Harbor Freight Calipers Accuracy Test

[PhilMc]

Took my Harbor Freight digital calipers to work to check them against our calibrated standards. All our mic's and standards are traceable to NIST and meet all the requirments for the nuclear industry.

Started out by checking them at each of the inch sizes all the way up to 6". Then pulled some random gauge blocks up to 1".

All the readings were less than .001 from the gauge blocks. For what these things cost ( less than $10 ) I did not expect them to be that accurate. They will never replace high end calipers but are usefull around the loading bench.

I do have Brown & Sharpe mic's up to 3" at home that I use to spot check the ammo I make, just wanted to run the Harbor Freight up against the calibrated stuff at work to set my mind at ease.

 

[1KPerDay]

Cool, thanks!

 

[rcmodel]

Doesn't surprise me at all.

They are the best bang for the buck out there.

rc

 

[kludge]

What about repeatability? That is more beneficial sometimes in reloading than knowing your COL to the 0.001".

BTW I have a set too, and they can't be beat for the price. I use Mitutoyo at work. Most of the cheap (and not so cheap) reloading calipers aren't worth the price.

 

[mike.h]

I must have bought the only one that wasn't consistent.

When it comes to reloading, I try to eliminate as many variables as possible, and I won't take a chance on cheap calipers.

 

[LiveLife]

Which caliper type was tested, digital or dial?

While I am very happy with the HF digital calipers, the dial calipers have been inconsistent in quality/accuracy/repeatability so I have not been recommending them.

 

[GLOOB]

Yeah, doesn't surprise me, either. I have never seen my digital calipers read by more than 0.001" off when returned to closed. If it's repeatable, that's 99% of what matters for most folks, gauge blocks be darned.

FWIW, I got mine at HF, too, but the same calipers are sold in a lot of places.

 

[PhilMc]

The ones I checked are the digital ones. At work we use Starret for the most part, but even those you have to watch now. A lot of them are made in China also. We have some brand new Starret's model 1202 if I recall that feel kind of cheap.

Goes back to the old saying about getting what you pay for. Saving up right now to buy myself a good high end set of digital calipers. Might even get a old fashioned dial caliper like I use at work.

 

[SleazyRider]

I have always wondered about the Harbor Fright calipers, so thanks for your report. If my bazillion-dollar Mitutoyo caliper ever quits, you can bet I'll be replacing it with a HF.

(Though off-topic, HF oftentimes gives away a digital multimeter for free with or without a purchase. Let me tell you, that multimeter is as accurate and reliable as my 150+ dollar Simpson. Sometimes you get more than you pay for.)

 

[GLOOB]

It's a pretty good bet that anything that's been through the trouble of being designed and manufactured chip-on-board is pretty well sorted out.

I've needed to clean my calipers once, when the on/off button stopped working. The electronics are just a glob top chip-on-board, the battery and LCD terminals, and the switch connections. Then there's what looks like some contacts that touch or hover over the sliding part of the caliper, maybe.

I have no clue how this thing works. It looks like it shouldn't.

Interestingly, I noted there is a redundant zero switch top and bottom, though only one is utilized on my calipers. Presumably this is so the same board can be used in different OEM dressings.

Let me tell you, that multimeter is as accurate and reliable as my 150+ dollar Simpson.

This is really no surprise, either. Some of the guys that pay big bucks for a Fluke could care less. They are often paying for durability in the design of the pcb and the housing as far as exposure to mechanical shock, high voltage, corrosion, and electromechanical wear (I.e. switch/dial wearing out). After climbing a tower or crawling into a hole, it would sure be a bummer to find out your meter has flaked out.

 

[Walkalong]

The Fluke will be more sensitive, more precise, and more durable, but most folks don't need one. They just need something to keep them out of trouble. I break my Fluke out on occasion.

About like calipers.

 

[Reloadron]

Took my Harbor Freight digital calipers to work to check them against our calibrated standards. All our mic's and standards are traceable to NIST and meet all the requirements for the nuclear industry.

Started out by checking them at each of the inch sizes all the way up to 6". Then pulled some random gauge blocks up to 1".

All the readings were less than .001 from the gauge blocks. For what these things cost ( less than $10 ) I did not expect them to be that accurate. They will never replace high end calipers but are usefull around the loading bench.

I do have Brown & Sharpe mic's up to 3" at home that I use to spot check the ammo I make, just wanted to run the Harbor Freight up against the calibrated stuff at work to set my mind at ease.

Curious if you will share where you work? I see Cleveland, Ohio and Nuclear Industry. Been there and done that myself.

Ron

 

[PhilMc]

Ron
Work at a place that repairs large electric motors. We do safety related motors also for the nuclear plants. I can give you more details offline.

email sent with details

 

[Blue68f100]

I checked my set and they will vary as much as 0.002" depending where your at in the scale. The kicker on these if you check at std ranges, 1", 2" etc their dead on. But if you use some pin gauges and check in the 0.?45"-0.?76" There OFF. The reason I found this was I was checking out some loose pin gauges that the markings where had to read. I ended up using mic to measure the pins to know what they actually where. So if I was to measure bullets since these fall into the middle, mine are off and can not be trusted.

 

[mdm]

When I checked my HF calipers they were also less than 0.001" across the scale. They get a fair amount of use on ammunition and various other projects. They did not hold up to the use I subjected them to and started falling apart after about two years. They remained accurate up to the point parts started falling off of them. I take care of my tools and this wasn't a case of abuse.

On another note, I've got a full range of HF torque wrenches that see a fair amount of use. I've checked them several times over the past 10+ years I've had them and they remain within acceptable tolerances.

You get what you pay for but with HF it can be a bit of a crap shoot on whether a particular piece will hold up or not. I and a couple of friends have been quite pleased with the HF torque wrenches. But we've had similar experiences with the calipers and I wouldn't recommend them.

 

[Reloadron]

Ron
Work at a place that repairs large electric motors. We do safety related motors also for the nuclear plants. I can give you more details offline.

email sent with details

Got your PM. Hell, I've been to your facility a few times. Great place and a small world. Had a guy I worked with that came from your place but I believe before you started there. Take care and nice to see someone local.

Ron

 

[LiveLife]

Which caliper type was tested, digital or dial?

While I am very happy with the HF digital calipers, the dial calipers have been inconsistent in quality/accuracy/repeatability so I have not been recommending them.

The ones I checked are the digital ones.

Thanks for the clarification.

So, for those looking to purchase HF calipers, digital calipers are OK but dial calipers are still NOT OK for me.

 

[mdm]

So, for those looking to purchase HF calipers, digital calipers are OK but dial calipers are still NOT OK for me.

The HF calipers I was referring to in my previous post were all dial calipers. I've been using an HF digital caliper for a few months. I haven't used it long enough to have any comment other than it's accuracy is well within an acceptable range at this time.

 

[PhilMc]

When I'm checking the OD of bullets I always go to my Brown & Sharp one inch mics. Have done too much machining over the years and using a caliper is a nice and quick measurement, but when it counts I always go with the mics.

 

[SleazyRider]

When I'm checking the OD of bullets I always go to my Brown & Sharp one inch mics. Have done too much machining over the years and using a caliper is a nice and quick measurement, but when it counts I always go with the mics.

I'll second that!

 

[Reloadron]

When I'm checking the OD of bullets I always go to my Brown & Sharp one inch mics. Have done too much machining over the years and using a caliper is a nice and quick measurement, but when it counts I always go with the mics.

I hear hat.
Ron

 

[moonman16]

MICS are your real friend!

 

[Potatohead]

I must have bought the only one that wasn't consistent.

Nope, I got one too.