I know there's a difference in $25 calipers and $250 calipers but for measuring rifle cases and general purpose stuff....is there any difference that would justify the extra cost? I've got the expensive calipers...the ones with the engraved ID numbers ground off that I ..uh...bought at a yard sale...yeah, that's the ticket...bought 'em at a yard sale. I've read over the years that they ain't that much better than a Chinese caliper so what do Y'all say on this?
Calipers
- Thread starter Wilbur
- Start date
Lee Martin
Active member
We have expensive and cheap calipers in our shop and I've never noticed much of a difference. But then again I use them for spot measurements. Anything requiring absolute precision and I'm grabbing a micrometer.
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
jackie schmidt
New member
+1 on that.
Boyd Allen
Active member
For critical work, measuring such things as bullet diameters, I use a micrometer that reads to .0001, but for just about everything else I use calipers. I have some second hand Mitutoyos, and some others that were made in china that are identical down to the smallest detail, that seem to work just as well. I have a couple of other inexpensive ones that I have picked up second hand ( as all of them have been) and they all seem to do the same job equally. For me, besides the cost, the biggest differences are that I can afford to have four (or more if I want), and if I were to drop one, it would not be all that traumatic. I keep one in my range loading kit. One has a target measuring attachment on it, and a couple more live in a desk drawer.
A friend just did a test, my 2 inch micrometer vs his dial calipers, within range of the 2 inch micrometer.
The results were the same, throughout that range.
I have both the Mitutoyo "Digimatic" calipers and the Midway dial calipers that are made in China. I always wonder why I paid the $$$ for the Mitutoyo. I still use it and it makes me feel good.
I do feel better using a 1 inch micrometer to measure neck clearance. Sometimes I'll use the Digimatic to confirm the decimal point on the micrometer.
I often get different readings between my 1" ball micrometer and the calipers, which is most likely the operator.
If I drop the Midway caliper, I'll spend another $24.
The results were the same, throughout that range.
I have both the Mitutoyo "Digimatic" calipers and the Midway dial calipers that are made in China. I always wonder why I paid the $$$ for the Mitutoyo. I still use it and it makes me feel good.
I do feel better using a 1 inch micrometer to measure neck clearance. Sometimes I'll use the Digimatic to confirm the decimal point on the micrometer.
I often get different readings between my 1" ball micrometer and the calipers, which is most likely the operator.
If I drop the Midway caliper, I'll spend another $24.
C
CMaier
Guest
i compared my midway and harbor frieght 6" calipers to my mitutoyo "absolute" 6".
three cheaps were off my about .001..i bought another mitutoyo
three cheaps were off my about .001..i bought another mitutoyo
I prefer the more expensive models as well but you ought to check that mitutoyo to see if it's the one that's in error. I suppose you already have....just sayin'.
I bought a 12 inch Fowler caliper (cheap on Ebay) to fool around with this laser stuff and it may be the best caliper I have as far as repeatability and such. It's rather "hefty" in all respects and not suitable for "gun stuff" measuring. Pretty cool caliper all said and done.
Sounds like the next caliper I buy is gonna be a cheapo deal though....if I ever need another...
I bought a 12 inch Fowler caliper (cheap on Ebay) to fool around with this laser stuff and it may be the best caliper I have as far as repeatability and such. It's rather "hefty" in all respects and not suitable for "gun stuff" measuring. Pretty cool caliper all said and done.
Sounds like the next caliper I buy is gonna be a cheapo deal though....if I ever need another...
MilGunsmith
Member
When I started in the trade, we used "verynear" calipers and micrometers for the accurate measurements. The new cheap digitals are at least as accurate as the old verynear's, and easier to read. I still use a micrometer for extreme accuracy. I also check both against gage blocks.
Boyd Allen
Active member
Actually, vernier calipers can be excellent, but they are harder to read. For those who are unfamiliar with their details, here is a link to a very good explanation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernier_scale
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernier_scale
GeneT
Active member
Years back I bought several sets of cheap 4" calipers from Grizzly because they seemed like a convenient thing to have in the truck (for when I'm out buying hardware) and the office. I spent too much time measuring them against gauge blocks and pins (they always panned out). I've repeated the experiment several times over the years to see that they still verify (they do). All that said. I kept testing them because I never trusted them. They haven't failed me, but I still don't trust them for anything important (and, as previously pointed out, don't trust any caliper for measurements that need to be tighter than 0.002"). So, in hindsight, I'd just as soon stick with the good ones, although brand name isn't as much assurance of quality as it used to be...
GST
GST
Wayne Shaw
Active member
I assume this reference to VeryNears are a slang for vernier calipers. Those that know how to read them, know that a vernier caliper is almost fool proof. No dial gear to jump time, or a drift in a scale by pushing the jaws harder together. You use a mechanical micrometer, you are using a version of a vernier.
I have a slightly different take. If I have something I can hold in my hand and measure it in a "normal" way, I trust my calipers to about half a thou.; my plastic ones perhaps to .001" or a little better. Maybe if I'm doing a blind depth measurement while standing on my head in a boat engine room and having to switch hands before I can read the device, I would consider the reading to be perhaps less precise.
Back when I was boat building I had two or three plastic calipers lying around the shop which got about as much respect as a putty knife. They were there so I could measure something when my hands were wet with epoxy. It didn't take long for them to look really horrible. But I trusted them to the nearest .001" up until the dial face got so goobered up with cured epoxy that they were no longer readable. Occasional testing against a gauge block or compared with my "good" ones invariably showed them to be suitably accurate. I think I paid $2.50 for some of them.
I can't imagine any kind of caliper that wouldn't be good enough to measure to at least the nearest .001".
Wilba
whatever you do don't by CHICOM crap. They are or will be our adversary someday and anything we can do to NOT support their corrupt system that much better we will be.
whatever you do don't by CHICOM crap. They are or will be our adversary someday and anything we can do to NOT support their corrupt system that much better we will be.
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GeneT
Active member
A caliper requires a fair degree of 'slop' just to work. After all, you've got to be able to slide the moving jaw along the rail attached to the fixed jaw - and that's a source of error. They're probably more accurate than the '0.002" rule', but there's some margin built in there. A grizzled old machinist with a few thousand hours more shop time than I'll ever amass gave me the 0.002" rule, and it's served me well. I've had plenty of instances where I couldn't get the same reading consistently with 0.0005" B&S calipers. I've never had that problem with a mic. I get the same reading time, and time again. So perhaps I should state that I'll trust the calipers to be accurate to 0.001" as long as the tolerance is +/- 0.005", but if the tolerance is +/- 0.002 or tighter, I'm breaking out the mics...
GsT
C
CMaier
Guest
i'd say it is a reasonable plan.
different parts have different acceptable tolerances.
so always use the right tool for the job.
different parts have different acceptable tolerances.
so always use the right tool for the job.
dmort
Active member
Precision Tools
My trade tools are all American with the exception of a dial caliper made in Japan. It wasn't cheap and it's a real nice piece. I still use it in my reloading room.
If I had to make a choice between a cheap one and an expensive one I would buy the expensive one. I guess it's whatever your comfort level is.
Do American precision tools made today sometimes suffer in quality? A friend of mine who retired as a Stationary Engineer once ordered several Starret calipers for the plant. They were off enough he sent them back.
Used precision tools were mentioned in this thread. I've have a couple of those and both were given to me. The first is a Starret Dial Indicator Model #1906B, with the wiggler and extra contacts still in the original red box. The face has yellowed over the years but it works just as well as my newer ones. The other tool given to me about 10 years ago is the best of all. It's a Brown and Sharpe one inch micrometer in a wooden box with an inspections sticker still attached. The mike was wrapped in an oil cloth which sat on top of the booklet that came with the mike. Under the book I found a receipt from the Union Hardware and Metal Co. in Los Angeles. The date is 09/10/1943. The price was $13.33.
Having a tool that was used and really cared for long before your time in the trade is really special. I hope someday someone will feel the same about mine.
My trade tools are all American with the exception of a dial caliper made in Japan. It wasn't cheap and it's a real nice piece. I still use it in my reloading room.
If I had to make a choice between a cheap one and an expensive one I would buy the expensive one. I guess it's whatever your comfort level is.
Do American precision tools made today sometimes suffer in quality? A friend of mine who retired as a Stationary Engineer once ordered several Starret calipers for the plant. They were off enough he sent them back.
Used precision tools were mentioned in this thread. I've have a couple of those and both were given to me. The first is a Starret Dial Indicator Model #1906B, with the wiggler and extra contacts still in the original red box. The face has yellowed over the years but it works just as well as my newer ones. The other tool given to me about 10 years ago is the best of all. It's a Brown and Sharpe one inch micrometer in a wooden box with an inspections sticker still attached. The mike was wrapped in an oil cloth which sat on top of the booklet that came with the mike. Under the book I found a receipt from the Union Hardware and Metal Co. in Los Angeles. The date is 09/10/1943. The price was $13.33.
Having a tool that was used and really cared for long before your time in the trade is really special. I hope someday someone will feel the same about mine.