Best digital calipers

[Ian]

Hi Anyone know which is the best digital calipers or a very good set.

I have the ones that where bought from Aldi and they have been quite good, but have noticed over the last while that the batteries don't last long and also when measuring the thickness of wood it will just zero its self which is very annoying.

So I was thinking as I do some work on my milling machine a good set would be worth the investment, and also a set that reads 0.000mm would be good.

cheers

Ian

 

[flh801978]

The best ones i have are limit brand tehy were quite expensive from my local bearing supply house probably 4X a cheap pair at the time but they are good quality and switch on and off properly and the battery lasts ages
why would you want to use a digital caliper to measure to a thousanth of a MM? not the right tool for that

 

[Ian]

Yes I agree not the best tool for thou of mm - I do have a micrometre for that but thought I would ask anyway.

 

[acewoodturner]

Hi Ian

The best make these days are Mitutoyu (think thats spelt correctly) and you can get them at your local branch of Cromwell Tools. Expensive yes, but far superior to anything else I have come across in the last few years. Whether you can find a set that goes down to 0.001mm I dont know though, I would have thought that would have been un-necessarily accurate for even your fine boxes.
BTW I am in the middle of a job for a whisky company and they like to specify +/- 0.1mm on some items made from wood, but as they mormally get some bottle necks diamond reamed to that spec they are just following with the wood! I even got asked a few years ago for holes drilled at a diameter of 34.3mm.

Mike

 

[jasonB]

You won't find calipers that measure down to 0.001mm the best you will get is 0.01mm or 0.0005".

As said a micrometer is generally more accurate if used in the right hands but if you want to be able to measure over a 150mm range then a good calliper will do the job. I don't know how you intend to work to such tight specs as 0.001mm on your mill, even with expensive glass scales and a DRO I would be hard pushed to get better than 0.01mm.

There is certainly a difference between the cheaper calipers and decent ones. I use a Mitutoyo 150mm pair a lot for engineering and they are a world away from the 300mm pair I have that were still better than Aldi/Lidl ones. Expect to pay about £100 for 0- 150mm Mitutoyo Standard Digimatics that will go down to 0.01mm/0.0005"

J

 

[Ian]

Thanks will check out the Mitutoyo set - I don't machine to tight specs like 0.001mm but need close to that accuracy for measuring and reaming the pins that go into my hinges, I get supplied the pins but they vary from 3.00 to 2.980mm,

If I ream the pin hole to 2.985mm I use a 2.995 pin this gives me a good fit.

cheers

Ian

 

[Spindle]

Hi

Another vote for Mitutoyo - beware of imitations though, expect to pay upwards of £70

Regards Mick

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Also worth considering are Moore and Wright. If you look secondhand, then Mitutoyo, M&W, Tesa Metrology, Benson Verniers, Brown and Sharpe and Starrett are all reliably good, but I'm not sure whether all of them produced digital verniers.

For measuring to 0.001mm (or 0.0001"), use a micrometer. The best vernier or digital calipers resolve only to 0.02mm or 0.001", and even then the last digit is somewhat doubtful. Not for nothing are vernier calipers known as 'guessing sticks'. A 'tenths' mike (or micron mike) will cost you significantly more than a standard one, and has to be used with a very gentle touch to give reliable readings. Mitutoyo or Moore and Wright are reputable makers.

 

[Ian]

Thanks Guys - ordered a pair of Mitutoyo 150mm

Cheers

Ian

 

[jasonB]

The Mitutoyo digitals resolve to 0.01mm - 0.0005" but hard to get consistant results.