# Digital Caliper Recommendations?



## erosing (Apr 5, 2010)

So I need a pair of calipers, I want to go digital, as the title suggests, does anyone have any recommendations on brand or size? Right now I am leaning toward 6" capacity but I am open to 8" capacity. I'd like to keep price range under $100 max, but preferably under $50.


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## Traitor800 (Apr 5, 2010)

Dont get digital calipers, go with dial. Dial calipers are more accurate than digital yet easier to read then vernier, which are the most accurate. Plus you wont have to deal with having a dead battery when you need your calipers, cause trust me it does happen. Also what do you plan on using these for?
-Chris


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## erosing (Apr 5, 2010)

I need them for a drafting class, I'll be using them mostly for circuit boards, small electronics, and props/models after that. Been planning on getting them for a while, now I actually need them. 


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## LekoBoy (Apr 5, 2010)

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices


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## Anvilx (Apr 5, 2010)

LekoBoy said:


> - Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices



Do you have any self respect?

The question is to what degree of accuracy do you need/ want? Calipers can range from $10 to several hundred, just depending on the accuracy.


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## erosing (Apr 5, 2010)

Yeah, I appreciate the reccomendation, but I'm going to have to nix Harbor Freight and the like.

I'm looking for shop accurate, but not machining accurate right now. I have 1/32" tolerances right now.


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## FatherMurphy (Apr 5, 2010)

Since 1/32" = .033" (more or less), even the Harbor Freight calipers will be more accurate than a tape measure. If you aren't planning on working to fifty millionths, the off-brands are frequently just fine. There's a number of higher-end brands you could buy from McMaster-Carr or Grainger, Starrett comes to mind as an American brand, and I've got some Mitutoyo calipers in my collection, but for what I do with them (restoring steam tractors), cheapies from swap meets get me where I need to go. One rule of thumb is to get one that's 10 times more accurate than you need (one decimal point farther than you intend to read for).

You might look around area used tool and pawn shops, sometimes you can pick up good sets there. You'll want to check them before you buy, and make sure they haven't been damaged to the point of giving false readings (take along a gauge block of some sort, and measure it several times, and see how close the readings group together).

I'll second the notion to get dial units, not digital, unless you'll be reading it all day every day.


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## erosing (Apr 5, 2010)

The only thing I have against the linked Harbor Freight is that it doesn't look that sturdy. This is something that will be travelling a lot, so I'm looking for something that can be lugged around in my meters and measurement case, without being easily damaged. 

I am looking at dial units more now, due to the suggestions and because they seem to contain the least amount of plastic (from what I've looked at anyways) which means they should be sturdier, so I'm leaning towards them more so now.


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## BrianWolfe (Apr 5, 2010)

Ebay has some great buys


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## coldnorth57 (Apr 5, 2010)

Arez said:


> The only thing I have against the linked Harbor Freight is that it doesn't look that sturdy. This is something that will be travelling a lot, so I'm looking for something that can be lugged around in my meters and measurement case, without being easily damaged.
> 
> I am looking at dial units more now, due to the suggestions and because they seem to contain the least amount of plastic (from what I've looked at anyways) which means they should be sturdier, so I'm leaning towards them more so now.



I was a Heavy duty mechanic when i bought my frist set of viener calipers and now i own a $25 digital 6 inch caliper and they work great and are tough enough fo me and my tool bag ...and used them for machining things... shafts and bores


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## dramatech (Apr 6, 2010)

I have 3 sets of Harbor Freight six inch units and 1 wholesale tool. I use then for machining work to 0.001 and have never had any problem with accuracy or ruggedness. They will eat batteries quite fast if left in the calipers when not in use. Having four sets located at various locations, they don't get used enough to leave the batteries in them and still be useable after a month.


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## zmb (Apr 13, 2010)

I haven't used the calipers from Harbor Freight but we got a brad nailer from them ($20) for the tech class at my school and it broke within a week. Be very wary if you are going to be buying from Harbor Freight.


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## erosing (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks guys for the help, I went with a 6" pair of dial callipers for now, see how they work out, should be here in an hour or two.


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## jonliles (Apr 13, 2010)

I paid $100 for my Chicago Brand 12" digital vernier cal. I remove the batteries when not in use, in 3 years I have gone through 2 sets of batteries - I use this guy extensively in power plants where +/- 0.0005 makes a big difference. Though it the batteries die you loose the digital readout, you can still use the 1/32" graduations on the rule itself.


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## church (Apr 26, 2010)

I use a set of carbon fibre vernier calipers that are solar powered - bought from Princess Auto for $25.

I note from the posts above there is confusion: accuracy and resolution are not the same thing at all. Your calipers may indicate that they can provide a resolution of 0.001 inches but they may only be accurate to 0.01 inch or even 0.02 inches - this is why a good rule of thumb is to always buy something with a resolution at least a factor of ten better than the accuracy you require - as someone mentioned earlier. 

Note that the accuracy is only good for a finite time and needs to be recalibrated on a regular basis. the jaws get damaged, sweat from your fingers can corrode the metal etc. I also do not know of a set of vernier calipers that can measure to an accuracy of 0.001 inches this is in the accuracy range of what you get from a micrometer. A very different piece of measuring equipment at a very different cost.


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