Which Digital Caliper should I buy?

CDSG Shooting Sports
N

nicholiath

Well-Known Member
I've got one off ebay £7 and a set from halfords that cost three times as much and they both measure the same consistently.
 
Klenchblaize

Klenchblaize

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Ashford-20130824-00816_zps8cc37a1a.jpg
 
mereside

mereside

Well-Known Member
I have had my mitutoyo for 20 years when i first started racing and its still on the go now ,very pleased with it, wayne
 
S

sauer

Well-Known Member
mitutoyo I have for work ...but it aint digital its dial.......got a set for 12 quid posted new from Spud on here ...again dial and its bang on with the mitutoyo consistently

have 2 sets of the lidls ones digital both were a tenner a piece and I keep trying one against the other and all against the mitutoyo as a bench mark
and all consistently read the same
depend what you want o pay

if money no problems then from my own experience mitutoyo....or lidls!!! :eek::D

paul
 
Brithunter

Brithunter

Well-Known Member
Sadly the modern Digital calipers are not made to last not in the way the old verniers were.

We have four sets of 150mm Digital caliper here. Three are Mitutoyo and one is BATY.

In the Mitutoyo one one set I bought through the firm in 1986 for my hand loading to save me converting from metric all the time as before I was using my 200mm Mitutoyo Dial calipers. I got a set for dad as he was finding the dial ones which I bought him back in 1980 hard to read.

Later when I was sub contracting I bought a pair to use at work then as Cromwell Tools had the BATY ones on offer a pair were bought as back up for work.

One place I subbed at the service life of company provided digital calipers was about 8 months and they were worn out. The place ran 24hrs and each machine had it's issued caliper. It seems that the use of the micrometer is becoming a lost art.

Makes like Tesa and VIS should you come across them should also be considered.

I believe it was Mitutoyo that developed the digital caliper in about 1980. The 150mm version was the only one offered and they cost £400 a set back then. They bought the inspectors them where I was working at the time.

Mine only see occasional use now and dads are never used at all now however I keep one pair by my desk here JIC :D .
 
Hornet 6

Hornet 6

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Another Mitutoyo user here, I have a couple of sets, 150mm and 300mm, plus a couple of sets of 150mm no name ones, all are at least 10 years old and work fine, all read the same.

Neil. :)
 
G

gmart122

Well-Known Member
The modern digimatic Mitutoyo die with only the faintest whiff of coolant. You need to be very careful about keeping them dry.
 
S

Sharpie

Well-Known Member
jcampbellsmith said:
I'm looking for a new digital caliper, what do folk recommend that will last me a life time? Thanks JCS
Click to expand...

What are your requirements ? I.e. how long do you intend to live, and often do you expect to use your calliper ?

If you just want this for reloading purposes then an £8 Lidl or Aldi calliper will be more accurate than you'll ever need and will last well.

OTOH if you have precision machining ambitions then the better stuff is worth it.

FWIW I have Mitutoyo dial callipers and screw micrometers, but they are kept for best.

​The sub-£10 chinese digital jobs are more than good enough for reloading measurements. And they don't wear out in the traditional way. Once you understand how they make their measurements (its not by magic) it will be obvious that they are not susceptible to more traditional mechanical inaccuracies. Yes eventually they might become sloppy from mechanical wear, but its not yet happened to me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
UK Outfitters
Top