Digital Caliper

[k1dude]

I stopped using digital calipers. Everytime you need it, the battery is out. They eat batteries fast.

[Well Oiled Machine]

Just fyi I've been doing what I do in metal fab for 6 years now, I use calipers all day everyday started with a pair of cheapo SPI, then paid some bucks for a 12" starrett, then the big bucks for my 12" Mitutoyo Absolutes. All of them were digital, I think I can remember changing a battery one time.

If you do go dial you can get nicer calipers for your money, but the battery argument goes nowhere with me, lol.

[NytWolf]

If you're going to buy a harbor freight, also get a a few Gauge blocks to see just how "accurate" those things are.

They are plenty accurate. Just read the reviews found online.

[Root66]

If you can remember to remove the battery couldn't you remember to just turn it off? :

Some (most?) digital calipers have a memory function, they remember what the reading was when they were shut off; the memory function drains the battery even when they're off.

Others have no memory function and simply display all zeroes when turned on each time...look for one of those, the batteries last a long time.

[-hanko]

The harbor freight one is pretty good. For under $20 hadb it for 5+ years and only changed the batteries

The HF 6-inch is the same sold by O'Reilly, a bunch of other auto stores, Midway, a few reloading tool and components guys, etc., etc.

You can usually catch it half the time on sale for half price.

Get extra batteries...they die when you really need 'em.

Mitutoyo and Starrett are built better. OP can get a Mitu dial caliper for around his budget, I think. Digital versions from either Starrett or Mitu will be more. I use a Browne & Sharpe dial (from Tesa in Switzerland) for exact stuff and the HF for funky stuff.

-hanko

[RobertMW]

They are plenty accurate. Just read the reviews found online.

For average use, sure. But, if you want to believe me, I am an engineer in a company that designs and produces CMMs (Coordinate Measurement Machine). We have to keep all our equipment up to date with NIST (National Institue of Standards and Technology) which means periodically having our equipment (which is a lot of Mitutoyo and Starrett products) sent out for reverification. I see the reports on the accuracy of the high end products, and it shifts no matter what. And on the cheapo calipers from HF, the scales on those things are going to stretch, wear out, do all sorts of funky things over a short time, and pretty soon your accuracy goes out the window if you are doing anything fine.

I would say get anything other than a HF or other ultra-cheapy. And I would also agree to getting a dial set. They have lower accuracy out of the box, but will not deviate over their life as long as you treat them well.

[TBA Tactical]

I prefer dial calipers.
They are WAY more accurate than any digital calipers I have used.
I stick with Mitutoyo for both.
You can get real nice used Mitutoyo dial calipers on ebay for the price of a crappy digital calipers.

X2 on the dial vs digital. (I'm more of a B&S guy though)

[TAS]

I always had issues (mostly batteries) with the cheaper digital ones so I stuck with the dial calipers for quite a while. Nothing wrong with a good set of dial calipers but after I got into machining more, I invested in digital calipers from Starrett. They've been great, they're extremely accurate, & I haven't had any issues.

[toby]

Huck, I can load accurate cartridges using a frigging ruler.

[Calplinker]

I use Igaging brand fractional, digital calipers from Rockler. $15 and made of plastic. 4 years on original batteries.

[anti]

We use the Harbor Freight calipers like a few of the other members here. The little LCD screens are a bit fragile, but you shouldn't be handling measuring instruments rough anyway. Just make sure you keep them off of the floor and put them away in their cases when you're finished using them.

[fast54vw]

None, I hate digitals, I dont know how I talked myself into them. Get me some half decent dial calipers and ill trade you

[CGT80]

I need to check my HF digital calipers on a known gauge. My HF digital micrometer came with a little ball mounted in rubber, which appears to be a gauge. It is an oddball reading in inches or metric. As long as my reading is the same every time, it is good. So far it has been for the micrometer. My neighbor has a good check set, as he was an engine builder at one point. He told me to stop by and use his to check my stuff, but I forgot about it. I could see the calipers possibly going back to zero every time you close them, but being a bit off over time. I always rezero them when I use them next, but that doesn't guarantee that the scale is correct.

The key to batteries is to buy the ones with silver compound. They may be labeled SR44 instead of LR44. The silver batteries have a higher voltage to start and they last longer. The LR44 batteries would last a week before the HF digital calipers would flash on and off. The SR44 solved that problem.

[anti]

None, I hate digitals, I dont know how I talked myself into them. Get me some half decent dial calipers and ill trade you

Yep, dial calipers are definitely way to go when you need accurate and precise measurements every time. Digitals are very convenient but they get knocked out of calibration easier, they're not as accurate, not as consistent, etc. etc.

Same thing with torque wrenches - dial is the way to go! And they're cheaper than clickers... go figure.