What digital caliper?

[Deadeye]

Oh dear. I bought one... and a month later it reads precisely half the actual measurement.
So I bought another. This one will give a different measurement for the same tube every time I pick it up.

Yes, they were cheap.
So what do I buy (that might be a bit more costly, without being a second mortgage) that works consistently and accurately?

 

[Roxie]

Aldi's when they are available, had one for years and reliable.

John

 

[marcros]

I have this one. https://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/produ ... ez-cal-4in

they do a 6" version too, but I found that I was using 0-2" most, and the shorter length was easier to use on my lathe.

 

[dc_ni]

Have you tried changing the batteries? I've been using the one from Lidl for some time without any problem, but it's a matter of catching them when they are on sale.

 

[Racers]

Calipers need to be used consistently, if you squeeze hard you will get a different reading, engineers prefer a micrometer with a ratchet for consistent results.

I have a couple of Aldi ones which work fine given their limitations.

Pete

 

[MickCheese]

Mine are inconsistent if it's very cold. If I warm mine up they work fine. Strange!

Mick

 

[MatthewRedStars]

I know it's really annoying when someone ignores the question, but i've got and would always get the non-digital version.

No batteries, and you can trust the reading.

 

[Tasky]

I have a bog standard digital one, from Halfords. It was given to me because the screen got smashed. It's still accurate to an easy 0.5mm, though!
It was previously used by a machinist who makes replacement and custom parts for car engines, so was accurate enough for that.

How accurate do you need yours to be and what do you consider a reasonable price?

 

[Racers]

I know it's really annoying when someone ignores the question, but i've got and would always get the non-digital version.

No batteries, and you can trust the reading.

But as you get older the digital display comes in handy. :shock:

Pete

 

[custard]

I've got a couple of expensive digital callipers but I rarely use them, for day to day woodworking I use Wiha dial callipers, like these,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WIHA-WILDCAT ... Swz09arrDR

I keep one by the bench and one in in machine room. I've used them for well over ten years and they're reliable, accurate enough for almost all woodworking applications, and best of all there are no batteries to let you down.

Be careful though, the Wiha ones are fibreglass bodied and Swiss made. There are some Chinese knock offs that look identical but I guess they're made from cheaper grade plastic and the consistency is anyone's guess.

 

[MattRoberts]

After using a couple of the cheap versions that are ten a penny and getting completely fed up of them running out of battery because they turn themselves on when you fart in their general direction, I went for these

Moore & Wright MAW11015DBL Calipers https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DN3NYS6/ ... WAb7G1NW5W

I've been very happy with them, consistent and accurate.

 

[Sideways]

In a fit of madness I bought a mitutoya coolant proof caliper at a good price ebay. Mitutoyo were the name brand when these were becoming widely adopted and their circuitry is properly designed so that batteries last months instead of weeks in the two cheap ones I had beforehand.
This is with a view to using it for machining though, not just wood.
I think the suggestion of a caliper with a dial is a good idea for woodworking. For a lot of jobs though, a really basic 4" brass sliding caliper with no vernier at all is quite useful.

 

[julianf]

So far as I'm concerned, there are digital calipers and then there are mitutoyo digital calipers.

Go into any precision engineering firm, and look at the measuring equipment, and it will be mitutoyo.

The 6" ones are not even crazy money. The 12" ones are. I have both and have never regretted their purchase. But then im a CAD/CNC metal worker, so i guess my needs are slightly different.

 

[Yojevol]

I bought a Gem Red one. After a time it started to fail intermittently. I eventually found that there was poor contact between the battery and its retaining cover. I sliver of al. foil cured the problem.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

What do you use them for? If it's turnery Lidl or Aldi open end spanners are fairly accurately sized (just over, which is erring on the right side) and indestuctable. They're fine for most purposes.

 

[deema]

My great grandfather, grandfather and father would chuckle with merriment at the thought of calipers being used for wood working. All of them were time served cabinet makers. The only thing you need to work out is whether to cut and leave the line, take the line or bisect the line.

There is no real value for calipers in woodworking if you can know what to do with the line. Save your money and make a decent marking gauge.

 

[marcros]

My great grandfather, grandfather and father would chuckle with merriment at the thought of calipers being used for wood working. All of them were time served cabinet makers. The only thing you need to work out is whether to cut and leave the line, take the line or bisect the line.

There is no real value for calipers in woodworking if you can know what to do with the line. Save your money and make a decent marking gauge.

a line and a marking gauge are no use if you are making a pen. in fact, you could save the money spent on the gauge and buy some calipers.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yer but no but ............ a cabinet maker probably wouldn't be making pens.

 

[Honest John]

I’ve had a pair of Aldi ones for years now and they have always been fine. They measure consistently the same as my dial Calipers. I keep a number of spare batteries as they have a habit of turning themselves on as someone else has mentioned. If I had to buy again I would buy the Moore and Wright ones Matt Roberts alluded to. A good name at a very reasonable price.

 

[custard]

There is no real value for calipers in woodworking

So I've band sawn off some veneers and I'm passing them through the drum sander to get them down to 1.2mm. Callipers are looking like a pretty good solution to me!