What is everyone using for calipers and micrometers?

I bought a cheap Princess Auto digital vernier for the reloading bench, it is a battery hog. I much prefere my old Mitutoyo vernier but it is out in the shop. You should be required to learn how to read a vernier scale before you can buy a cheater type. :)
 
Mastercraft. I have compared it again highend stuff and it's right on the money, so why pay for a name when you don't have too !
 
Most of my measuring equipment for the shop is Mitutoyo, only got a few tools from Starrett. Can't beat Mit's for just about anything digital, but gotta say Starrett's USA stuff generally comes in much nicer cases.
 
I found really nice no name dial caliper in bargain bin at a friendly Cash and Carry shop-talked the guy into selling me it for 4.99$

That tool outlived most of mine measuring tools.Tough little bugger.
 
HIGHRPM said:
Mastercraft. I have compared it again highend stuff and it's right on the money, so why pay for a name when you don't have too !
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X 2, came on special for 15$ at Canadian Tire. For a digital caliper you really cant beat that. My freind has a RCBS that he paid 90$ for and they are the same, mine has a few more feature on it accutally.
 
BTW, vernier means a secondary scale, that allows more precise reading of the smallest graduations on the main scale. It's not an instrument, its a refinement in measuring off the scale.
 
I have an old vernier caliper I inherited from my uncle. Brand is "STM" and a google search finds new ones for US$35 so it's not too badly priced. Very nice none the less.
Picked up a dial caliper from Lee Valley Tools for $30ish and it's my standard go-to caliper (it's faster than reading a vernier and seems to be just as accurate)
Have a micrometer also from Lee Valley that was $25 or so. Made in China but I've proven it accurate against more expensive Japanese made micrometers.

HIGHRPM said:
Mastercraft. I have compared it again highend stuff and it's right on the money, so why pay for a name when you don't have too !
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I must have gotten a bad one. My Mastercraft digital caliper has erratic results when testing the same thing. I closed it and re-zeroed it every time to see how consistent it was. In only 5 trials it gave results of .305" to .309" for a bullet that with my other two calipers showed .308" and my micrometer showed to be .3085"
 
Im using a fowler!
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I'm so sorry to hear that :(

Brand is "STM"
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STM is a distributor. 'Their' tools are re-branded Chinese tools........not that there is necessarily anything wrong with that if it does what you expect it to do (I have no problem shooting Chinese made guns). I use 'STM's' edge finders, they aren't Mitutoyo or Starret, but they work long enough for me to smash them into something ;)
 
*MALICE* said:
STM is a distributor. 'Their' tools are re-branded Chinese tools........not that there is necessarily anything wrong with that if it does what you expect it to do (I have no problem shooting Chinese made guns). I use 'STM's' edge finders, they aren't Mitutoyo or Starret, but they work long enough for me to smash them into something ;)
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Good to know, thanks. It works well enough for me and the fit and finish is quite good.
 
The majority of the cheap "put your name on it " digital calipers have very early electronic failures, are much more susceptible to have issues from contamination and erratic readings. They eat batteries a lot faster. Can have inaccuracy in the way they are ground, and just plain aren't nearly as trustable a tool as a good Mitutoyo. I've only ever bought a few of the lower end tools when I was just starting out and can say that every single one it has been a disappointment. It's very important to be able to trust the readings given by a tool, and a bad reading can quickly cost more than a good quality tool would have. I don't know of a single failure yet of a mitutoyo caliper and have seen a few that were around 20yrs old still working. There's also a very definite difference in the fit, finish and feel of quality tools and they are generally not just charging for the name.
 
The reason the ones such as Mastercraft eat batteries is because they don't actually turn off when you turn them off. The off button only turns the display off. Odd huh?

Now, having said that, that may be the case with higher end ones as well, except they are more efficient with their power usage?
 
Even Mitutoyo's never fully turn off, its how they hold their absolute position, but they are designed properly and use better components. I leave mine from 6" to 24" On (display on) 24/7/365 and can go 3-4yrs on a battery. As to the digital mic they turn their own display off, but I find with those after a year and half the display doesn't get quite a bright even though it'll still go much longer, so I change them bout once a year, but I use it all everyday.

I'm not a fan of any solar digital calipers, trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist by creating a bigger one, not into it. That one I would call a scam to get more $ out of people.
 
I always thought mitutoyo was pretty good, and I'd appreciate a dial caliper, but I'm a cheap f@ck(;

So I'm running a $15 Mastercraft digital. I even pull the battery (it even came with two batteries; it's a hog as well).
 
In micrometers, I find the STM, Insize, KAR etc. brands just as good as Mitutoyo. I calibrate all these brands at work and even the finish is getting to be better than the
High price Miks. 160.00 for a set of STM 0-6" VS 750.00 for Mitutoyos.
As for verniers-Mitutoyo can't be beat -dosent matter how little or much you pay!
 
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