone trotting out a tired song about Dial versus Digital and ALL of their bit has long since passed it's freshness dating. I've been reading and buying from Long Island Indicator since trade school...

Long Island Indicator refers to Etalon Calipers as the connoisseur's caliper so I don't suppose I qualify as a digital heretic. If you have to "learn" how to read a dial caliper you might want a remedial math class OR a digital caliper. That said I view ANY caliper as a .001" tool... Should you need moor accuracy and resoultion you use a micrometer. Hence the reason I have and use a pair of Etalon Mics as well. Could have lived with one Etalon Micrometer. Very little to go wrong. The Mic's are no longer made in Imperial measurements as of last year and my favorite Etalon Micrometer, the Microrapid, has not been made in Imperial Measurements in YEARS...
Etalon Dial Calipers
http://longislandindicator.com/p105.html
Etalon 260 Micrometer(shown below)
http://www.longislandindicator.com/p113.html
Etalon Microrapid(the only analog mic I'm in the market for)
http://www.longislandindicator.com/p161.html


I should mention I don't collect ANY of these things. They are tools, good tools, but still tools and I often would like to have FEWER rather than more. I have a TRUE pair in both Mics and Dial Calipers as I figured I would have one to use when one needed service. That has not happened yet knock on wood... Granted I don't seem to have precision tool palsy like some. I don't remember dropping ANY of them. When dial calipers died on me they did so in hand. The Chinese Dial Calipers sent gears and guts(oh my)all over the floor and my Starrett's showed a .003" plus "ding" on the jaws. Dunno whether I did the right or the wrong thing breaking out the spyderco stones. Ruined the caliper, however, what would I have had if they would have been fixed? A soft jawed piece of junk that would reoffended, and made the S&H and repair costs to LII, a complete waste of money...

5lyVOz4.jpg


About the only thing added by some that bears any fruit is Long Island Indicator. The sad part? How many people BUY ANYTHING from Long Island Indicator? I have... Recently.

Amazon, is the WRONG place to buy just about any metrology gear, and is KILLING places that actually KNOW what they are talking about. I find it funny as hell when they get nailed with a Chicom Knockoff. It's odd that the Chinese Dial Caliper advocate is using their input without really taking their advice or sending business their way. People are so interested in getting something CHEAP that they have lost sight of VALUE. What happens when Long Island Indicator is gone, and it bothers me that I can read the signs, and WE HAVE NO ONE to post free a free metrology primer? Which test indicator, dial indicator, micrometer, or dial or digital caliper is worth carrying home? You'll have Mr. Metrology, posted earlier, sponsored by IGaging's corperate website. The Chinese are certainly past a LOAD of equine fecal matter...:rolleyes:

That is one reason I invest rather than spend. That simple concept has given me the option to do this on a larger scale. I'm aware what you can get by with and I'm also aware the OP did not ask for the "Best $9 Dial Caliper"...

Chinese Dial Calipers are typically for guys who don't have access to a Metrology Departments.

The purpose of the Metrology Departments I have seen, was NOT repair of dial calipers. It was to keep everything CERTIFIED as being within tolerance. Tolerance stack on a 13 Billion dollar ship poses a significant problem.

A Long Island Indicators posts worth reading:

http://longislandindicator.com/p91.html
These are our digital micrometers of choice. Simple, quick turning thimbles make them a cinch to use.

Quantumike model 293-185 (0-1")

Quantumike model 293-186 (1-2")
Don't think twice... this is THE micrometer to use. You only have to try it once to be convinced. And, it has an outstanding accuracy of ±.00005 which pretty much beats any competition. The micrometers come with a Certificate of Inspection which gives data based on standards traceable to NIST. You should not need anything else."

Does NOT APPEAR they are allergic to Digital Mitutoyo from my experience.

Should we mention Mitutoyo's new Micron Micrometer? Understand I am NOT suggesting it for anyone here for use in handloading. Truth be known all this talk of Etalon and Digital Mitutoyo is a gross luxury for this use, however, if you want to see WHERE the bleeding edge of technology is you need to keep an eye on Mitutoyo. Never before available in a hand held tool...

http://www.mitutoyo.com/press_releases/high-accuracy-digimatic-digital-micrometer/

As a matter of fact the ONLY reason I have ANY Mitutoyo gear in my box and on my bench is really due to Herr Meyer himself. When I was in trade school I gave my Mitutoyo Mics to a friend on the outside who did not have any... Had a Starrett I still like better. Back to point. I would NOT have ANY of the Mitutoyo product I have if it were not for Long Island Indicator. I have found them, and Herr Meyer in particular, to be honest to a fault. They'll often tell you a cheaper place to get a product that they don't have the best source on it. Could he have sold me a Compaq or Tesa and I would have NEVER known the difference? Without question... That said my exposure to brands other than STARRETT(read generally, not always, great when "Made in USA" is the ONLY criteria), Etalon, Interapid, and oddly enough Mitutoyo all came from the same place. If Herr Meyer is open minded enough to recommend digital calipers and micrometers, given his background, some of the experts on the errornet might give it a think as well... That said it requires expenditure and experience so I'd not hold my breath on that...

You pays your money and takes your chances...

Regards, Matt.

Btw, Common FACT is that people, in general put MORE THOUGHT & STUDY into which dishwasher they buy than into which mutual fund or investment they plow a goodly percentage of their retirement income. That amazes me... How much can using the best of the best, when it comes to a blessed caliper(which I use multiple times a week)really impact your bottom line in the long run? Not even a blip on a blip.
 
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This was worth repeating.
"You pays your money and takes your chances..."

None of the top end mikes or calipers buy you a thing in handloading.

The only way to know what works is to use a wide variety of instruments. If you have never used a decent Chinese caliper then you are only making ungrounded assertions. I have Etalon, Tesa, Brown & Sharpe, Mahr and many other micrometers. Due to collecting mikes plus 50 years of working in industry I know the limitations of many brands. I also know that the added value of the premium and super premium mikes in handloading is ZERO. Why would you drag out the latest Mitutoyos when you could use a Pratt & Whitney Super Micrometer?

The added value of a premium caliper is nothing other than nurturing the ego.
You said it yourself calipers are .001 tools at best. You're right about metrology.
They exist to put calibration stickers on instruments. Because they may deal with 50 calipers and 150 micrometers in a machine shop they deal with many more instruments than you ever dreamed of.


fwiw & imho,
Those with a big heap of gratuitous assertions seem never to grow tired of repeating them. You can't say the IP-67 Mitutoyo Absolute Calipers are impressive without someone trotting out a tired song about Dial versus Digital and ALL of their bit has long since passed it's freshness dating. I've been reading and buying from Long Island Indicator since trade school...

Long Island Indicator refers to Etalon Calipers as the connoisseur's caliper so I don't suppose I qualify as a digital heretic. If you have to "learn" how to read a dial caliper you might want a remedial math class OR a digital caliper. That said I view ANY caliper as a .001" tool... Should you need moor accuracy and resoultion you use a micrometer. Hence the reason I have and use a pair of Etalon Mics as well. Could have lived with one Etalon Micrometer. Very little to go wrong. The Mic's are no longer made in Imperial measurements as of last year and my favorite Etalon Micrometer, the Microrapid, has not been made in Imperial Measurements in YEARS...
Etalon Dial Calipers
http://longislandindicator.com/p105.html
Etalon 260 Micrometer(shown below)
http://www.longislandindicator.com/p113.html
Etalon Microrapid(the only analog mic I'm in the market for)
http://www.longislandindicator.com/p161.html


I should mention I don't collect ANY of these things. They are tools, good tools, but still tools and I often would like to have FEWER rather than more. I have a TRUE pair in both Mics and Dial Calipers as I figured I would have one to use when one needed service. That has not happened yet knock on wood... Granted I don't seem to have precision tool palsy like some. I don't remember dropping ANY of them. When dial calipers died on me they did so in hand. They Chinese sent gears and guts(oh my)all over the floor and my Starrett's showed a .003" plus "ding" on the jaws. Dunno whether I did the right or the wrong thing breaking out the spyderco stones. Ruined the caliper, however, what would I have had if they would have been fixed? A soft jawed piece of junk that would reoffended, and made the S&H and repair costs to LII, a complete waste of money...

5lyVOz4.jpg


About the only thing added by some that bears any fruit is Long Island Indicator. The sad part? How many people BUY ANYTHING from Long Island Indicator? I have... Recently.

Amazon, is the WRONG place to buy just about any metrology gear, and is KILLING places that actually KNOW what they are talking about. I find it funny as hell when they get nailed with a Chicom Knockoff. It's odd that the Chinese Dial Caliper advocate is using their input without really taking their advice or sending business their way. People are so interested in getting something CHEAP that they have lost sight of VALUE. What happens when Long Island Indicator is gone, and it bothers me that I can read the signs, and WE HAVE NO ONE to post free a free metrology primer? Which test indicator, dial indicator, micrometer, or dial or digital caliper is worth carrying home? You'll have Mr. Metrology, posted earlier, sponsored by IGaging's corperate website. The Chinese are certainly past a LOAD of equine fecal matter...:rolleyes:

That is one reason I invest rather than spend. That simple concept has given me the option to do this on a larger scale. I'm aware what you can get by with and I'm also aware the OP did not ask for the "Best $9 Dial Caliper"...

Chinese Dial Calipers are typically for guys who don't have access to a Metrology Departments.

The purpose of the Metrology Departments I have seen, was NOT repair of dial calipers. It was to keep everything CERTIFIED as being within tolerance. Tolerance stack on a 13 Billion dollar ship poses a significant problem.

A Long Island Indicators posts worth reading:

http://longislandindicator.com/p91.html
These are our digital micrometers of choice. Simple, quick turning thimbles make them a cinch to use.

Quantumike model 293-185 (0-1")

Quantumike model 293-186 (1-2")
Don't think twice... this is THE micrometer to use. You only have to try it once to be convinced. And, it has an outstanding accuracy of ±.00005 which pretty much beats any competition. The micrometers come with a Certificate of Inspection which gives data based on standards traceable to NIST. You should not need anything else."

Does NOT APPEAR they are allergic to Digital Mitutoyo from my experience.

Should we mention Mitutoyo's new Micron Micrometer? Understand I am NOT suggesting it for anyone here for use in handloading. Truth be known all this talk of Etalon and Digital Mitutoyo is a gross luxury for this use, however, if you want to see WHERE the bleeding edge of technology is you need to keep an eye on Mitutoyo. Never before available in a hand held tool...

http://www.mitutoyo.com/press_releases/high-accuracy-digimatic-digital-micrometer/

As a matter of fact the ONLY reason I have ANY Mitutoyo gear in my box and on my bench is really due to Herr Meyer himself. When I was in trade school I gave my Mitutoyo Mics to a friend on the outside who did not have any... Had a Starrett I still like better. Back to point. I would NOT have ANY of the Mitutoyo product I have if it were not for Long Island Indicator. I have found them, and Herr Meyer in particular, to be honest to a fault. They'll often tell you a cheaper place to get a product that they don't have the best source on it. Could he have sold me a Compaq or Tesa and I would have NEVER known the difference? Without question... That said my exposure to brands other than STARRETT(read generally, not always, great when "Made in USA" is the ONLY criteria), Etalon, Interapid, and oddly enough Mitutoyo all came from the same place. If Herr Meyer is open minded enough to recommend digital calipers and micrometers, given his background, some of the experts on the errornet might give it a think as well... That said it requires expenditure and experience so I'd not hold my breath on that...

You pays your money and takes your chances...

Regards, Matt.

Btw, Common FACT is that people, in general put MORE THOUGHT & STUDY into which dishwasher they buy than into which mutual fund or investment they plow a goodly percentage of their retirement income. That amazes me... How much can using the best of the best, when it comes to a blessed caliper(which I use multiple times a week)really impact your bottom line in the long run? Not even a blip on a blip.
 
Last edited:
Calipers are NOT a precision measuring tool and resolution does NOT have anything whatsoever to do with their accuracy..or lack of. I can't imagine anything much funnier than claiming .0001-.0002 tolerances and using a caliper for anything more than roughing the part in, to within a few thou. If/when you desire accurate measures, use a good quality and calibrated micrometer. Also, keep them and the part at 68-72 degrees....don't hold the mic too long or leave it in sunlight.
 

None of the top end mikes or calipers buy you a thing in handloading.

The added value of a premium caliper is nothing other than nurturing the ego.


You said it yourself calipers are .001 tools at best. You're right about metrology.
They exist to put calibration stickers on instruments. Because they may deal with 50 calipers and 150 micrometers in a machine shop they deal with many more instruments than you ever dreamed of.


For the life of me I don't remember saying I bought the calipers or mics for use in handloading. Do you?

Does it make them unsuitable for use in handloading because they are a "premium" caliper"?

It is hillarious you use Long Island Indicator as your "source" and then talk down to anyone who took their advice by saying they are "nurturing the ego".

You ARE a ball of contradictions round eye...o_O
 
Calipers are NOT a precision measuring tool and resolution does NOT have anything whatsoever to do with their accuracy..or lack of. I can't imagine anything much funnier than claiming .0001-.0002 tolerances and using a caliper for anything more than roughing the part in, to within a few thou. If/when you desire accurate measures, use a good quality and calibrated micrometer. Also, keep them and the part at 68-72 degrees....don't hold the mic too long or leave it in sunlight.

How true... Who is claiming tenths with a Caliper?
 

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