Cheap plastic caliper II

[Danglerb]

I like the search for stuff, so nobody even try to give me a hard time over spending a couple months to pick the best $10 plastic caliper ...

I'm not "done", but I bought a General 142 caliper off ebay for about $9 shipped, Swiss made reinforced nylon, not just plastic plastic, normally sells new around $20 to $30. I wanted one with a mechanical dial, and it has one, but only 1/64 and 1/100 inch, mm is just a rule with no vernier, so mm and guess. OK quality, zero is zero, but jaws aren't totally flat, I can see light through all but the very inside part of the measuring area.

Education if nothing else, maybe I will file it flat and reset the zero. Maybe take it and all my other calipers including plastic and metal digital with me to my friends shop and check with some standards.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/General-Tools-6-in-4-Way-Dial-Caliper-142/100080103

 

[Gmonkee]

Nothing wrong with hunting for what suits your needs best. These tool forums foster all sorts of odd manias while searching for that 'best' tool.

I bought and stayed with a generic stainless Asain digital vernier years ago. The little I use it it serves well. If non-metalic fits your needs that one seems a big step up from the ABS plastic HF model at less than 3 bucks. If you really like it grab a spare while they are still available.

I once had a stainless Multitoyo dial type in all metric markings but it was way past my needs and I passed it to another guy who really would use it. It was really nice and still works great for his needs.

 

[madcrisis]

If you bought a pair of 10 inch calipers they are probably more than accurate for what your looking for.

Also if you dont want to wait until you go to the shop to test them you can use coins. They are made to very tight tolerance and are quite easily available.

 

[CGT80]

I have those calipers, OP. I use the HF 6" digital the most, but really like the plastic ones for the garage as they read out in 64ths and have a conversion chart on the back to make it easy when working in fractions such as when using drill bits. I think the stainless HF may give a bit more accurate reading than the plastic. I use the stainless HF for measuring ammunition case lengths when reloading and getting rough sizes of bullet diameters. I have the HF digital micrometer and it has worked very well so far.

It all depends on how accurate you really need to be. Factory jacketed bullets are what they are, and I make my lead boolits oversize by at least one thousandth, preferably a few thousandths of an inch. My other work is fabrication type stuff, but it isn't a Swiss watch or NASA built rockets. As much as I like expensive tools, some of the less expensive tools can do quite well and it doesn't hurt much when they are no longer usable. The HF calipers and the HD black composite caliper fit this bill.

 

[Danglerb]

Denomination Cent Nickel Dime Quarter Dollar Half Dollar Presidential $1 Native American $1 Coin
Weight 2.500 g 5.000 g 2.268 g 5.670 g 11.340 g 8.1 g 8.1 g
Diameter 0.750 in. 0.835 in. 0.705 in. 0.955 in. 1.205 in. 1.043 in. 1.043 in.
............ 19.05 mm 21.21 mm 17.91 mm 24.26 mm 30.61 mm 26.49 mm 26.49 mm
Thickness 1.52 mm 1.95 mm 1.35 mm 1.75 mm 2.15 mm 2.00mm 2.00 mm

All I found handy were quarters that measured .945 in, but it was a 1983. More in the morning when I have more cents