High quality fractional dial caliper?

[danielbuck]

Thank you all for your thoughts. If you all become woodworkers, you will use fractional measurements, I firmly belive. I came here to ask because of the generally high knowledge about tools around here.

I have bought inexpensive digital calipers more than once. Not using them often, every time I needed them the battery was dead. Worse, they never lasted beyond a few uses. The really good digital ones like Mitutoyo are more than I want to spend.

To sum up, after another half day of searching the interweb, I've concluded that indeed, there are no fractional dial calipers made in the US, Europe, or Japan.

Looking at only five pages of results from an Amazon search, and a general google search, from what I found, that leaves (pennies omitted, all made in China and all on Amazon except the HF) Starret-110, Igaging-34, Oshlun-39, Shop Fox-43, MH Global-29 (with 2 duplicates with different names, same caliper, about the same price), Harbor Freight-24. There may be others but I think I got most of them.

On Amazon, there is a Woodcraft fractional caliper implying made in the US -84.

The Shop Fox looks the nicest to me, and has the best reviews. The machining seems better, as evidenced by the better-machined knurling around the bezel. The MH Global, which has no reviews at all, is the only one that has the decimal scale on the outer edge and the fractional on the inner edge which seems more sensible and useful. However the tic labels on the inner fractional scale are in 1/8th, instead of 1/64th, increments, which makes it harder to read than the Shop Fox for fractions. The outer decimal scale on the MH Global is easier to work with than the inner decimal scale on the Shop Fox but that difference is less significant than the difference for fractions.

So I ordered the Shop Fox. I will have both decimal for my mechanic stuff and fractional for my woodworking. I also found a metric one, that I intend to get later: Chicago Brand 50012 0-150mm, .02mm gradations. It's shipped and sold by Amazon as is the Shop Fox. Despite good ratings on Amazon, which I am somewhat skeptical of, it's good to know that if these are not satisfactory I have a month to just send them back.

Thanks again.

I don't think this is made in the US, but everything from Starrett seems to be high quality. Not everything that comes out of china is lower quality.

https://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/1202F-6

 

[American Locomotive]

I came here to ask if you guys know where I can find a tool. What happened is nobody had that info, but a referendum developed over the value of my selection of caliper type. Screw digital calipers. Screw decimal measures. If I need that I can use it. Not what I want.

I have no interest in you guys' opinion about what sort of calipers I should buy, and am offended that you think you are smarter than me and should tell me what's wrong with my choice. Where to you folks get off? Maybe you need to find some new things to do.

This is a forum, for discourse. There are a lot of people on here with a ton of experience in a variety of different things. Not a single person here thinks we're smarter than you, but there's a lot of us here with much more experience with precision measuring tools (and woodworking, for that matter).

You asked why there weren't any reasonably priced, high quality dial fractional calipers. The reason why is it's a niche product that's largely unnecessary. This is the real world, this is a discussion forum. This is not your personal echo-chamber dedicated to cheering you on. You had about ~10 different people politely tell you how you could get a much nicer tool, and how you could easily integrate that tool into your workflow.

Most of us were pointing out that if you go with a standard decimal tool (which is not any harder to use if you just memorize some simple decimal conversions in your head) you can get a much higher quality tool, that will last far longer and take more abuse for the same price.

I'm sure your Shop Fox caliper will be a fine tool, and do just what you need it to do, but with how much you were sweating the details - it seemed you were really, really interested in a high quality tool - which is why most of us were pushing you to a decimal unit.

I apologize if I came off as implying I was smarter - I'm just trying to help.

What is gained by having a special caliper that tells me that my part is 1/16" instead of just knowing that .0625" is a sixteenth?

Edit: I'm not directing that toward anyone in particular, just reflecting the sentiment.

...and the thing is, most woodworkers aren't actually doing math when they're adding subtracting fractions. A lot of it is memory. You just know off the top of your head that 7/8 - 3/16 is 11/16, for example.

Memorizing that 7/8 = .875 or that 3/16 is 0.188 isn't difficult either. Makes actually doing the math a lot simpler.

 

[PBCampbell]

I'm not a purist, buuuut, I have or had a fractional dial caliper(cheapy plastic), a vernier(used mit), and gauge blocks(decimal equivalents of common fractions). Sometimes it's just easier to measure using the units that are called for in whatever literature you're using, not everyone is a machinist or works in decimals frequently enough to remember. Digital has eliminated the need for specific unit tools though.

If I had a dog though I'd be happy to mail Duck a turd in exchange for that rule, lol.

 

[scooterbum46]

This is a forum, for discourse. There are a lot of people on here with a ton of experience in a variety of different things. Not a single person here thinks we're smarter than you, but there's a lot of us here with much more experience with precision measuring tools (and woodworking, for that matter).

You asked why there weren't any reasonably priced, high quality dial fractional calipers. The reason why is it's a niche product that's largely unnecessary. This is the real world, this is a discussion forum. This is not your personal echo-chamber dedicated to cheering you on. You had about ~10 different people politely tell you how you could get a much nicer tool, and how you could easily integrate that tool into your workflow.

Most of us were pointing out that if you go with a standard decimal tool (which is not any harder to use if you just memorize some simple decimal conversions in your head) you can get a much higher quality tool, that will last far longer and take more abuse for the same price.

I'm sure your Shop Fox caliper will be a fine tool, and do just what you need it to do, but with how much you were sweating the details - it seemed you were really, really interested in a high quality tool - which is why most of us were pushing you to a decimal unit.

I apologize if I came off as implying I was smarter - I'm just trying to help.

...and the thing is, most woodworkers aren't actually doing math when they're adding subtracting fractions. A lot of it is memory. You just know off the top of your head that 7/8 - 3/16 is 11/16, for example.

Memorizing that 7/8 = .875 or that 3/16 is 0.188 isn't difficult either. Makes actually doing the math a lot simpler.

Well said!

We used to laugh because in a family of tradesman (carpenters, heavy construction,tile setter, electricians, plumbers) my dad was the mechanic/machinist (in his later years he ran a Moore jig grinder and worked in 1/2 tenths on precision fixtures). Dad's cabinet work was always pretty nice, but he used the same tolerances and clearances as he did at work. Stuck drawers weren't uncommon....

 

[PNWguy]

No, we get it, but we just don't understand why the concept of simple math seems to evade woodworkers when machinists have been doing it for decades.

What is gained by having a special caliper that tells me that my part is 1/16" instead of just knowing that .0625" is a sixteenth?

Edit: I'm not directing that toward anyone in particular, just reflecting the sentiment.

Not everybody has the same thought process. Some people excel at music or art, while other folks can deal with a rack of carburators and an Italian V12. There's frequently more than one way to arrive at the same place.

I've worked off and on in machine shops for for over 20 years. I've been a woodworker since the 90's. I have a collection of tools that many people would be jealous of, and my job wouldn't be possible without a full understand of a wide range of tools.

I simply prefer to work with fractions when wood working. Just as I prefer decimal inches when machining. That's the way it is. It's neither right or wrong, and I'm not saying that everybody else (or even anybody) should do it that way.

I have at least half a dozen sets of calipers in various tool boxes, work benches and desk drawers. The ones that read fractions are in the woodshop.

 

[PNWguy]

Maybe you'd like to trade for my 6ft 64th/100th scale rule?

Can we see some of your woodwork where a caliper is the tool to use?
Maybe I can trade my tool for your build....

Why are you unable to see that people may want to do things differently than you? Is my way wrong, simply because it's not how you do it?

Are you my ex-wife?

 

[Tinner]

Maybe you'd like to trade for my 6ft 64th/100th scale rule?

I'd like to mail you a dog turd. I don't want anything for it.

 

[timmyisme22]

We have at least two sworn fraction purists here.
I have offered a holy grail type device which has great value and expense, in exchange for a proverbial dog turd, and yet no takers?

I'm going call shenanigans if we don't get some woodworking pictures.

https://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/C416R-72
Here's a link to the Starrett listing.

I'd gladly take you up on the offer. I don't have anything odd or worth trading (that I know of) and really, I don't need it (I just want it as most of us do).

As for the caliper river got, I hope it works out for him.

 

[Danglerb]

My expensive caliper is safe in its box, never used except to play with when new. I bought a General dial type just because I wanted one, its safe in its box too. Half a dozen of the 99 cent when on sale plastic HF calipers are handy around the house and garage, and have yet to fail to do all I need.

 

[Made in USA]

Well, I could trade you a dial caliper....

That's some funny chit right there. I hope the OP sticks around and doesn't take offense.

Although I have many calipers and mics of various styles, and have used them for decades, I have never seen a fractional dial caliper, and didn't know such thing existed until I ran across this thread. I may have to pick one up.

 

[timmyisme22]

What I can say though, maintanance and cleaning of calipers make them last. Also, putting them away and not letting them sit out when doing something dirty/dusty.

I worked with a bunch of people in a waterjet room. Water and sand aerated... they're Mitutoyo's digi's were crunchy. Somehow, they still mostly read fine (I didn't trust them though). Those cases they come in work well. Use them.



And ducksface, I really have nothing. Random odds and ends I don't really have unfortuantely. Raw phenolic in smaller sheets, I do have. A few odds and ends in old wrenches, etc.

 

[Kenstone1]

Wow, OK
1 turn equals 1 inch
That's gotta be real "accurate"
Might as well read the hash marks on the slide.