Dial vs digital calipers

[sturner]

Mitituyos on Amazon

 

[ntsqd]

My Mitutoyo "My-Cal" (low price point) calipers that I bought while in college eats batteries. My Mitutoyo-500-196-30 has been left on for literally months at a time and I've only replaced it's battery once.

 

[zb338]

I measure stuff all the time on my job. You can't beat an old fashioned micrometer.
If the accuracy doesn't have to be too great then time to reach for the vernier.
Zeke

 

[NSLR##]

My opinion is if the accuracy of my $12 harbor freight digital caliper is insufficient for the task at hand then it's time to break out the micrometer. Consequently every time I have done so the 2 have been spot on down to .001"
The big problem I have with digital, I can't tell if its 2.5010" exactly or 2.5014" cuz the screen goes from displaying 2.501" then it jumps to 2.5015". For most reloading .0004 is probably not worth discussing but if you're accustomed to a dial where you can sort of have an idea of where it lands between the two, this could possibly be annoying to you

If you think you are accurately reading in "tenths" (.0001) with calipers you are deveiving yourself. Just because it reads it on the screen or dial doesnt mean it's that accurate.

 

[tony d willIiams]

I tend to buy the expensive and reliable tools, my dad was a machinist.
I had the set he gave me as a child when he was teaching me how to cut properly. My rental car was broken into at a job in Canada, they stole my programmer, laptop and measuring tools. Probably most were useless to them.
I have used calipers which would not measure the same twice, I bent them and inserted into the trash can. And yes I am an anal type of man.

 

[DUSTY NOGGIN]

should always have 2 one for back up ..

some times you need a hammer .. so you pick up your calipers ...........




and set them outta the way so not to break them . what were you thinking ?? well you have a perfectly heavy enough wrench right there on the bench thatll make a great hammer substitutuon .. so you start hammering away which scares the dog , who flys under the chair , that tips over the acetylene bottle that pulls the extension cord outta the wall across the bench and yanks you brand new pair through a shop looking pinball machine

theres times when any pair will do .. grab 2 pairs

dials , will never need bateries

 

[DSheetz]

It takes practice to get where you use the same amount of pressure on all of them . If your having a bad day you will push harder then if you are having a good day .

 

[ntsqd]

......
dials , will never need bateries

Downside is that dials don't do metric at the push of a button. Nor do they convert a metric measurement into Inch, or vice-versa, at the push of a button.

I have both digital and dial, I tend to reach for the digitals when they have enough range for the measurement desired.

 

[birdiemc]

If you think you are accurately reading in "tenths" (.0001) with calipers you are deveiving yourself. Just because it reads it on the screen or dial doesnt mean it's that accurate.

When did I ever say I thought I was able to read down to a tenth with any caliper? If my memory serves me correct I said I break out the micrometer if my cheapo harbor freight digital caliper is not up to the precision of the task at hand.
If you were to actually read and comprehend what I said then maybe give it a bit of thought you could see the point I'm getting at is on a digital of any quality it jumps from .001 to .0015 and there is no chance of interpolation where abouts it is in between the 2 numbers, with an analog measuring device you can get an idea of whether it's closer to .001 or .0015. No you cannot precisely determine what the measurement is in between those two, but you can certainly know if it's closer to one or the other.

 

[Martin@Hin]

Ditto! When not in use, I take the batteries out.
[/QUOTE

My cheapo dial calipers finally broke on me today after 12 years of service.
I've been wanting a better one for years and now the time has come.
Is there any reason to go to a digital caliper or would I be better off buying a good dial.
Any recommendations on a solid budget friendly option would be awesome

Buy a 8" digital, good quality with a on off button.
The exstra length is nice if one uses attachments like Hornady head space and bullet seating gauges especially with longer cartridges.
Keep the measuring faces clean like after measuring lubed cast bullets.
Also I like to verify inside to outside measurements if one has excess to a inside micrometer.

 

[Martin@Hin]

.0005" is as close as you should expect to measure with a caliper. You are fooling yourself if you think you are going to accurately measure to a tenth with either a digital or dial caliper.

A digital does take the decision making out of the process but I still like a dial.

If one wants to measure case head exspantion a .0001" micrometer is the only way to go
On a vernier cal the slightest change in measuring pressure throws the reading off

 

[ntsqd]

There is a technique for repeatable measurements using a caliper of any type, but I'll say it again, you're fooling yourself if you think that a caliper can reliably and accurately measure smaller than .001" Just because the display shows some number or partial space smaller than .001" does not mean that it can reliably and accurately measure that small of an increment. All that smaller display tells you is the "round-off" error, i.e. is it closer to .001" or .002"?

 

[Magnett]

There is a technique for repeatable measurements using a caliper of any type, but I'll say it again, you're fooling yourself if you think that a caliper can reliably and accurately measure smaller than .001" Just because the display shows some number or partial space smaller than .001" does not mean that it can reliably and accurately measure that small of an increment. All that smaller display tells you is the "round-off" error, i.e. is it closer to .001" or .002"?

OK, So what is your "technique" for reliable and repeatable measurements?

 

[ntsqd]

I pinch the outside of the jaws of the calipers directly across from the points being measured. With no leverage to bend/distort the moving jaw like there is in the traditional holding of calipers the results are far more consistent. Not more accurate, just much less likely to vary the results due to the force applied.