Calipers?

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Acolyte

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There seems to be quite a variety of calipers to choose from, from el cheapo plastic ones to ones that seem to cost almost as much as a press! :O
Should I get some Chinese ones for like 20 bucks? Or save up for a nicer set?
And it's calipers I want, right, not a micrometer?
I seem to remember dial being preferred over digital, but I can't remember why.
Anyway, ,thanks for your time.
 
Your money will be well spent on a middle of the road set like MITUTOYO, FOWLER or BROWN & SHARPE. STARRETT are the best but also are the most costly. I was a tool & diemaker for about ten years, I use all Starrett models just because when I changed professions I still had them. I use one set of digital and one of dial. The digital seems to be a tad more accurate, to test the calipers find a sample of metal of known size. Use the sample to check the calipers. I use the same method with my scales, I have 2 sets of digital scales. I calibrate them with the scale weights and then cross check my charges on both scales. You just can't be too carefull when its your life your gambling with. Don't buy the plastic calipers, they will not hold the zero setting. The price difference in calipers is mostly the feel of the rack and the ability to seal out shavings. Most of the calipers have a lot harder life in a machine shop then we will ever give them if kept clean and not dropped.

Hope this long answer helped to uncloud the waters.
 
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I started with the $26 calipers from Sinclair ...in fact, I still use it. Later, I found a 1" micrometer on EBay for about $35, but that's only used to check neck thickness and occasionally case bulge.

Dial or digital: your preference. Dial's are cheaper, and tend to work just as well for the most part. It's possible to to measure to +/- .00025" with a dial caliper. Just takes some effort... and faith. The only way I've checked the calpier's accuracy is by measuring bullet diameter. If I can trust Sierra to make a bullet consistant enough to go down my bore, I think it's consistant enough to check my caliper.

I like the idea of Sinclair's bullet comporator for my OAL. It makes my cartridges more consistant than measuring at the meplat. But that's really the most exacting measurement I'll make with the calipers...just as long as the measurements are consistant, I'm usually O.K. Anything requiring a greater degree of accuracy, I'll use the micrometer.

S.
 
Digitals, I use Mitutoyo, but significantly less expensive ones will be fine. Buy a gage block, then you have a known standard to compare your calipers to. .001" resolution/.001" accuracy is PLENTY for reloading, get any tighter and the price goes up steeply. Digital takes out the chance for one more OOPS to slide through, I prefer them.
 
Try www.mscdirect.com
You'll find calipers under measuring instruments. They have a huge selection in any price range. I've found their customer service people can and will answer any and all questions, or get you to someone that can. Don't like what you buy, send it back no questions asked. They always have a decent set of dial calipers on special.
I would recommend dial calipers as the best value. Get a set graduated in .001 increments with a .100 dial. This is pretty much the standard set up now days.
Digitals are great if you want to spring for them, but there's always that battery thing to worry about.
As for calibration, order inexpensive 1 and 3 inch micrometer standards. Though not gauge blocks they will be more than adequate for your needs.
Take Care
 
I work with calipers everyday. I use the Starrets at work but they cost around 100 bucks a piece.

For reloading at the house I got a set from Midway for 20 bucks. They work well and they hold their zero. For reloading, I cant see spending any more than that.

For precise work I'll use a micrometer. You can realisticly use calipers for measurments up to a half thousanth,(.0005) but after that its guesswork due to the consistency of the "feel" that you use.

The digitals are OK but they are very sensitive, to the point that they can sometimes be distracting. Its easier to caculate using a dial caliper than it is using a caliper with a digital readout that you have to think about by adding and subtracting in your head.

One of advantage of a digital is the fact that you can "zero" it on a known number and use to compare. An example of this would be to set the caliper on a known lenth for brass, and then zero it to that lenth. You then use that as a standard to measure the rest of your brass. It'll tell you if its long or short.

The calipers I got from Midway have a covered rack. This aids in keeping trash like dust and small metal chips out of the roller gear that rides on the rack. If at all possible, get one with a covered rack.
 
I got a $20 pair on sale from Midway.

Then when a relative worked on the design of a fancy digital pair, I paid $160 for those.

But all that time with the dial calipers had me addicted to those.

I can get .0003" accuracy through interpolation under 1/2" with the dial calipers, but the digial only have .0005" resolution.

The way I check accuracy is with pin guages.
 
Something to think about on the accuracy of dial calipers.

As a toolmaker I never rely on the accuracy of dial calipers for any measurement closer than 2 thousanths.

The reason ? The small gear that rides on the rack and the rack itself it not made to those standards. Just because you can interpolate on a dial indicator what looks like tenths of a thousanth dose not mean you are getting that kind of accuracy.

In a 6 inch rack, the measurments you take will not be linear as the tolerances used on the rack and the gear make up a small error in measurment.

This is noticable is you measure a 1 inch,2 inch,3 inch,4 inch, 5 inch and a 6 inch guage block that has a standard of 60 millionths of an inch at 72 degrees.

For most projects, the error is small enough that it is irrevelant escpecially for something like measuring case lenth. But dont kid yourself into thinking that your measurments are that accurate.

:scrutiny:
 
I agree with Stans, the plastic ones are ok for informally measuring your groups on a target, but not for assembling loads.
 
I use pretty cheap plastic caliper it's as accurate as I need for OAL's. And yes, they don't keep 0 too well.. big deal. I keep them clean, reset the 0 every use and don't abuse them... works fine. If I need more accuracy I've got a good set of micrometers which I also use to verify the 'cheap plastic caliper' on occasion..
 
I saw Enco was selling digital 6" calipers for 19.95 in my last flyer. I have a couple of digital Calabelas calipers and micrometers. I used to teach a manufacturing class at the University of North Dakota and I used these digital wonders to check and grade students shop projects. I have tested them against Starret dial calipers with very expensive and precise guage block sets and they are easier to read and just as accurate. More than accurate enough for most purposes I should think. You can also get good deals on the better brands on Ebay if you look around. I bought a couple of older Starret Calipers for less than $10 bucks a piece about a year ago. For me Calipers are like pens, I'm always leaving them somewhere and can never seem to find them, consequently, I can't have enough of them either.
 
Acolyte: Just get the Starrett 120 series and be done with it. Later, you will never regret buying the best available, and you will be surprised how much you actually use them. For closer tolerances, buy a 1" micrometer, too. I use the caliper a lot more than the micrometer, though. :D
 
OK Stans, I'll ask. How do you know? :D
I've been using the Midway calipers, think they're called Frankford Aresenal now.
 
I've been in the machining field for going on 9 years now. ouch!!! didnt' realize it was that long. Time to change fields!!:banghead:

Just because your calipers give a resolution to .0002 or .0005 doesn't mean they're that accurate. Have you crossed checked them with a micrometer?

Anything closer than .002, or sometimes .005 and I'm grabbing a micrometer. Calipers have to much slop in them no matter what kind you have. It all depends where on the tooth you have the piece you're measuring. This alone will fluctuate your reading by .002, let alone how much pressure you're applying to it.

I've used them all. Mitutoyo, Starret, B&S, Etalon, and a few others. They're all the same. I've got Mitutoyo in my box at work.

Keep an eye on ebay for a brand name one. Now and then some really good deals pop up. Either someone is getting out of the trade, or they walked out the back door of a shop, or a shop went under and they liquidated everything. All of these are pretty common anymore.
 
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