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I have several Mitutoyo digital calipers as well as several Mitutoyo dial calipers (I'm a semi retired Machinist/Tool and Die Maker) I use both, but I can tell you that dial calipers have and advantage when "sneaking" up on a size. Kind of like an analog clock, you can look at your digital clock and it reads 3:47 and do a little math and know it's 13 minutes to 4:00, or just glance at an analog clock and know it's 13 minutes to 4:00.
You can set digital calipers to the size you want and set a zero point (and that can work just fine) but you aren't actually reading a size when you do that, just a variation from a set point.
Dial calipers are prone to getting a powder flake between the rack gear and pinion gear and throwing the measurement off by .025, you can turn the dial 90* or make a simple little tool to skip the hand back to where it belongs.
The point is they both have advantages....I would stay away from any of the plastic ones, and would say in my experience the digitals may be a little more robust, but if you aren't driving nails with them either should be fine.
You can set digital calipers to the size you want and set a zero point (and that can work just fine) but you aren't actually reading a size when you do that, just a variation from a set point.
Dial calipers are prone to getting a powder flake between the rack gear and pinion gear and throwing the measurement off by .025, you can turn the dial 90* or make a simple little tool to skip the hand back to where it belongs.
The point is they both have advantages....I would stay away from any of the plastic ones, and would say in my experience the digitals may be a little more robust, but if you aren't driving nails with them either should be fine.
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