Digital Vernier Caliper Recommendations?

[Fallingup]

For a while now I've been using a cheap, Chinese, eBay special but it's packed in. I'm looking for one to use for working on watches. Measuring gaskets, second hand stems, etc. Can anyone recommend a good quality, accurate one? There are loads of different makes on eBay but they look like they have come from the same factory.

[Legacywr]

We use Mitutoyo at work, without any issues.

About £90 for a 0 - 150mm.

I presume you want digital not vernier?

[Fallingup]

Legacywr said:

We use Mitutoyo at work, without any issues.

About £90 for a 0 - 150mm.

I presume you want digital not vernier?

Sorry. Yes, my mistake. Thanks. I will have a look at them.

[glazbagun]

Another vote for Mitutoyo.

[dc2rr07]

Would a micrometer not be better suited and more accurate, cheaper as well

[Fallingup]

dc2rr07 said:

Would a micrometer not be better suited and more accurate, cheaper as well

Unfortunately not. It needs to be able to get into tight spaces.

[Starfighter]

Mitutoyo Absolute all the way. Same with micrometers.

[vladcjelli]

Apologies for the zombie thread revival.

My son is doing an engineering apprentice ship and I thought it might be a nice gift to get him a decent digital calliper.

Five years on, do the recommendations above still hold true?

What should I be looking for?

[Legacywr]

Make sure the company don't insist your son uses their equipment, due to it being within their calibration system.

[Geertsen]

vladcjelli said:

Apologies for the zombie thread revival.

My son is doing an engineering apprentice ship and I thought it might be a nice gift to get him a decent digital calliper.

Five years on, do the recommendations above still hold true?

What should I be looking for?

I would say so without doubt. My father-in-law is an engineer at a Formula One team and they are the ones they use. In a field where no expense is spared and precision is everything I consider it a pretty good endorsement.

[shirt]

Yes Mitutoyo is still the standard.

Others would be starett (US, so forget that these days) and Tesi (Swiss). Latter is best for micrometers and dial indicators imo.

Not much to look out for if buying new. Shockproof, nice smooth action, repeatability. Ignore the price as mitutoyo is a buy once kind of tool.

[Mr Roper]

shirt said:

Yes Mitutoyo is still the standard.

This ^^
Coolant proof if working with cutting oils.

[vladcjelli]

I’ll have a look then.

Their website keeps crapping out for now, but I’ll keep trying.

[Shinysideup]

Just a warning not to buy Mitutoyos from Ebay or Amazon etc. There are lots of fakes that on the surface look very convincing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG6I2gNGVwM

[Doofus]

Do their batteries last more than a day? I have three sets of digital ones and the batteries are always flat, so I use manual ones.

[Shinysideup]

Doofus said:

Do their batteries last more than a day? I have three sets of digital ones and the batteries are always flat, so I use manual ones.

My Mitutoyo vernier lasted a couple of years on the original cell. Replaced with Renata SR44SW and no issues yet. Doesn't get used as often as a work environment though.

[hidetheelephants]

Doofus said:

Do their batteries last more than a day? I have three sets of digital ones and the batteries are always flat, so I use manual ones.

The cheap calipers eat batteries, even with brandname batteries the best I was getting was a few months; mitutoyo have better circuitry that means batteries last a year or two. I've more or less given up using my digital caliper and gone back to a dial caliper.

[RustyNissanPrairie]

+1 for Mitty. As mentioned above cheap crap ones eat batteries - I had some SPI verniers in the workshop that did this whereas my Mitutoyo in my office last for years.

Just had a quick look on eBay out of curiosity - "Mitutoyo" are selling for £25 new. The pictures look convincing but have the usual Chinese font references so are clearly fakes for that price.

Mine came from J&L / MSC but I have an account there.

If he hasn't already got one - get him a Zeus guide as well.

https://www.axminstertools.com/zeus-reference-book...

Edited by RustyNissanPrairie on Wednesday 16th April 20:56

[ARHarh]

Use non digital calipers in the workplace, it's the only way you can be sure no one will "borrow" them

[2172cc]

I use Sealey calipers and are more than good enough for me and my requirements. Regarding eating batteries, I just slide the cover ,remove the battery and reinsert when needed. Lasts ages.