Quality digital vernier calipers

I stand corrected. My reference books must have American contributors. Note to self, don't make assumptions. Many thanks.

I bought my first digital calipers 15 - 20 years ago from a well known tool shop. It was cheap, Chinese and became useless after about two years. Thinking I could do better I visited my local engineering merchants to see what they had. I came away with a Swiss made TESA IP65 digital calipers which cost about 8x the earlier calipers. I still use it and it has given me excellent service.

TESA calipers are still available but I haven't a clue where I would get one from. I don't think you will find them on eBay and the local engineering merchants is long since gone.

JA

Edited By JA on 12/02/2017 17:42:08

Mitutoyo for me. I recently was able to buy a replacement battery cover for mine. How many other makes will offer spare parts?

I actually had to buy 4 to make up the minimum order , I have an ad in the for sale section if anyone needs one, I have 3 spares.

So, are these the real thing mYAAOSwjDZYlwuv

Having now seen the cost I can only assume fake

Edited By petro1head on 12/02/2017 18:04:04

You cannot beat mitutoyo. I have a pair for 20 years nearly and they have been perfect. Beware though there are counterfeits/ fakes being peddled. On ebay you know they are fake because they have country of origin as hong kong.

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Couldn't be certain ... but: **LINK**

http://orcinus24x5.tumblr.com/post/85895171143/fake-mitutoyo-digital-caliper-from-ebay-real-one

MichaelG.

Unless bought from Hong Kong and then resold in uk

Ok. So there seems a huge gap between cheap Ones and more expensive i.e.£10 to £135

There must be something in the middle cost wise and less chance of fake.

What obout Moore and Wright

M&W do verniers at various price points. The top of the range are equivalent to Mitutoyo, but the mid-price ones are very good. In my test I also found the 'cheap as chips' ones from Machine DRO are nicer than supermarket ones - ideal for workshop hack.

On a budget, grab a cheap hack pair and a mid-price M&W for best. But I've been spoiled and now use the Mitutoyo* for everything (I really ought to use a cheaper pair for most stuff...)

Neil

* I actually had to reset the origin today, hadn't used it for a few weeks and it was slightly out. I think that's the second or third time in several months, which isn't bad.

What would you say is a mid price point

Which is why you buy from a reputable source like cromwell or other known stockists, not some chancer on ebay operating out of a garden shed, or cupboard under the stairs. Kennedy is another reasonable brand, they do a set with larger than normal numbers, good if your minces aren't too good anymore.

If my memory serves me right (which i doubt) the picture on the box on the ebay link is wrong ,the calipers should be pointing up to the top left corner instead of bottom left .

Sean

Hmm that will be me then

Aldi currently selling some for £8.50. No experience of them myself but they could double as adjustable spanner / hammer at that price.

How about £23.70 on special offer?

www.machine-dro.co.uk/150mm-6-digitronic-digital-caliper-moore-wright-basic-line-110-dbl-series.html

M&W for the price of three Aldi pairs? Hardly makes sense to buy anything else?

Neil

Out of curiosity I have been having a look at what caliper I have.

I could do with something of a known measurement to test accuracy.

1. Clarke - not too bad but not a smooth action

2. Work zone - not sure about accuracy but smooth

3. Unbranded - got these as a birthday gift, crap crap crap

4. I have also found some Mitutoyo non did Gita like fine adjustment, very smooth action

Keep an eye on MSC, they occasionally have mytutoyo verniers on sale.

eg this one: **LINK**

was selling for £59.99 (plus vat) a couple of weeks ago.

Personally I have a couple of cheap Moore and Wright 6" from machine DRO, these ones:

**LINK**

I was testing one of them today against some slip gauges and they were no more than 1/2 a thou out (which is their resolution) from 1/4" to 3". Given the slip gauges are probably well over 50 years old and more than a bit rusty in places I didn't think that was too bad

More importantly they are consistent, even with a significant variation in pressure, something I have found a problem with the cheap no-name verniers I have.

My mid range set are Sealey - I use the cheapo ones as well. Given the variability in results (once did a very boring gauge R&R on it) there seems no benefit accuracy wise in buying expensive.

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Those are the M&W ones I mentioned previously that ended up in my junk bin.

Nick

What are absolute digital calipers