Caliper recommendations

[padom]

padom said:
Just wanted to provide some info on cheap calipers and what can happen. Just yesterday I ran into a issue that drove me crazy all day. I was using my Redding Competition Micrometer Neck sizing die with a .336 TiN bushing to neck size some 1xLapua .308 cases. After sizing the cases my cheapo HF digital calipers were saying the neck was sized down to .3285. After checking everything from the die to the bushing all day I still couldn't find the cause. A friend and long time reloader asked me if a .334 or .335 bushing would slip over the sized necks measuring .3285. He said they should slip right over and be sloppy as hell if they actually measure .3285. They would NOT slip over. He said now go size a case with my .334 bushing which I did then try and slip a .335 bushing over the neck. It slipped right over with a nice snug fit.

Let's just say those cheapo HF calipers hit the concrete shop floor a few times then went right in the trash. I have a pair of Mitutoyo 500-196-30 Advanced Onsite Sensor (AOS) Absolute Scale Digital Caliper, 0 to 6", 0.0005"/0.01mm Resolution arriving today and I bought a used but certified pair of Brown & Sharpe dial calipers that will be here this week.

Its funny because I am a buy once cry once type of person. All my reloading equipment is top quality. For some reason I was using these cheapo digital calipers for the past 2 years thinking they worked when in reality were giving incorrect results. I guess when your only using them to bump shoulders back .002", it didn't matter what the number was as long as it went down .002".

Do yourself a favor and buy a known pair of calipers. Either Browne & Sharpe, Mitutoyo or Starrett

Padom,
I would normally agree with you, I prefer to buy quality products. However, I'm a bit of a klutz and sometimes drop things, and I do drop my calipers. That is why I bought the cheap HF calipers. Throwing away a $30 calipers hurts a lot less than a $160 set. And yes, I've had to throw away HF calipers. However, that is exactly why I recommended that:

No matter which calipers you get you will always have to have a way to double check its working properly, so make sure you get a pin gauge. You can also use it to verify you concentricity gauge. Erik Cortina thought me this trick and for $3 its well worth it.

See http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/78386851?rItem=78386851


Kindest regards,

Joe

But how do you know your getting accurate measurements? How do you know when its time to throw them out and buy a new pair if you don't have a known accurate set of calipers to confirm? I ran into the very problem and found out the hard way.

 

[Richard Jones]

But how do you know your getting accurate measurements?.................

Unless you have some type of gage, you don't, regardless of brand or price. I have Mututoyo, B&S, Lufkin, & Starrett and some off-brands. Any of them can get out of whack. That's what those little wrenches/spanners are for. Pin gages don't change.

 

[Taildrag15X]

But how do you know your getting accurate measurements?.................

Unless you have some type of gage, you don't, regardless of brand or price. I have Mututoyo, B&S, Lufkin, & Starrett and some off-brands. Any of them can get out of whack. That's what those little wrenches/spanners are for. Pin gages don't change.

Yup and my dad's hand me down B&S set 0-4" came with a set of gauges and wrenches......

I worked at B&S (Providence, RI) over the summer in 1978, the every day joke in the machine center was "hand me the Lufkin tape measure"

 

[Ledd Slinger]

When the IGaging tool goes into failure (breaks), who repairs it?

"IPIC head office is in California, and manufacturing facility in China". The USA flag shown on their site would lead many to think the products are USA manufactured.

I picked through reviews regarding Igaging customer service as well because that was another concern I had being that most of the time you get what you pay for.

Most of the negative reviews were from people receiving broken calipers from shipping damages. Not right to leave negative reviews on the product when it was the vendors fault for poor packaging. Anyhow, one consumer wrote that his caliper showed up with a broken LCD window from shipping. He called Igaging (not the vendor), he said they were very helpful, friendly and easy to deal with and they shipped him a new one the next day via priority mail. No questions asked. Sounds like pretty good service to me considering Igaging did not personally package and ship the caliper

 

[Ledd Slinger]

But how do you know your getting accurate measurements? How do you know when its time to throw them out and buy a new pair if you don't have a known accurate set of calipers to confirm? I ran into the very problem and found out the hard way.

Unless you have some type of gage, you don't, regardless of brand or price. I have Mututoyo, B&S, Lufkin, & Starrett and some off-brands. Any of them can get out of whack. That's what those little wrenches/spanners are for. Pin gages don't change.

+1 for richinva comment

Other high quality calipers is another good way to verify measurements, but the check pins can NEVER change. A 1" pin will always be a 1" pin and the same for any other length pin you have.

Absolute zero origin helps maintain accuracy because the electronics never lose the true zero they were calibrated to.

 

[lawrence97]

I had a brand new Mitutoyo digital absolute I bought and used for two weeks and then it started binding and locking up. Never did expose to harsh environment. It was sent back to mitutoyo but since I did not have a receipt, they wanted $80 to repair a $120 caliper. Shipping had already been paid so had to fork out $80 for the repair plus return shipping. I thought they could have handled the situation better being such a large company.

Keep the receipt for whatever you buy and not because their item is higher priced makes it any better than the cheaper stuff. I may buy an IG absolute to compare with the mitutoyo.

 

[Macropod]

Having bought cheap electronic calipers and had the subsequent disappointment when they failed at the most inopportune time, Mitutoyo coolant proof calipers are very attractive. Sadly, drop 'em and sorrow follows especially when they are over $200 over here.

Like anything of quality, you just take more care with them and they will give very long, accurate service.

 

[JRS]

No matter which calipers you get you will always have to have a way to double check its working properly, so make sure you get a pin gauge. You can also use it to verify you concentricity gauge. Erik Cortina thought me this trick and for $3 its well worth it.

See http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/78386851?rItem=78386851

I have Mitutoyo calipers, but I've found that the Harbor Freight ones work just as well for a lot less. I would advise to get the 8 inch ones instead of the 6 inch. The extra 2 inches make a difference when measuring head space. The 8 inch one cost $30 at the Harbor Freight store near my house. YMMV.

Kindest regards,

Joe

Joe, thanks for the heads up on the pin vice. This is something I never even considered. I am goin to order one.

Forget the pins : Get a gauge block.

 

[Richard Jones]

Forget the pins : Get a gauge block.

Really?

 

[JRS]

Yea, really

 

[Raythemanroe]

I like my Brown Sharp calipers, I am not saying the higher end stuff doesn't have it's place. I was looking for an intermediate digital to try and the reviews were good for the IGaging AO. I in no way regret buying them, I don't classify them as cheap.. Maybe auto off and a better case would be nice, but I can live with that.. IF you are gonna buy a Low end digital caliper, Go with the IGaging Absolute Origin and not some HF or cheapo..



Ray

 

[Richard Jones]

Yea, really

Why?

 

[JBO]

Your on the right track investing your money in good tools!

You won't go wrong with either one these.... Brown & Sharpe or Mitutoyo

 

[thefitter]

Yea, really

Why?

Gage blocks can be used to verify calipers periodically. Like a calibration weights for your scale.

 

[Richard Jones]

Yea, really

Why?

Gage blocks can be used to verify calipers periodically. Like a calibration weights for your scale.

I was asking why the poster indicated that gage blocks seem to be so much better than gage pins for this application. I don't agree with that. Perhaps he was just kidding.

 

[Road_Clam]

For my job, only Starrett quality will suffice, for the hand loading hobbyist Mitutoyo is your best value.

 

[Macropod]

The quality of Starrett gear has slipped in recent years imho. I have both Starrett and Mitutoyo and the Mitutoyo equipment seems to be better quality.

Older Starrett stuff was better.

 

[thefitter]

Yea, really

Why?

Gage blocks can be used to verify calipers periodically. Like a calibration weights for your scale.

I was asking why the poster indicated that gage blocks seem to be so much better than gage pins for this application. I don't agree with that. Perhaps he was just kidding.

Maybe because they are flat?

 

[Changeling]

For the Micrometer.
I just went and did a search on the iGaging Speedmic to get a price on it. It seems there are 2 of them quite different internally I guess, but practically identical in looks .
The Igaging Speedmic price I received was $165.00 on Amazon and another one they carried is $39.95 looks the same. I could not see or find a model/serial number for either one (That bothers me a lot).
I found this out by clicking on 2 different searches, so if you are going to buy one you better be very careful !

For the Calliper .
I didn’t check them out, I have a good one.

Good luck and be careful, this could very well be a "Bait and Switch" type thing.

 

[Flouncer]

I work at the State testing laboratory for the Department of Transportation. I had the machine shop check my HF calipers and micrometer and there is no, zero difference in measuring accuracy and repeatability with these and their Lab standard Starrets. Sorry but that's the way it is. You are paying for smoothness and the name.