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Cheap Calipers

Several years ago I picked up a Central Machine (Harbor Fright) caliper. It was and still is good enough for most things. More recently I picked up an

8" dial caliper and a digital one at the same Chinese import store with a PIttsburgh label. They are not as good. In fact I have thrown the 8" away. The digital even when perfectly clean drifts a little from measure to measure. If I need to "know" what a measurement is I take out a micrometer, make the measurement, and put it right back in the case in the tool box, but calipers get left on the work bench. What is out there on the lower end of the spectrum that is atleast as good as the Central machine and definitely better than the Pittsburgh?

For convenience I'd like to leave one on each work bench, and one on my desk.

Reply to
Bob La Londe
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I think there are only a couple of factories in China that make these cheap ones. 2 or 3 years ago I bought ones that looked just like these in that same style case. I bought them because they were cheap, but they are surprisingly good:

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Note these have the black-on-silver laminated scale instead of the yellow-on-black in case that indicates a different source.

Reply to
anorton

Even the stuff from the same vendor varies: I have been buying calipers from Canadian Tire when they go on sale for $14. They have been universally very good until the last purchase which was awful.

I suspect they changed from one Chinese factory to another.

Michael Koblic, Campbell River, BC

Reply to
mkoblic

I quit buying those cheap digital calipers quite a few years back, and started buying quality, used dial calipers off of ebay instead...

--today, there is a pair pretty much within arms reach of anyplace where the need for one might arise.

Reply to
PrecisionmachinisT

Actually, I agree about the dial calipers. Mine seem to be more consistent than the digital. I bought the digital because I needed a metric caliper for checking bearing sizes right away. It works ok...

Reply to
Bob La Londe

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