Looking for a good Digital caliper
- Thread starter jgelack
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zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I like my Starrett 6" digital but I've also heard good things about Mitutoyo.
Those are the two best choices. The Japanese one is usually about 1/3 less than the Starrett.
rlitman
Well-known member
I'd say the best choice in a 6" is the Tesa Twin-Cal.
anndel
Well-known member
Mitutoyo
d.mcfarland
Well-known member
That is a very vague question. The cheap $10 ones will give you pretty accurate results. However, I wouldn't bet my life on them, but to use for general "motorcycle/automotive repair" they will give you pretty dang close results.
kctyphoon
Banned
I'm just curious - what aspects of auto or motorcycle repair require a digital caliper?
I have a cheap Neiko - it's worked just fine for me.. if it's "slightly" off from actual microscopic measurements , so be it.. as long as it'll repeat the measurements on the same items, and it's "true to itself", there's really no issue to worry about. So long as you use the same caliper to measure item "a" as you do for item "b" - I don't think "the best calipers available" are necessary.. the real call for crazy precession is when two different people that are separated from each other need to compare and use each other's measurements. That situation warrants a real need for superior quality.. how "off" are cheaper units from the best? A thousandths of an inch - less even?? As long as they are consistent there is no need for worrying.
Here - very fair video review.. I can't imagine a normal person ever needing more precision than this
This is the one I bought. $20 shipped. I felt it was a happy medium between the cheapest you can find and something moderate. I say save your money to spend on other things, and pass on the same calipers people buy when they NEED the best available..
Neiko 01407A Electronic Digital Caliper Stainless Steel Body with Large LCD Screen | 0-6 Inches | Inch/Fractions/Millimeter Conversion https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GSLKIW/?tag=atomicindus08-20
I have a cheap Neiko - it's worked just fine for me.. if it's "slightly" off from actual microscopic measurements , so be it.. as long as it'll repeat the measurements on the same items, and it's "true to itself", there's really no issue to worry about. So long as you use the same caliper to measure item "a" as you do for item "b" - I don't think "the best calipers available" are necessary.. the real call for crazy precession is when two different people that are separated from each other need to compare and use each other's measurements. That situation warrants a real need for superior quality.. how "off" are cheaper units from the best? A thousandths of an inch - less even?? As long as they are consistent there is no need for worrying.
Here - very fair video review.. I can't imagine a normal person ever needing more precision than this
This is the one I bought. $20 shipped. I felt it was a happy medium between the cheapest you can find and something moderate. I say save your money to spend on other things, and pass on the same calipers people buy when they NEED the best available..
Neiko 01407A Electronic Digital Caliper Stainless Steel Body with Large LCD Screen | 0-6 Inches | Inch/Fractions/Millimeter Conversion https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GSLKIW/?tag=atomicindus08-20
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2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
I just use the cheap stuff too. For rotor measurements, seal sizes, basic drilling/fab my HF and Amazon el cheapos do fine.
EDIT. If you're doing machine work, that's a different story.
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helterskelter
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Mitutoyo is the undisputed standard for digital calipers. If you purchase one be sure to watch out for counterfeits.
Tesa IMO is the nicest dial caliper. Starrett dials also have a good reputation but I've heard mixed reviews of the digitals.
You really need both a digital and a dial. Sometimes you need to see the dial sweep.
Tesa IMO is the nicest dial caliper. Starrett dials also have a good reputation but I've heard mixed reviews of the digitals.
You really need both a digital and a dial. Sometimes you need to see the dial sweep.
manwithtools
ALLIANCE MEMBER
MitutoyoAdd to that, the fact that Mitutoyo makes many calipers covering a wide price range. Probably true of Starret, as well. Their bottom end stuff is made ...you know where.
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quattroman
Active member
What are you going to use it for?
I use a cheap digital one for general workshop use (checking bolt size, hole size, rotor thickness etc). Accurate enough for that, cheap enough to replace if it gets damaged/broken and you dont have to worry about being too precious about it.
I use a cheap digital one for general workshop use (checking bolt size, hole size, rotor thickness etc). Accurate enough for that, cheap enough to replace if it gets damaged/broken and you dont have to worry about being too precious about it.
I haven't even used the good ones in years. I do the same with multi-meters. The good ones I don't use for anything where they might get damaged/lost. Cheap HF ones will do most things.
WWheeler
Well-known member
Mitituyo at work where accuracy and repeatability are critical, but the cheap ones work fine for me at home for years. They do go through batteries quicker though, even when off and not in use. I just grab a package of batteries for them for under $5 and store them with them and I'm good for a decade or so.
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I really wasn't looking for a top of the line caliper, just a decent one. I recently watched a guy use one to check the size of the rivets he was making on the master link of a new motorcycle chain he was installing.
Also for checking rotor thickness, clutch and throttle free play, among other things, I thought it might be a good tool to have. Thanks again for your suggestions.
Also for checking rotor thickness, clutch and throttle free play, among other things, I thought it might be a good tool to have. Thanks again for your suggestions.
Try Igaging's digital. About $39.00 US and almost as good as Mitutoyo.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00INL0BTS/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Check out youtube for a review:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00INL0BTS/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Check out youtube for a review:
dr_clyde
Well-known member
Mitutoyo Digimatic is my favorite digital caliper. I wouldn't buy any other. Mitutoyo makes the best digital measurement tools in the industry IMO.
Another good brand is Aventor from Shars. I have Mitutoyo both Digimatic and dial, Fowler Euro-cal IV digital, and igaging. All check out dead nuts on with gauge blocks and mic standards. All are absolute.The Mitutoyo calipers are silky smooth, the battery lasts for a very long time and they are as accurate as a caliper can be. All the others are very smooth and accurate and have good battery life. The difference is also in the price range. Since you don't want to spend the cost of Mitutoyo the others are less money and very very close to the Mitu's in accuracy and feel.
http://www.shars.com/products/measuring/caliper
http://www.shars.com/products/measuring/caliper
bob15
Well-known member
Mitituyo is good for digital.....but I would recommend getting an older Starrett dial over any digital. The dial type will never fail.
pelletman
Well-known member
I have most all of the above, the cheap ones are fine if you aren't doing really accurate machining.
Wamsutta
Well-known member
Firebrick43
Well-known member
Haven't used one daily huh? Mitutoyo digimatics will last longer than any starrett or tesa dial calipers. The mechinism and gears will fail over time or at least need serviced but then your over the cost of a digital. I am not a mitutoyo fan boy either. I would rather have tesa micrometers and tesatest/bestest indicators any day. But their digital calipers are by far the best and reasonable price.
Forever durability can't only be obtained by a vernier calipers. I use a set of brown and sharpe Swiss made ones at work. Love giving one to even experienced machinist and see the total look of befuddlement on how to read. Unfortunately it does take good eyesight and lighting (plus knowing how) to read one
Forever durability can't only be obtained by a vernier calipers. I use a set of brown and sharpe Swiss made ones at work. Love giving one to even experienced machinist and see the total look of befuddlement on how to read. Unfortunately it does take good eyesight and lighting (plus knowing how) to read one
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davethorik
Well-known member
I have a set of Starrett 6" digis model 797 I got in '06-'07. Assembled in U.S. OF U.S. and Global materials (I bitched about this at first- until I learned it was surprisingly Switzerland and not China that was the "Global" part).
These are super smooth and reliable.
Craziest part: battery life averaging 5 yrs.
I recently saw Tesa? Swiss made 6" digis. They have a round rod instead of flat depth bar, which I think could be handy.
These are super smooth and reliable.
Craziest part: battery life averaging 5 yrs.
I recently saw Tesa? Swiss made 6" digis. They have a round rod instead of flat depth bar, which I think could be handy.
Tinner
Well-known member
You can get them both ways.
Diesel Mercedes
Well-known member
Agreed
davethorik
Well-known member
I remember at a shop I used to work at, new guy came in talking about how he had paid all this money for a Matco 6" digi off the truck and it was the best thing since sliced bread. Turns out it was just the HF model with Matco written on it and 6-7x price increase, LOL. Whenever it was in the HF ad, I'd leave it on his tool box to mess with him.
Lots of guys had them at that shop. They could be decent but like all things HF, quality control was a joke. Occasionally they'd be duds out of the box. Some wouldn't hold zero. Parallelism of jaws went from decent, all the way to "better measure an item on outer edge, middle, and inner edge of jaws, then average those 3 numbers." They are usually more than accurate enough for what a digi should be used for, just check at store to be sure it works.
..... no one says Snap-On? LOL...
For machine shop sure go for the Starrett or Mitutoyo, for car repair .... do you really needed that precision? down to the tens thousands ?
I don't remember a time I actually needed one, unless you are saying you do brake caliper measurements and take out of round measurements etc... even that you don't needed tens thousands precision.
For machine shop sure go for the Starrett or Mitutoyo, for car repair .... do you really needed that precision? down to the tens thousands ?
I don't remember a time I actually needed one, unless you are saying you do brake caliper measurements and take out of round measurements etc... even that you don't needed tens thousands precision.
I just checked and they do look identical. $53 vs $10.I remember at a shop I used to work at, new guy came in talking about how he had paid all this money for a Matco 6" digi off the truck and it was the best thing since sliced bread. Turns out it was just the HF model with Matco written on it and 6-7x price increase, LOL. Whenever it was in the HF ad, I'd leave it on his tool box to mess with him.
Lots of guys had them at that shop. They could be decent but like all things HF, quality control was a joke. Occasionally they'd be duds out of the box. Some wouldn't hold zero. Parallelism of jaws went from decent, all the way to "better measure an item on outer edge, middle, and inner edge of jaws, then average those 3 numbers." They are usually more than accurate enough for what a digi should be used for, just check at store to be sure it works.
tool_scrounge
Well-known member
Just get a used Mitutoyo and be done with it.
I own Mitutoyo and others. The fit and finish of the mitutoyos are far above any cheaper set that I have, and they are remarkable at how well they keep zero. That said, I also have a pair that I got off of amazon for a little more than $16 that does fractions. They have a huge number of positive feedbacks and are actually pretty nice considering. They also are very good at returning to zero and I don’t worry as much about mishandling them.
davethorik
Well-known member
Mitutoyo does make a nice caliper, regardless dial or digi. Ridiculously smooth. Ive only ever owned one Mitutoyo digi, a 4" that was too awkward to use for me personally, and I resold at a profit (not a fault of Mit, I prefer to use 12" calipers mostly and 6" when 12" too big, 4" seems too dinky...had a few 4" calipers, always sell em off).
I have used/tried out a bunch, and if I was gonna buy a new set of 6" digis, I would buy these provided they functioned inside my new job bldg. I don't see why not, not like there are many outdoor machinists I know.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WML5GTU/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Never worry about bad batteries, leaking batteries, or removing batteries for storage ever again. These solar Mitutoyos sound good if they're not overly sensitive to light change.
According to Mitutoyo, they can be continuously used above 60 lux ambient illumination.
https://ecatalog.mitutoyo.com/ABSOL...-No-battery-or-origin-reset-needed-C1383.aspx
I have used/tried out a bunch, and if I was gonna buy a new set of 6" digis, I would buy these provided they functioned inside my new job bldg. I don't see why not, not like there are many outdoor machinists I know.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WML5GTU/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Never worry about bad batteries, leaking batteries, or removing batteries for storage ever again. These solar Mitutoyos sound good if they're not overly sensitive to light change.
According to Mitutoyo, they can be continuously used above 60 lux ambient illumination.
https://ecatalog.mitutoyo.com/ABSOL...-No-battery-or-origin-reset-needed-C1383.aspx
bubinga
Well-known member
I don't know, I'm funny I guess.
I prefer a dial caliper.
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bubinga
Well-known member
Just a note if you are looking for a cheap caliper. I have found the 'carbon fiber' cheapies to be more accurately finished than the slightly more expensive stainless steel ones. The steel ones often have misaligned jaws which can be seen if you hold them up to light. The steel jaws can bend very easily and stay bent. Carbon fibre in quotes as they feel more like plastic. Good thing about plastic is that it can take a knock without distorting in shape.
I'm talking about the $5-10 ones.
I'm talking about the $5-10 ones.
bob15
Well-known member
I agree ^^^^^^^^^
This is why I recommended getting dial.
I have 3 dial Starretts, a dial Etalon dial and one digital Starrett 797 digital. I don't use the digital and should probably sell it someday.
stonesg
Well-known member
Want to talk cheap and effective: I use the blue plastic one that you can get from HF and other places for basic "Ball park" use like checking that a motorcycle fork stanchion is 22 vs. 23mm or some such or unknown fastener sizes.
I can actually interpolate between the smallest graduations well enough. It's like triage and keeps the good calipers in reserve for when more precision is needed.
I can actually interpolate between the smallest graduations well enough. It's like triage and keeps the good calipers in reserve for when more precision is needed.