Calipers...recommendations...

[boisepaw]

I guess I dropped 'em once too often. The dial on my calipers shows .050 when fully closed so unless I want to look at it upside down or do the math every time I use them...time to get new calipers.

Recommendations for good quality calipers? Not GREAT quality...I probably won't want to spend $100 on calipers. But something good and reliable.

Or...anyone have a set that you want to get rid of? If so, let me know.

 

[rswangz]

Lyman dial calipers go for about $40 and is good enough for anything I've needed.

 

[brianns]

I recently bought some digital calipers at Home Depot. Husky brand. Seems to be decent. I had been calipers my Dad must have had back in the 1960s. I wasn't able to be sure it was still good anymore.

 

[FN509Fan]

I like to use good tools: Mitutoyo Japan 500-196-30 150mm/6" Absolute Digital Digimatic Vernier Caliper

 

[boisepaw]

I like to use good tools: Mitutoyo Japan 500-196-30 150mm/6" Absolute Digital Digimatic Vernier Caliper

I've heard Mitutoyo is absolutely top rate. So I was just on eBay myself a minute ago. That link is to one at a great price...especially for a new set of calipers. The problem...the seller has only one previous sale and is selling four sets for probably 40% of what they should be selling for new. That is likely the recipe for a scam.

Unless you bought a set from this same buyer and actually received them. Then I'm in!

 

[atblis]

That's adjustable typically. Check out some Youtube videos.

 

[FN509Fan]

I've heard Mitutoyo is absolutely top rate. So I was just on eBay myself a minute ago. That link is to one at a great price...especially for a new set of calipers. The problem...the seller has only one previous sale and is selling four sets for probably 40% of what they should be selling for new. That is likely the recipe for a scam.

Unless you bought a set from this same buyer and actually received them. Then I'm in!

I just noticed that. Looked at Ebay first, Amazon is double. They could be shop lifted. My set has a Micrometer and is in a wooden case from sometime in the early 90's. They were a gift from my ex father in law. Being a union carpenter, he always gave great tools.

 

[boisepaw]

That's adjustable typically. Check out some Youtube videos.

Adjustable but apparently there are times that it drops and it throws something off inside. Right now when the calipers are closed completely, the "0" is at the 6:00 position on the dial. I can adjust the needle to that point but then any time I'm measuring something it's upside down. Kinda confusing for a simpleton like myself.

 

[boisepaw]

I just noticed that. Looked at Ebay first, Amazon is double. They could be shop lifted. My set has a Micrometer and is in a wooden case from sometime in the early 90's. They were a gift from my ex father in law. Being a union carpenter, he always gave great tools.

Yeah...I've been looking at both as well. So tempting.

Lots of options on Amazon in the $25-30 range...I just have NO idea whatsoever about the quality of them. Hoping someone has had good experiences with something less expensive that a Mitutoyo or a Starrett.

 

[Mark75H]

This is what you are looking for: iGaging.com. For around $50 you have to spend $200+ to find better. I haven't found any other $50-ish tools worth having much less recommending

 

[TheBert]

I guess I dropped 'em once too often. The dial on my calipers shows .050 when fully closed so unless I want to look at it upside down or do the math every time I use them...time to get new calipers.

Recommendations for good quality calipers? Not GREAT quality...I probably won't want to spend $100 on calipers. But something good and reliable.

Or...anyone have a set that you want to get rid of? If so, let me know.

Sand paper will fix that.

 

[FN509Fan]

Yeah...I've been looking at both as well. So tempting.

I don't use the micrometer for much. I only load for handguns, kinda wish I just had a 2" micrometer.

 

[mpollan1]

I just noticed that. Looked at Ebay first, Amazon is double. They could be shop lifted. My set has a Micrometer and is in a wooden case from sometime in the early 90's. They were a gift from my ex father in law. Being a union carpenter, he always gave great tools.

Yeah, lifted or Chinese knockoffs.

 

[Rockzilla]

Mitutoyo, Brown & Sharpe, Starrett...​

 

[trickg]

I have two sets of Pittsburgh Harbor Freight calipers. I know that I'm certain to get all kinds of grief about that, but I watched a video that compared 3 sets of digital calipers from three different price points and it seemed to me that for what I needed, the Harbor Freight Pittsburgh calipers would probably get the job done ok. They both read the same, FWIW.

 

[Mark75H]

I have two sets of Pittsburgh Harbor Freight calipers. I know that I'm certain to get all kinds of grief about that, but I watched a video that compared 3 sets of digital calipers from three different price points and it seemed to me that for what I needed, the Harbor Freight Pittsburgh calipers would probably get the job done ok. They both read the same, FWIW.

My experience with HF calipers was poor. From set to set they may be the same, but they were only accurate to about .010" If you need correct measurement at .005" or .001" they are useless

 

[Growler215]

Fowler.

 

[mpollan1]

This is what you are looking for: iGaging.com. For around $50 you have to spend $200+ to find better. I haven't found any other $50-ish tools worth having mucht less recommending

I might just bite on this one. I'm not the OP but thanks...

 

[Squaregrouper]

I have two sets of Pittsburgh Harbor Freight calipers. I know that I'm certain to get all kinds of grief about that, but I watched a video that compared 3 sets of digital calipers from three different price points and it seemed to me that for what I needed, the Harbor Freight Pittsburgh calipers would probably get the job done ok. They both read the same, FWIW.

I have two as well and they always jibe with eachother.
Good enough consistency for me.

 

[Phoenix_1295]

I have two sets of Pittsburgh Harbor Freight calipers. I know that I'm certain to get all kinds of grief about that, but I watched a video that compared 3 sets of digital calipers from three different price points and it seemed to me that for what I needed, the Harbor Freight Pittsburgh calipers would probably get the job done ok. They both read the same, FWIW.

Me too. My digital one has performed fine for years.