Which caliper to buy?

[watsonr]

Have most of the tools I need but broke my caliper the other day. It was a cheap one and now need a good caliper. Is there a brand or model anybody prefers? Needs to have a white face dial, 6" length and anything else?

Thanks,

Randy

 

[troutfisher]

Starrett makes good stuff.

 

[chowdozer]

Mitutoyo or Starrett. I think Fowler makes a decent caliper too.

 

[Bob Wright]

I am old school and still use a Scheer Tumico 6" vernier. No dial and no readouts. But i have been using them for 30 years so why change now. I have a machine shop so i have 3 of them laying around. They are getting hard to find and i did buy a new Fowler and its still in the box...Bob

 

[willsaw4beer]

I have a mitutoyu and a brown & sharpe that are both decent. Can't go wrong with starrett either.

 

[steven1955]

I know you said it was time for a good caliper, but....

Have you considered the Harbor Freight digital calipers? Right now they're on sale for $19.99 for the 6 inch size.

I have a 6 inch Mitutoyo and two of the 6 inch Harbor Freight 6 inch models. The Harbor Freight are clearly not Mitutoyo in quality, but they are just as accurate as my lower end Mitutoyo. And as I can buy 4 to 6 of the Harbor Freight ones for every Mitutoyo I won't be heartbroken if I damage one.

One caveat. I only recommend buying the Harbor Freight calipers in the store. What I have needed to do to get ones that operate smoothly is to open the boxes and inspect each one. I find that I need to check 2 or 3 out before I find a nice one. (Like I said, they are clearly not Mitutoyo in quality.) If you internet order you'll just get the first one they pull off the shelf.

I also have a set of 8 inch Mitutoyo vernier calipers. My 55 year old eyes don't like them any more. I don't think I've used them in 5 years. But no caliper is as rugged as a set of vernier calipers. It's just that my eyes like the dials better and the electronic digital readouts even more.

 

[Tzed250]

.
Starrett has two levels of quality. The world level and made in the USA. I have the USA made 6" dial calipers and they are deadly accurate, for a caliper. Electronic calipers are the most flexible (inch-metric, floating zero, etc. ), Vernier calipers are the most reliable ( one moving part ), and dial calipers are a good compromise.


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[stderr]

Mitutoyo all the way. Brand obsession is overrated, but I think they're like the Stihl of calipers.

 

[1steve]

Any of the above are great, cost is gonna be your deciding factor. How much do you want to spend?

 

[ttyR2]

Deadly accurate? Sounds dangerous.

 

[Tzed250]

Deadly accurate? Sounds dangerous.

90% of calipers are not worth the powder it would take to blow them straight to he!!. The Starrett 120A is the exception.

 

[mtngun]

Have you considered the Harbor Freight digital calipers? Right now they're on sale for $19.99 for the 6 inch size.Mitutoyo in quality.) If you internet order you'll just get the first one they pull off the shelf.

Not a darned thing wrong with the HF calipers. I have several of them, been using them daily on the job for years. They last 2 - 3 years in daily abusive use. When they go kaput, I replace them with another $20 caliper.

 

[nmurph]

Not a darned thing wrong with the HF calipers. I have several of them, been using them daily on the job for years. They last 2 - 3 years in daily abusive use. When they go kaput, I replace them with another $20 caliper.

yes, i think the are probably the same ones. i have owned them for a couple of years and they have held up well. i have bought several things from jacks. they are good to deal, the quality is decent and the customer service is excellent.

https://www.jackstoolshed.com/p-106-6-digital-caliper-lcd-screen-instant-sae-metr-conv.aspx

 

[shawn022]

Kolbalt

I have a set of the Kolbalt digital calipers from Lowes. They seem to be very well built for $30. Plus they have a lifetime warrenty.

 

[aandabooks]

SPI actually makes a decent caliper. If you don't want to spend the money on Starrett, Browne & Sharpe or Mititoyo go get a SPI. If you need it daily and you need it right everytime, spend the extra money.