Gunsmithing Need new calipers

[NY700]

My digital calipers from husky died. Just wondering what most folks are using digital or analog? No frills store brand or harbor freight specials or are you dropping the money on starrrets or mitoyo?


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[Rthur]

Have these:

And these:

Both have been great tools.

R

 

[super_poot]

+1 on the B&S I have the same ones. No batteries to go dead.

 

[Sonic Crack]

Im not a fan of digital but they do work. I have a Mitoyo pair for reloading and the battery lasts a few years. I do turn them off when not used

 

[jdonovan]

I keep a Mitoyo solar and an and old-school mechanical dial set.

 

[Natestreo]

I'm using the iGaging Absolute Origin 0-6" Digital calipers from Amazon. They're very smooth and measurements have been very accurate. I'm impressed compared to the other digital calipers i've used in the past.

 

[kansas]

I have Mitutoyo dial calipers I bought used off Ebay and they work great. I take care of them. We use Mitutoyo digitals at work and they go through many hands and have NOT been taken care of yet keep working and are accurate and repeatable.

 

[ZiaHunter]

Brown & Sharp TESA Digital and Starrett Dial. Both are well made and accurate and find myself using the digital ones more often.

 

[missed]

I have been moving to Sylvac digitals. I'm real happy with them

 

[Waorani]

Another vote for Mitutoyo. I've got 3 6" Digimatics with the oldest at least 10yrs and still going strong. Watch out for counterfeits though - lot of them on ebay, etc.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Absolutely no reason not to use digital calipers, much faster to read the display than a dial. My 25 year old Mitutoyo with duct tape for a battery cover still works perfectly. My newer Mitutoyo that does NOT have to be zeroed every time it is turned on cost me around $110 well worth the money.

 

[GottMitUns]

I am not a fan of digital, just personal preference. I use 12" Mitutoyo daily and have 3 or 4 sets around the shop. anytime i can buy a set right in a pawn shop I do.

 

[moosemeat]

Depends what your using them for. If your trying to use them to replace a mic (bad idea) buy the best you can. I run Mit at work for rough measuring. If it needs to be closer than .005 i always grab a micrometer. I like digi and run digi micrometers to but bought a used 1-6" set of starett at a flea market for $100. Best moneybi ever spent. They all check out within a tenth or so.

 

[300sniper]

I've got a B&S 599-579-4 and a Mitutoyo 505-742. I feel the B&S is much better made but I like the Mit better because of the drive wheel.

 

[Alabusa]

Calipers- Brown & Sharpe
O.D. Mics- Mitutoyo
inside and depth mics- Starrett

 

[Clark]

My cousin keeps getting patents working for Mitutoyo digital calipers, so I buy some of them...... but owning dozens of calipers, I still like Starrett dial calipers best.

Only $80
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SJADL3G

 

[Bandaid]

At work I use Mitutoyo digital calipers and Starrett dial calipers (same ones mentioned by Clark). They are excellent quality and I can trust that they read right every time.

I also bought a set of iGaging digital calipers for use at home on the reloading bench and to be honest they are the best cheap set I have ever bought and wouldn't recommend anything else to someone on a budget. They are very accurate and have no slop. I have been using them for about a year now and couldn't be happier.

https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-ABSOL...igital+caliper

In my opinion dont bother with the harbor freight, frankford arsenal, hornady or any of the other digital cheap ones they are all crap out of china and usually dont read the same from the top to the bottom of the jaw.

Also, watch out for ebay "mitutoyo" that seems to be too good of a deal as they are likely Chinese counterfeits.

 

[FishDr]

I like digi when using a comparator for headspace or ogive measurements. For most things, however, it is the Mithtoyo dial calipers. Very good equipment.

 

[...]

honest question......what are you using them for? and how much accuracy do you really need?

Mitutoyo calipers are fantastic....and are pretty much "the standard"....but unless you are doing a lot of precision work....theres really no need to be dropping $300 on calipers.

90% of my measuring is done using those plastic calipers they sell at HD for $15......and they work great......i initially picked them up because i was doing a lot of work with magnets, and needed something non magnetic.......and ive just stuck with them........

 

[delfuego]

Another +1 for the iGaging Origin

 

[Luke]

I loathe digital calipers because of the 3 different shops and labs I've worked in, the stupid batteries are always going dead, and the tool is completely useless at that point. Taking an extra 3 seconds to read a dial is always faster than picking up a caliper with a dead battery, and then going off to look for a replacement, or running over to Walmart to buy another one. I own a Mitutoyo, but usually reach for my $25 stainless steel Cabela's branded dial caliper. I've compared both calipers on gage blocks and consistently get equal measurements, and the Cabela's caliper has been in my toolbox for close to 15 years.

 

[HoustonB77]

I have two sets. Both are lymans. One is digital and the other is a old school dial. Both seam to serve the purpose but I use the digitals most often.

 

[Mater2009]

One of my extra blue points. Never any issues.

 

[Tazman308]

Hate digital stuff and ALWAYS prefer US made. Just ordered a pair of Starett 120a-6 from ZORO. With the discount code they were $150 delivered. My 35 year old cheapies have been acting up. These should last me the rest of my life so I bit the bullet, so to speak.

 

[Wannashootit]

https://www.amazon.com/Mitutoyo-500...516903614&sr=8-1&keywords=mitutoyo+500-196-30

 

[J!m]

Mitutoyo mechanical and a cheap-ass digital from Harbour Freight for me. Avoid the mechanical HF calipers, as I have been through five or so in two years. I use them on the lathe for rough measurements making tooling etc. They are crap. Tightening the rack helped some, but one of them had a fouled rack out of the box and it would jump a tooth on every stroke.

One important detail for both: Get a calibration standard close to your intended work range. Maybe 2" or so for cartridges. Zero the gage there.

The HF digital is nice because it does inch and MM conversions with the touch of a button. I use it predominantly with my watch making stuff for that reason. Accuracy (repeatability) of a caliper is less than a micrometer. Understand the repeatability and tolerance of the instrument you are using. Develop a consistent "feel" for how much pressure you apply when using it. A good tool used poorly is just as bad as a poor tool used well. Get a good tool and use it properly.

I've been working in Aerospace for over 30 years now.

 

[natdscott]

Mitutoyo Dial & Mitutoyo Vernier Mics.

-Nate