Digital caliper

[abunaitoo]

I have an old midway caliper.
Not sure who really made it.
It's worked well for me all these years, but is getting strange at times.
Zero not keeping, display fades at times, sometimes doesn't read correct.
I've tried a new battery.
I've gotten some cheap ones for different places.
Even have two from Frankford.
I'd kind of like one that does metric, standard, and fractions.
So what is a good brand at a reasonable price????

[GregLaROCHE]

Sounds like a battery problem or could be worse. I’d try a different brand of new battery before giving up, if you it really suits you.

[ioon44]

I had a Frankford caliper that did metric, standard, and fractions, it was always off by .001" I never could get it to zero and the batteries were always dead when I needed to use it.

I bought a Starrett 120 Dial Caliper and have been verry happy with it.

[460S&W]

I’ve had similar experiences with cheaper digital calipers. After a few years they seem to just get finicky. I’ve since switched back to Manuel and haven’t looked back. I got sick of replacing batteries lol

[deltaenterprizes]

Mititoyo is the only digital caliper that shuts off the entire device all the others just turn off the display.
For that reason I use dial calipers.
Harbor Freight dial calipers are surprisingly accurate and reasonably priced!

[schutzen-jager]

might be a fluke, i bought a harbor freight one at an estate sale about 3 years ago + it is still performing greatly - test accuracy + it never varies - does both standard + metric -

[DougGuy]

I'm partial to my Mitutoyo but you have to manually turn it off and it doesn't do fractions. It IS accurate and consistent. I've never had a caliper that did fractions that would be a luxury for figuring out which socket should I use for this bolt?

[NSB]

After I retired as an engineer I took a part time in a local company and kept track of all their gages. I had to check them periodically and that included all their measuring devices. Each employee could use their own calipers but they had to be checked by me twice a year (or anytime they were dropped or damaged). Every digital caliper I checked was able to be re-zeroed if you knew how to do it. Usually by turning it on and holding one of the buttons until it reset to zero. The only calipers that ever failed their semi-annual check were a result of damage by either being dropped or misused (you wouldn’t believe what people did with these things). If your caliper is “off”, try wiping the jaws each time you use it. Depending on what you’ve been measuring, even light oils, etc can change the numbers if the jaws aren’t perfectly clean. Sitting them on a warm surface can change the results also as the metal expands…

[rbuck351]

I bought one of the HF cheepy digital calipers but will never get another digital. Every time I went to use it the battery was dead. I think I still have it somewhere but I won't bother to look for it. I was an automotive machinist for years and the fractions to 1/16 I still have in my head.

[lightman]

I have a set of Mitutoyo that I really like. Not cheap though! They are often counterfeited so buy them from a reputable place.

[Froogal]

Way too many electronic devices already forced into our lives. I chose the dial calipers. NO battery or other electronics.

[PhilC]

Check out iGaging, bought this one one a few years ago and haven't needed to replace the battery yet. Got tired of having to wear reading glasses when using my dial indicator calipers and rarely use them now.

[crandall crank]

I'll jump on the wagon as well. I prefer Mitutoyo. I have both a caliper and micrometer. Batteries last for years and is accurate and repeatable.

[dankathytc]

I bought a Starrett dial caliper 10n years ago simply because it was less cost than the Miutoyo. It has been flawless. I’m sure you will never regret your decision with either one. Dial calipers don’t have battery’s that die at the most inopportune time.

[beemer]

I am not a machinist but I worked in high end dinning room furniture, accuracy was essential as some of the wood was very expensive. I preferred Mitutoyo miter gauges above all others. I don't like measuring tools that take a battery.

I have a couple Starrett, and Brown and Sharpe tools all are good. I dropped my Lyman dial calipers with the usual results. I took a chance and replaced them a set from Harbor Freight, they are spot on with the Starrett. Also bought a set of HF that does fractions, it to seems to be right.

I was gifted a set of vernier calipers, of all things they are marked with the Mauser logo. They seem to be bullet proof, it would be tough for them to loose calibration.

[Shawlerbrook]

I bought and still use the Frankfort Arsenal. Had the battery die once now take the battery out when not using it and no problem. For my reloading. accuracy +/- .001 is sufficient.

[rockrat]

I am still using a few I got from Midway and also some I got from Grizzly

[elmacgyver0]

Horrors!!!
Even the cheap Harbor Freight calipers are accurate enough for 90% of us here.
I built a .50 BMG rifle with one and it (the rifle) works fine.
If you don't have the coin for the high dollar stuff you can still do accurate work.
I do have some nice stuff that I have picked up at garage sales.
I have set of precision gage blocks in a fitted wooden case I found at a garage sale for $20, nice to check the accuracy of my cheap measuring tools.

[porthos]

without spending for the best; look at fowler brand

[alfadan]

I have an old midway caliper.
Not sure who really made it.
It's worked well for me all these years, but is getting strange at times.
Zero not keeping, display fades at times, sometimes doesn't read correct.
I've tried a new battery.
I've gotten some cheap ones for different places.
Even have two from Frankford.
I'd kind of like one that does metric, standard, and fractions.
So what is a good brand at a reasonable price????

Often times there are two little screws on top that adjust the alignment of the stuff that does the measuring. If it has those, try tightening them a little.