Vernier Calipers

[cigman1st]

I recently bought a little Seecamp pocket gun. Everything I have read said the gun can be picky about what it likes. Many posted a maximum length of the cartridge. I have never used calipers before, not much call for them in my profession, but thought it might be fun to learn. For those that use them, how tough is it to read the correct measurement with VERNIER CALIPERS? Would it be better to get a digital or straight vernier?

Thank you

 

[Shadowrider]

Digitals are much easier and you can zero on a known dimension and use them to check plus or minus from that known setting which is handy sometimes. But a good set of vernier calipers are probably more accurate if you use them enough for a consistent feel, and don't mind the vernier scale and doing the math. Key term there was "good set", a cheap set of verniers is no better than a cheap set of digitals or dials.

 

[zoomaster1]

Digital calipers are much easier on the eyes.

 

[cigman1st]

I should have also asked about a good place to get them.

 

[Shadowrider]

Here ya go.

Click here

 

[gaseous maximus]

Digitals, For what you need them for, harbor tool's 6 inch (10.00 on sale) are plenty accurate, especially for outside measurements (OD). One neat feature is the ability to convert decimal to metric at the push of a button. Speaking from 40+ years expereince, I'd rather have a cheap digital than a expensive vernier or dial caliper, at least in the smaller sizes. As a matter of fact when I checked about a year ago,used starret 6" dial calipers were bring about $25.00 on Ebay, they were over $100 new back in the mid 80's.

 

[MoBoost]

I HATE digital calipers - I swear every time you HAVE to use it the battery is dead. Dial caliper costs the same, works as good ... every time.

 

[dammechanic]

Most cheap digitals can have an accuracy or repeatability of +or - .008” so Unless you are planning on spending $130+ I would not recommend digitals. Vernier calipers are slow to read but repeatability and accuracy should be good even with low end units. Dial calipers are fast to read, repeatability and accuracy should be good with a mid-range pair like fowler. You will never have a dead battery either. So I would say that dial calipers will give you the best bang for the buck. Also you can’t go wrong with the brands Brown & Sharp or Starrett

 

[aeropb]

I HATE digital calipers - I swear every time you HAVE to use it the battery is dead. Dial caliper costs the same, works as good ... every time.

This! And the same goes for a scale. I bought a very nice digital scale, it died shortly after the warranty ran out. Now I'm back in the dark ages with my dial calipers and my balance beam. But by god they'll never die or run out of batteries!

 

[gaseous maximus]

I have just finished checking three cheap digital calipers, (6") all of which came from harbor tools, over the last few years. I checked them against 1-2" & 2- 3" Fowlers, and a 6" starrett dial caliper in like new cond. I also had a moore i-2-3 block, which I used,to measure, along with the standards which came with the mics,so three inches was as large as I could test. The specs. on the digitals, call for an accuracy of +/- .001". All three of them I found to be within this spec. In most cases well within. repeatability ,very important to me, was excellent, I believe better than the starrett dial. I have a set of verniers, but they are really a strain on my eyes to read anymore, they are of course, very accurate. The two newer digitals have auto shut-off, and about $10.00 on sale. As for batteries I have been buying them along with red dot batteries on Ebay, and they are dirt cheap. Been a couple years ago, but they were around 50 for $5.00