Cheap versus name brand calipers?

[danny]

I ended up going back to a quality dial caliper - too many work stoppages due to dead batteries, lol.

I personally prefer (and have) a dial caliper. The poster wants a digital caliper, which may be a smart buy. For some measurements, digitals are just more convenient. Over the last 25 or more years, we have had maybe 20+ dial calipers. All of the ones we have used have gone south This includes everything from older Mitutoyo to newer Chinese. I will tell you outright that they have suffered abuse, which is not something that you are supposed to allow. The few digital units we have had, which also run the range from an early Mitutoyo Digimatic to newer cheap Chinese of various makes have all survived, with no failures. The digitals have all survived the same abuse. Taken care of, I think either will have a long life. I guess you and I will probably always prefer dial calipers most or all of the time, though digitals may be the better "go to" product.

Danny

 

[ND shooter]

Since you were rude enough to bring politics into a non-political conversation, I'll answer you. I prefer goods and services from overseas. I prefer Taiwan, but China will do nicely.

Quality is not a function of geographical location, quality is a function of supervision. That's why Apple has such superior products, out of their Asian factories.

Maybe that's why Starrett's quality came back up.

LHSmith, I read post four, and that's why I worded my first post the way I did: I don't want to have calipers repaired, I want to use calipers, so I use Starrett. If you want to repair calipers or spend your time having them repaired, then yes, some other brand is probably more appropriate.

He wasnt rude. And Starrett's quality is down. Believe you or Long Island Indicator review. Well that would be another review! Any bets?

 

[Chappy]

I've always had good results from Starrett. I'll stick with them. The Starretts that are marked "Exact are made in China.

 

[Chappy]

It's a matter of preference. I prefer starretts. Some prefer Mits. Others prefer B&S. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Jammer Six]

He wasnt rude.

A political comment in a non-political thread is rude. Politics and religion. You've never heard that before?

 

[Dgd6mm]

A political comment in a non-political thread is rude. Politics and religion. You've never heard that before?

Citizens arrest, citizens arrest.....

 

[snert]

I like both of my (un named here) mics. i am only commenting because I am a frequent user of this site and have discovered the "ignore" button. Sometimes it is a little more difficult to follow a thread, because some "parts" are missing, but i just realized that it is the same ones, time after time, that add nonsense, all-knowing attitude and turn things into a fight. So I hit ignore and blissfully get what I am looking for here...information without the BS.

So, I am quite happy with my old Midway specials from 25 years ago...or maybe it was Brownells...doesn't matter. Guns are shooting fine using the mics I bought and take care of. So for the record, I would simply chose the mic that I could afford and move on to more important things, like trigger time

 

[Jammer Six]

Citizens arrest, citizens arrest.....

Book him, Dano.

 

[Catfur]

Not that this makes them "quality" but my Starret dial caliper and micrometer (bought within last 5 years) say "Made in USA."

 

[hogpatrol]

If you're making your living using calipers, buy the good ones. If you're using them occasionally or in the reloading room, the cheap ones from Harbor Freight will do.

 

[Shynloco]

One thing to remember in these discussions on measuring instruments, across the board quality has lapsed in the last decade, Mitutoyo and Starrett may have been the premier names back then, but the workmanship is not what it once was.

Agreed....BUT my new Starrett and Mituyoto are still noticeably smoother than many of the cheaper models, both dial and digital. My Starrett is a dial caliper while the Mituyoto is digital. And I use them both depending on the phase of reloading I'm in. And yes, I am aware of the error difference in reading between the two calipers (.001). I also have a number of other "cheaper" calipers, both dial and digital, but none match up to the accuracy and smooth functionality of my two primary calipers. And like many other tools used in reloading, I seriously doubt this discussion will change any minds or the equipment each reloader has become accustomed to using and feels comfortable with.

Alex

 

[ND shooter]

I use cheap and expensive. I use whichever, whenever I feel the need for cheap or expensive calls for. Also won't try to tell anybody which to use or which is better. To each his own. I never said " made in China" was bad. I said he ( jon) was not rude. To say "OMG he said China" is political is like pulling the "race card"! Are you one of those internet baiters? Just looking for someone who disagrees with you. How dare anybody do that. But I'm probably wrong about you. Enlighten us. What do you shoot?? Compete? Pics of guns. Reload? For what do you reload? Got any records out there? I will say I don't. Not a one! I want to know what makes you an expert on just this particular subject. Oh and about what constitutes a post being " political" or just informational? Just went thru all of your posts. Not one thing of value regarding shooting, guns. Members telling you to shove off. Some of those. Tell me why anybody should listen to anything you say on any posts you've posted? You are an expert on? Me??? Expert on nothing. Freely admitted and never said I was. Said jon was not rude and Long Island review didn't support your opinion. And their review is waaaay more scientific and professional than yours. Not anybody elses on this site necessarily, but definitely yours.

 

[Jammer Six]

What?

 

[hogpatrol]

 

[amlevin]

That's asking a lot from a caliper that shows varying degrees of daylight between the jaws when they are closed.

That's funny, my cheapo's don't. I think one would be astute enough to pass on even a cheap one that did that when they bought it.

 

[jonbearman]

I wasn't bring politics into anything. Just stating you are paying top price for calipers that are not way better than other imports. I prefer quality tools myself and some I have are from japan and Taiwan which are great tools. Their machine tools in Taiwan are superior machines to mainland china but china is getting better by the month. So if you think I am rude so be it but wasn't trying to be in the first place.

 

[hoz53]

I wasn't bring politics into anything. Just stating you are paying top price for calipers that are not way better than other imports. I prefer quality tools myself and some I have are from japan and Taiwan which are great tools. Their machine tools in Taiwan are superior machines to mainland china but china is getting better by the month. So if you think I am rude so be it but wasn't trying to be in the first place.

Since 1975 until about a year ago my Starrett # 120 dial calipers were my favorites,and I did like any dial over digitals. I started using an inexpensive set of Mit digitals lately and have come to prefer them now. They seem as accurate as dials and I like the zero function and being able to switch to metric anytime. The starretts tendency of the needle to jump the track got me thinking to try something else.

 

[johnfred1965]

I disagree, Starrett has come up quite a ways since I picked up my first set of calipers.

When people tell me they don't build equipment/homes/cars/bulldozers like they used to, I answer "thank god."

thank god? Isn't it rude to bring religion into a purely informational thread? Just sayin

 

[Jammer Six]

Good catch. I should have said "thank the universe".

Sorry.

 

[Zero333]

I dislike electronic calipers.

I have a set of Mitutoyo 505-626 and love'm. Made in Japan. Got them from my dad.

You can get used ones in excellent condition on ebay for very little. I saw some with a lil bigger numbers on the readout than mine but most have the smaller indicator, not ideal for partly blind people.