HF Digital Calipers NOPOL

I have both the 4" and 6". Most of the time I use the 4". I have had it for

I have one of the HF 6" digitals. It is one of those "well worth the money" HF tools. But, my auto-shutoff doesn't work. I didn't send it back, thinking that I could remember to shut it off myself. Well, sometimes I forget. I also forgot where I put that spare battery. I should probably buy another caliper - it would be cheaper than a lifetime of replacing batteries!

Bob

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 08:07:53 -0500, the inscrutable "Waynemak" spake:

Some folks reported that the Chiwanese digitals ate batteries like mad. Have you noticed that at all, Wayne?

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I had a 6" for 4 or 5 years that chews up batteries. Problem is that it never turns off. There is no "off" switch - the on switch doubles as a zero reset so can't be used as a toggle. I can only assume it's supposed to be an auto-off but doesn't work properly.

In any event, I have a couple of other digital calipers now, so I converted this one into a small height gauge and take the battery out when I'm not using it. (For some reason, I have more luck remembering it now than when used as calipers). Having done this once OK though, I might get another cheap digital (one that works) and convert it instead.

These things are so cheap and handy I have four of them, one each located at mill, lathe and at each workbench. They don't eat batteries any faster than my Mitutoyo Digimatic does.

But do they all agree ?

If your Digimatic is like mine, that's really quite good. I've had mine since circa 1997-1998 and I can rember replacing the battery once, just possibly twice. Used daily for most of that time though probably only for an hour or so per day.

Yeah they do, close enough for what I use 'em for anyway. They're knockabout handy, like a pocket scale but easier to read. If I drop one, oh well! They are no substitute for a micrometer or even a good dial caliper like an Etalon when accuracy is an issue. I'd regard them as good to .002 or perhaps a bit better.

HF had their grand opening of a store in Johnson City TN this week. Got a 6" caliper for $10, other great bargains. Slapped it on my gage standards when I got home. Every size is dead bang on. Bugs

I've had 3 sets of Chinese ones for 6-7 years. They get intermittent near grinding dust; take off the cover, pull the head off the slide, clean it up and start over - good for another 3-4 years.

Remember that the spar has only an etched copper foil pattern that can be duplicated at home, if you need a 3-foot DRO...

/mark

Bugs wrote:

Look at the web site

There is a do it your self project to use the Chinese calipers or scales for a DRO.

Dan

Wild Bill wrote:

diopter lens.

measurements

They don't eat batteries any more than others. The problem is that they will come on with very small amount of motion. I found that out when mine was sitting on the bench- as soon as I turned on the machine, the vibration started the caliper- now I keep it on a seperate shelf and have no problem with the batteries.

I'm curious about the pattern that can be etched, do you have more details?

Could the reader head be built from readily available components?

Thanks WB ...................

I haven't seen any lately, but there are remote readout displays (1 axis) for the China SPC scales. There was an eBay seller offering them for about $60 at one time, but I didn't see that he actually sold any of them. I can't remember if they were LCD or LED.

WB .............