Digital calibers for reloading.

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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
 
ILTim said:
One annoyance I've heard alot with cheap digital calipers is bad battery life.
Click to expand...

:( 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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Digital Calipers

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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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.:D

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.
 
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!
 
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.
 
MikeChandler said:
...
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.

...
Click to expand...

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


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

I don't own any Hi Point firearms.:cool:

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.
 
K-framer said:
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. ...
Click to expand...

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."
 
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.
 
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?.
 
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