Cheap digital caliper ok?

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Soybomb

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So I think I'm going to get into reloading and am picking up some books and little supplies. Today I was thinking of getting a digital caliper. I'm sure theres much better brands, but does this have the accuracy that I should need? I would think alot of the higher end tools are meant for daily hard use in a machine shop and would be unnecessary for me.

http://cgi.ebay.com/8-Inch-Electron...442485258QQcategoryZ29525QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Look reasonable?
 
Bad brands are so: they don't mark country of origin. Do you see even CHINA stamped on that? TAIWAN? Anything?


Get a (relatively) cheap pair like these or these. You'll be happier in the long run.
 
I use a pair of calipers that are identical to the pair you pictured, they have prooven to be every bit as accurate as my mititoua inside mic or my old lufkin calipers.
I wouldn't hesitate to use them.

Look closely at the similarities in these brands
LYMAN-CALIPER-E_1.jpg
Elec%20Digital%20Caliper.jpg

1758.jpg


THEY ARE ALL THE SAME
 
Soybomb, I've got one of those also. (In addition to a Starrett, Mitutoyo, Brown&Sharpe, etc., I seem to be collecting calipers. :) )

IMO, it is good enough for your needs. It's far from the best, but I have found mine to be accurate to .001" as stated.

However - that ebay deal is a little on the expensive side. The price for the caliper is competitive, but when you double the cost by adding in the shipping, it is no longer a good price. You should be able to find a comparable digital or mechanical caliper locally or at a gunshow for around $20 to $25.
 
$25 for the item and $5 shipping
or
$15 for the item and $15 shipping

To me the end result is 12 of one and a dozen of the other. But yes I'm aware of how much shipping costs.
 
Wow!!! Digitals have gotten this cheap??? I have no argument with the above posters except for the money I would spend a little more. Oh maybe 5, 10 or maybe 15 more dollars at a gunshow and maybe get a better one...???
 
I've got a cheapie digital and it works great. Made in china, bought off ebay. Sure I'd rather have an expensive one, but I don't think it makes a bit of difference in my reloads.
 
Just started reloading myself and was wondering which calipers to get. Thanks for the link Krochus... have a harbor frieght close by and I`ll check them out tomorrow. They seem good enough to start with and there`s always time to upgrade later.
 
I'll be honest folks, what I said above about the digital caliper in question being good enough is true, but digital calipers aren't all they're cracked up to be. In the $20 to $50 bracket, I would rather buy a good analog caliper over a digital one. Digital calipers have a lot more that can go wrong with them. I don't find them to be as reliable or as easy to use as their mechanical counterparts.

In the same dollar range, I would take a good Chinese analog over a Chinese digital any day. Pick up one of each and try it for smoothness, tightness and repeatability.
 
Get the Frankford from Midway - you'll need other stuff from them anyway so the shipping will be essentially free. The Harbor Freight models tend to be sticky/rough in slding them...if you go through a half dozen in the store, you can pick better examples. The Frankford has been reliable and repeatable for better than a year now.
/B
 
Digital

Mine is about 20 years old and back then cost $80. Didn't realize they were so cheap now. If your eyes are not the best, I'd recommend digital. Never a problem with mine; only replaced battery once.
 
Digitals are great till the battery dies.

Dial calipers are the same price, and are just as easy to use.

Plus they come with cool black faces... uber trendy!

My enco flyer lists them at $13.95
 
I bought this one, and compared it to my father-in-laws FAR more expensive one... and it was right on with it... :shrug

8" model: email him and he'll hook ya up with a buy-it-now for the item... and his shipping is cheaer... :neener:

this is what I got:

cal-01.jpg


It's great... oh yeah, it got here QUICK too!!
 
I have several of the Harbor Fright and Kragen Auto calipers and like them. The ability to instantly convert between metric and inch is a plus for me.
Look at the image of the case. There are two cutouts for spare batteries, one of them still in place. If you pry it out and glue it on the case lid, just to the left of the thumb dial, and over the slider jaw, the caliper will not flop around, turning it on if the case is turned over.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross
 
I bought one from Gander Moutain 2 years ago and it ran $99 bucks, still do. I sold that one and then needed another one when I got back into reloading, I bought one off Ebay for 22 bucks including shipping, and it was the exact same caliper I bought for 99 bucks! (ok, not thee one, one just like it). Works great.
 
I bought one of the Harbor Freight ones, several years ago, for less than $20 IIRC. Its been through a couple batteries, always holds zero, and it agrees 100% with the Mitutoyo micrometers I inherited from my father, who was a machinist. If I was doing work that requires +/- .0001, it would be one thing, but for reloading (and basic gunsmithing) they're plenty accurate. And if you drop 'em you won't have to shed any tears.
 
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