# Digital Caliper



## dbedit (Oct 13, 2005)

I am looking into getting a digital caliper. All my Mics and Squares are Starrett. I am looking for something in that quality of tool. I will be using this mainly for quick readings when building guitars so I would like to stay with a 12" model. I really have no need for anything bigger but have a use upto 8" to 9". Any advice?


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## Rothrandir (Oct 18, 2005)

mitutoyo.

mit makes makes the best digital calipers. i wouldn't even consider starret calipers, being made from softer steel, they're more easily bent.

there are a few websites dedicated to calipers and such. after much research, i decided on a set of brown and sharpe dial calipers. love them...


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## ottoluck (Nov 11, 2005)

Go digital, the gear rack type's get full of stuff and jump off zero and are a pain to reset!. Mititoyo are most likely the best, B&S 2nd and Starrett 3rd, then Fowler, then the cheapies. If you want to start out cheap, you can get an inexpensive one to try for around $25-35/4", $15-20/6", $30-40/8", I am not sure of the price for a 12". Then when you to buy a quality digital caliper's, the cheapie will be the one you can borrow out or take home to your wood shop!. I have cheapies and I am very pleased with them around the house and my wood shop, but not in the machine shop.

I am a Journeyman Toolmaker and went digital years ago, it's the only way to go!. I find the digital's to be more accurate, easier to use, and less likely to get a bad reading because their is no gear rack to cause trouble. I use the 4", 6" and 8", I rarely need to go to 12" so I have not purchased one yet. If I had to pick one size it would be the 8", always feel's right. If I had to pick 2, it would be a 4" and 8". If I need, I have a 12" Mititoyo dial type and a Starrett 24" "Master Series" vernier. 

I do not care for digital micrometer's, at this time, they are still to large. When they are able to make them smaller, I will switch over. Just wanted to add this, so you don't think I am a "digital" nut!!...


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## Kris (Nov 11, 2005)

Another vote for Mitutoyo, great calipers.


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## greenLED (Nov 14, 2005)

Mitutoyo are top of the line. That said, I just got some $20 ones from Harbor Freight (thru a CPF'er), and they're working just fine.


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## Anglepoise (Nov 14, 2005)

Another vote for Mitutoyo. Life time purchase.

Oh by the way. Don't write off the lowly dial callipers.
Sometimes they are allot easier to read depending on what you are up to.
On the lathe, I use my dial callipers over my digital 10 to 1.

However when measuring and just needing a result, digital is quicker .


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## TranquillityBase (Nov 23, 2005)

I also have to give my vote for all Mitutoyo products. I have a 6" digital Mitutoyo caliper and the 6" and 12" versions sold by Harbor Freight. The Harbor Freight stuff is ok but they eat batteries darn near as fast as a flashlight. 

Even if you buy one just for simple stuff, I think you will be happier with one from the big name brand tool companies.

Scott


Anglepoise said:


> Another vote for Mitutoyo. Life time purchase.
> 
> Oh by the way. Don't write off the lowly dial callipers.
> Sometimes they are allot easier to read depending on what you are up to.
> ...


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## paulr (Nov 23, 2005)

I just got the 6" Cen-tech digital at a Harbor Freight store. It was $15.99, an absolutely amazing value. I don't know how to compare it to a high class Mitutoyo but to my amateur eyes, the thing seems very solidly made. They had 8" and 12" versions but they cost quite a bit more (like $29.95 and $44.95 or something like that), still bargains but not an almost-freebie like the 6". I'm not a machinist but I couldn't resist getting a digital caliper that cheaply, and it's already come in useful (fitted a watch band with it).

Edit: the 12" turns out to be cheaper than the 8", and they have a 6" made of composite for $9.95! The composite version looks nowhere near as nice as the metal one that I got, but it's very light weight, and I certainly would have gotten one if I'd noticed it in the store. I can't really go back though, it's a long way from here and I just happened to be passing by on a trip, so I stopped there.


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## yaesumofo (Nov 24, 2005)

Mitutoyo is the caliper of choice at my machine shop. I have a Fowler Ultra-Cal IV caliper which works perfectly. Every 6 months or so while I am at the machine shop I get the cailper certified. So far they are absolutly accurate. I am not sure what more you could ask for from a caliper.
One of the big differences between calipers is the amount of water/oil Proofness and splash resistance they have. If you are checking parts on a machine line then it is very important to have this IP65 at a minimum.
Yaesumofo


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## Osprey_Guy (Nov 24, 2005)

I bought my Browne & Sharpe calipers about 6 months ago. Since I use them (a lot!) in my knifemaking shop, they are often exposed to plenty of moisture and dust...especially if they are being used over near my grinder (I have a large bucket of water under the grinder to catch the dust and a smaller bucket of water nearby to "dunk" the hot metal each time I make a pass on the grinder..I often need to measure small metal pieces that I'm grinding to size). The Browne & Sharpe's I got are IP67, which I believe is as waterproof and dust proof as you can get at present. They had just come out, and J&L Industrial had them on a promotional sale for (about) $129. I grabbed them as soon as I saw them. 

BTW-They are very accurate.

That said, I have several, 6" calipers from Harbor Freight and a couple of their 4" calipers as well. These are the stainless steel type, not the composite (don't truest the plastic for accuracy)...and they are surprisingly accurate...at the very least within .005" of the Browne & Sharpe's. There's a HF just 20 minutes from here and I usually pick up a pair whenever they go on sale for 1/2 price (or less)...I bought the last pair using a "deep discount" coupon I had received from them via e-mail and I paid just over $11!!! I keep them in every corner of my shop...and also at my desk.

Dennis


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## Peter Atwood (Dec 6, 2005)

Mitutoyos are great! I have a pair of the solar powered ones and I love them. I need another cheaper pair for my office....


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