Digital calibers for reloading.

[HAWKEYE10]

I have some dial calibers that I have had for years but thought about getting these digital calibers just cause of the price. My dial calibers have no brand name on them and look close to these digital calibers. I only use them for reloading. Don

This isn't an auction but a buy it now.

150mm 6"inch Digital Vernier Caliper/Micrometer Guage | eBay

[ILTim]

One annoyance I've heard alot with cheap digital calipers is bad battery life.

[Rule3]

Or wait for these to go on "sale" I have been using them for years and no problem. They have auto power off feature. All the cheap ones like these are all probably made by the same company in China. These do work, lots of folks buy them.

Electronic Caliper 6 SS

[HAWKEYE10]

Originally Posted by ILTim

One annoyance I've heard alot with cheap digital calipers is bad battery life.

The ad says battery life is one year continuous use and three years normal use. My dad used to say " believe half of what you see and nothing you don't see" Pretty good advice I think. Don

[Titegroups]

Looks like the run of the mill china caliper, they work and the battery life does suck, either that or buy a good pair which probably makes more sense in the long run but everybody likes to buy cheap. I had a pair I bought once for $15 that were so sorry I took them back for a refund.

[HAWKEYE10]

Originally Posted by Rule3

Or wait for these to go on "sale" I have been using them for years and no problem. They have auto power off feature. All the cheap ones like these are all probably made by the same company in China. These do work, lots of folks buy them.

Electronic Caliper 6 SS

Rule these are pretty. No wonder they cost so much. Don

[Engineer1911]

Midway calipers go on sale for about $15. My set is 4 years old and using original battery. I turn it OFF when not measuring.

[alwslate]

If you already have a dial caliper I would not waste any money on
cheap digital calipers if I were you. I would advise you to look for a
good used name brand 1" micrometer instead. Good ones can be found
in pawn shops, gun shows and probably e-bay for 30.00-40.00 if you
do a bit of looking. Last a lifetime and are much more accurate.

[GregG]

The digital calipers are safer imho. A dial caliper, even an expensive one, can get a small metal shaving in it and *jump*. When they do that it's about .025".

I have a pair of Starrett digital calipers that I use for reloading. It cannot jump and give a false reading.

[couleeflyfisher]

I have both, prefer the digital for general use. The "Harbor Freight" type, $10.-20. or so seem to work great. Battery life seems kind of short some times, but on eBay you can find almost any battery dirt cheap, usually free shipping. Buy 10 or 20 for a couple of bucks and you're set for years.

[-db-]

With the industry in the shape it is, you can find high-quality American machinist tools dirt cheap on the auction sites nowadays. I can't see spending $20 on a disposable Chinese plastic digital caliper when you can find a top of the line Starrett for about the same price with some smart shopping. Yeah, it might be slightly used and have a dial instead of an LCD but it's still going to work 100 years from now, doesn't need batteries and is something your kid might be proud to inherit along with the rest of your quality tools, guns, etc. someday.

[chief38]

I agree with -db- above.

I bought a Starrett 35 years ago (dial, not digital) and it works perfectly and will still work 100 years down the line. I actually find the dial calipers easier to read than the cheap Chinese digital ones anyway, especially in poor light conditions (I don't just use it for reloading and guns).

Chief38

[Fishslayer]

For reloading those will do fine. They look very much like my sets from Harbor Freight. Usually $20 but frequently get coupons for $10. Where I used to work it wasn't unusual for people to come borrow mine because somebody forgot to turn off the $300 Mitutoyo. Mine has auto off.

Sometimes you see something similar at Kragen (or Kelleys, whatever) for $20.

The caliper I'm using now has been on my bench for 3 years now. I've replaced the battery once.

[MikeChandler]

You can get a Fowler Pro-Max digital caliper used if you look around. I've seen some nice Mitutoyo's for little more. Good examples of either could be found at a pawn shop for well under $100.00

I wouldn't go with some off-brand no-name caliper. If it's important enough to use a caliper, it's important enough to use an accurate one.

Don't forget to keep it calibrated!

[K-framer]

The ONLY difference between digital calipers and the dial type is that the little electronic unit mounted on the device translates the physical position of the jaws into a digital readout. The calipers still are mostly mechanical in operation - just with a digital readout tacked on, instead of a dial gauge. Digital calipers ARE NOT any more accurate or precise than the "old style" dial gauge type. If anything, they often can be less so. I've handled inexpensive digital calipers which could be "defeated" (that is, made inaccurate) by simply moving the slider TOO fast, causing the roller or gear of the electronic unit to slip a bit - thus, inaccurate readings. Nor are they any more reliable than the "old" type. Not so. It is possible that the little electronic unit might be a bit tougher (resistant to physical impacts) that the "old style". But, if that is really a factor for you, that is, if you drop and bang around your calipers - they won't last long - regardless. So, the "digital" aspect of these things is mostly just a gimmick.

This is akin to the "digital" bathroom scale. A digital READOUT, yes.....but the internals of the scale are EXACTLY the same as the mechanical dial type. Only the most expensive versions are equipped with an electronic strain gauge vs. the spring-loaded mechanical type. An electronic strain gauge IS more accurate.

However, with calipers, there is NO analog to the electronic strain gauge - in ALL cases, the mechanism consists of the usual sliders, with the electronic READOUT unit geared to them. The "electronic" aspect is ONLY the readout - nothing more. Whoopee ! Absolutely NO advantage to that - and battery issues to deal with to boot.

The long and short of it is, when choosing calipers.....get GOOD ones. "Digital" or dial-type doesn't really matter - that's just fluff. Much smarter to spend a bit more and get a good set - then take care of them.

[SonnyCrockett]

those calipers are fine...very accurate and not pricy - I use mine for bullets and engine building

[blujax01]

Originally Posted by MikeChandler

...
I wouldn't go with some off-brand no-name caliper. If it's important enough to use a caliper, it's important enough to use an accurate one.

...

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


My feelings exactly. I buy my tools like I buy my guns.

I don't own any Hi Point firearms.

For verniers, may I suggest Starrett 721 or 722. You may get lucky on EBay and find them for $50 - $100.
Or if that's too pricey, I've heard good reviews of the Mitutoyo 500 Series. I've seen them used at $25 and up, not a bad deal.

[blujax01]

Originally Posted by K-framer

The ONLY difference between digital calipers and the dial type is that the little electronic unit mounted on the device translates the physical position of the jaws into a digital readout. The calipers still are mostly mechanical in operation - just with a digital readout tacked on, instead of a dial gauge. ...

Uh, no.

True digital calipers use induction linear encoding. (Think sliding steel bar on a long magnet). Much better resolution than gears. Like .0005 resolution accuracy!
A linear encoder is a transducer paired with a scale that encodes position. The sensor reads the scale in order to convert the encoded position into an analog or digital signal, which can then be decoded into position by a digital readout (DRO).


I know the ones you are talking about and agree, they're just a digital readout on a rack-and-pinion system and not truly "digital."

[Maximumbob54]

This can all still be a wash no matter what you pay. I bought a pricey stainless steel dial caliper from RCBS only to open it up and see "made in china" on the side of it. And it didn't work since it wouldn't return to zero. Now I own a Mitutoyo and I won't give it up.

[Larry from Bend]

I have digital and dial. Neither were very expensive at the time. I prefer my dial as I don't have to worry about battery life. Still --- it's neat to see that readout to the 1000th, where'd I put those batteries?.

[Rule3]

Gee look what DILLON sells. It's not Blue

Dillon Precision: Reloaders, Reloading Equipment, Bullet Reloading, Bullet Reloaders

Dillon Precision: Reloaders, Reloading Equipment, Bullet Reloading, Bullet Reloaders

[K-framer]

"I know the ones you are talking about and agree, they're just a digital readout on a rack-and-pinion system and not truly "digital."[/QUOTE]

.....And these are 99% of the market for so-called "digital" calipers.

Yes, if one spends the money for "true" digital calipers....one will get better accuracy and precision....just as with electronic balances vs. cheap electronic reloading "scales", true digital bathroom scales vs. ones merely with a digital readout, etc., etc. Of course.....that's simply stating the obvious.

I should not have stated that ALL calipers operate the same way - that was a mistake (and actually, I knew that....but I didn't think it necessary to go into that level of detail...wrong choice on my part). Anyway, thanks for the correction.

My point was, though I didn't state it very well, that the vast majority (yes, except for the best and usually most expensive ones) of the "digital" calipers on the market are no better than the analog (dial) type....and there is no advantage to them. I should have simply put it that way.

[mkk41]

I'm a tool & die maker by day , and used to buy only Brown & Sharpe dial calipers. Replaced them every few years as they get dropped , points get smashed , etc. So my old ones came home for reloading , garage use , etc.

I recently bought a set of those digitals from Harbor Freight , $9.99 with a coupon from American Rifleman magazine , though they seem to be on sale for that price quite often.

They seem to work pretty darn good. Checked them on several gage blocks and no error. They come with 2 batteries , and if battery life is a problem , I'm sure a better brand of battery will work.

[lebomm]

When I started machinist's school back in 1976, my dad bought me a Craftsman dial caliper down at Sears. It still passed calibration inspection 5 yrs ago, before I retired. When I needed a little bigger one, I bought a Mitutoyo 12", and still use it from time to time. And BTW, any real quality mechanical caliper will come with a resetting tool in the event that it "skips on a chip". I've reset mine dozens of times. Couldn't bring myself to trust a digital.
And I've never had to buy a battery
JMHO
Larry