Digital calipers that are not crap?

bainin

New User
bainin
I use a Wixey WR100. It does down to 1/64 fractions which is more than enough for my ability level :)
Had it at-least 6 months now without a battery change. It is probably used once or twice per day for a gut check on something.

b
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Lookin at the reviews, Wixy has no better reliability than the rest of the cheap ones. My Wixy block for angles has held up OK, but my depth gauge is getting flakey. I am hoping the Shars I ordered will hold up.

A dial in 64's would be handy sitting on top of the planer. Might get one of those to.
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
Well guys I think you need to delineate between 2 types of digital units.
1- with a memory function and 2-without. The cheap ones with a memory function that are the less costly variety do burn more battery than a Mitituyo for example. For me since I really do not need that function the cheap versions, whether it is a Shar, Nieko, Igaging or Wixley they will all perform just fine provided they are the ones with the 2032 battery. THe ones I have last between 6-10 months on a battery.

If anyone is interested. I believe the Canadian Machinist "Ave" did a video on this so you can see the actual power use when dormant.

Be advised Ave uses a lot of profainity in his videos .......FYI but the guy knows his stuff.
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
A really Thin one....... :D here this explains it. The vernier is a subsidiary scale replacing a single measured-value pointer, and has for instance ten divisions equal in distance to nine divisions on the main scale. The interpolated reading is obtained by observing which of the vernier scale graduations is co-incident with a graduation on the main scale
vernier.JPG


What is a “veneer” caliper, Mike?
 
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tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
The Shar I ordered is a 2032 battery. Needed to order some more batteries as my Wixy height gauge is dead.
The two 6 inch "cheap" calipers I still have that work, A Niko and a Duratool are SR44. I forget the one I just threw out.

"Ave" So that is his name. I do wonder his background as he does really know his s..t errr stuff. :)

My vernier caliper, no name but may be a HF from many years ago, is nice enough to include tiny screws the maintain the alignment of the head to the scale. No wobble. I have not seen that on the digital ones, but maybe it is inside. Unfortunatlly I have to use a magnifying glass to read it. I should sell it as I can't really use it. Before I had my cataracts done, I just took off my glasses and it was like a 5X magnifier.

I am going though everything, house, shop, cars. Keeping the stuff I can use, replacing with what I can use that needs upgrading, eliminating what I won't use. I have a perfect Stetson that was my grandfathers, but I am just not a Stetson guy. The list goes on.
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User
I have some Browne and Sharp dial calipers I bought in a pawn shop 35 yrs ago for $30 .They have served me well...Its a wonder I havent broken the dial....knock on wood lol!!!
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Eat your heart out. 55 years later I can still read my Pickett

View attachment 201350
And I thought mine was inconvenient to carry around. :)

My, and before me my fathers Pickett, and the one I carried with me all the time. I have to admit, I don't remember what the scales are any more. One student had the brand new HP-35. We weren't allowed to use them in class as they considered it "cheating". By the time I attempted school again, I had a TI-30 that did "everything" Loved it. But alas, it was electronic and it failed. So now I have a TI-30XA
But do you still have your copy of Burlington? 20210421_053150.jpg
 

wolfsburged

New User
Bill
I have used the HF calipers when I needed a cheap set that I could afford to lose/drop/break. As others have stated the biggest issue I saw with them was the battery drain. Easiest thing is to just get used to pulling the battery once done for the day and putting it in the case separately.

I have an iGauging set that seems to be a bit better than the HF on the battery consumption.

Both suffer from zero-repeatability issues of about +/- 0.002 which is fine for the cost.

I prefer Mitutoyo for anything 'nice' and will likely get a set of their digital calipers next. I have an old Mitutoyo dial caliper that I like, but it is nice to have the digital version to convert units.
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
Easiest thing is to just get used to pulling the battery once done for the day and putting it in the case separately.

Decades back I got a set of 12" digital calipers that I rarely use but occasionally need. After four or five battery changes to use the calipers, I learned to do the same thing. I don't think the battery cover has been on the calipers in years. Hopefully the 6" unit that Scott is getting will be about like the 6" set I have. It has far better manners about discharging the battery when not in use.
 

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