Vernier caliper ?

[peter-harrison]

The digital ones have a function which the dial ones don't which is the ability to set to zero. I use this a lot to tell the difference between thicknesses without having to get the calculator out. Take the thickness of the first piece- zero- measure the second- the reading is the difference. Great if you're packing something out, getting it to thickness, enlarging a hole.......
I use an Etalon vernier- can't remember what it cost. I use it many times every day and I don't replace the batteries that often.

 

[bigbob1]

I must be lucky I bought the Powerfix digital caliper about 2012 and have only changed the battery once which considering the temperature can be down to -10C in the workshop in the winter up here is good. I wish I could say the same for my digital angle meters they seem to run out of battery on a regular basis. I can not test for accuracy on my calipers as I have no calibrated gauge blocks I have used the calipers for marking and checking internal and external measurements plus used it to set up a square fence on my saw sled using the 5 cut method.

 

[MikeG.]

The digital ones have a function which the dial ones don't which is the ability to set to zero.......

No, dial calipers do have exactly that function. You loosen a screw on the top and rotate the dial until it meets the indicator hand.

 

[peter-harrison]

So you have to find a screwdriver? Might as well get the calculator...

 

[MikeG.]

No, it's a little knurled knob......finger & thumb is all that's needed.

 

[marcros]

I bought the i Gaging one from Peter Sefton. Still on first battery
https://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/colle ... -caliper-6
Ian

Looks like I will be ordering one of these , I noted they take the bigger battery

Thanks for your comments folks

I have the 4" version of this one. You won't be disappointed.

 

[thomashenry]

I have some second hand Mitutoyo verniers, and they are a thing of beauty. A really well made tool that I enjoy using. I think the vernier principle for reading divisions of a mm is simple yet genius.

 

[powertools]

A long time ago I gave up on digital calipers and purchased a Mitutoyo dial caliper second hand and it is a well made tool that is a pleasure to use but I did miss the digital ones and about 18 months ago I purchased the Powerfix one from Lidl for £7.95 and all I can say is that 18 months on I am still on the original battery .
I also at around the same time purchased the Igauging angle cube and blade height setting tool.
THe angle cube is rechargeable but it came charged and I have never recharged it yet and the height gauge is still on it's orignal battery so I would assume that the Igauging caliper would be as good.

 

[Sideways]

Especially if you do any metalwork, good measuring tools are a joy and the end to a lot of frustration.
Bite the bullet and make the lifetime buy when you can afford it.
Mitutoyo vernier - excellent, just a little fiddly to read. No battery worries ever. Affordable quality.
Mitutoyo coolant proof digital caliper - superb, easy to read, trustworthy, long battery life, when it does go it's infrequent enough that it won't irritate you.
Mitutoyo digital dial gauge - as above.
I used to swear by Moore & Wright. Have an old, well loved combination square in daily use but the quality of their fit and finish has gone down. I wouldn't buy again.

 

[peter-harrison]

No, it's a little knurled knob......finger & thumb is all that's needed.

I guess it's just what you are used to. I started with a normal (not dial) vernier, and found it was a bit of a pain to use, and led to several mistakes, so skipped direct to digital without trying a dial one. My instinct is that the fewest steps you have to take to get a measurement, the less chance of an error. Digital is one step, so that's my preference.

 

[MikeG.]

Dial is one step, too.

 

[Trevanion]

I like a digital because I can convert between metric and thousands of an inch in a second, when I’m at the metal lathe which is dialed in with thousands of an inch and I want a metric finished diameter it’s easy to zero at the desired metric measurement, change over to thous and then put the caliper on the part which will then give me the exact measurement to remove off the diameter in thous.

That above isn’t really of any use to a woodworker though, I use a regular vernier when doing my woodwork because I don’t want to gum up a dial caliper with wood dust since it does hang about the place rather than being kept in a box for special occasions. A digital for woodwork is a bit overkill when you’re never really working to measurements beyond half a mil.

 

[Racers]

Digital ones are far easier to read.

Pete

 

[J-G]

...A digital for woodwork is a bit overkill when you’re never really working to measurements beyond half a mil.

!!! :evil: :evil: !!!
Speak for yourself !!

I work mostly in wood - though generally exotics - and always work to 0.01mm (drawings done to 0.0001) a digital vernier is only used for 'roughing' cuts, the final measurements generally being taken with a micrometer.

I do accept that I am an exception rather than a rule though :wink:

Having said 'mostly' in wood, I will add that I also work in various plastics - Tufnol, Acetal, Perspex as well as Alum., Brass, Steel, Stainless, Copper & Silver so treat wood as just another material so don't even think about what instrument I need to measure with.

 

[Trevanion]

a digital vernier is only used for 'roughing' cuts, the final measurements generally being taken with a micrometer.

Surely with a micrometer you get "Squishy Wood" discrepancies of a few microns when you go to measure it?

 

[Deadeye]

I work mostly in wood - though generally exotics - and always work to 0.01mm (drawings done to 0.0001) a

Interesting. Do you work in an environment with humidity controlled within 1g/m^3? Does the work you produce go to a similarly controlled environment?

No? Then it's a teeny bit pea's, isn't it?

 

[Deadeye]

"pea's"
Learning to love the profanity filter here.

 

[powertools]

Off we go we are now talking about a micrometer and microns. Don't forget to bring temp and humidity into the mix.

 

[Doug B]

I bought the iGaging minimag digital height gauge from Wood Workers Workshop mainly for setting up the spindle moulder, it’s a super piece of kit, if the calipers are the same I’m sure they’ll give excellent service.

 

[TFrench]

At work I use starret and mitutoyo digitals most of the time, got a really nice tesa set of metric and imperial dial verniers that are lovely to use and in my garage at home I have a wiha plastic dial calliper. I was sceptical at first of it's accuracy, but I've checked it and its spot on. Plus it bounces if you drop it!