Digital Calipers 2

[flyfunky]

Can anyone recommend a model of digital calipers? Accuracy requried is 0.0005". I am finding online information is confusing resolution with accuracy and want to make sure I get the right tool the first time.

Thanks a million,
Rebecca

 

[unclesyd]

Your not the first or the last. One of the better carpenters I know had the same thing happen to him last year and the biggest problem it was on a job with a lot of onlookers.

I had a lot of fun with the blank tape on the job as every time a fitter would miss a measurement I would hand him the tape and grease pencil and tell him just to make one mark.

 

[racookpe1978]

Greg:

So, be honest, who carries an appropriate measuring instrument with them most of the time?

Is that the real sign of being a crusty?

...---...---

I keep a (plastic) mm+in caliper in my cell phone holder with my LED flashlight for rough measurements, plus a 16 ft inch+mm tape measure on my belt. Sure, neither is calibrated, but when I need to confirm a bolt diameter, or explain to a Spanish worker overseas how long to make the scaffolding under the genrator, I don't need/want thousandths tolerances. In the tool room, there are calibrated devices, I want the millwrights to use them when appropriate, but my own are needed where I am, not back down a dozen ladders and across the road in the turbine building.

Sure, you can make inches and mm errors, but I NEVER want to make conversions in the field. So I always carry double reading tapes and rulers.

Also, in today's non-tech, poorly trained worker, never shop-disciplined and poorly union-trained as youngsters and helpers, I will not trust most vernier readings, but feel they are more likely to make less errors with a digital instrument. Sure, the "old guys" will read verniers correctly. But the youngsters can't nowdays.

In today's work, would I trust

 

[Deeder]

I have a mitutoyo 0-12 inch vernier.

factory QC test shows its accuracy is +-.001'' from 1-6'' and .002 from 6-12, mostly stainless, except for the casing around the dial which is plastic, but only a cover, the housing with the gears is contained in stainless as well, so the plastic cover is more for style.


@racookpe: 32 is a youngster to someone who is 65, and it doesnt take a genius to use a vernier, dont squeeze hard, and find hold it square.

but as for the topic of the thread, if you need accuracy to tenths you can not use ANY vernier, not even brand new.
use a micrometer.

like that guy said vernier = very near.


just use a micrometer.
if its a small part, and you're pressed for cash, check this out

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Digital-Caliper-Micrometer-Comparator/

 

[Compositepro]

Let us remember that vernier and caliper are two different things. Vernier scales are used on micrometers as well.

 

[aafuni]

There are a lot of people that seem to be claiming poor accuracies with verniers. I have a pair of Mitutoyo 8" verniers and have no problems measuring gage blocks and the like to the nearest 0.001 (the read out gives to the 0.0005). Given odd shapes or spheroids the measurement becomes a bit rougher, but you can certainly obtain accuracies in the thousandth range by careful measurement of a clean surface.

As far as batteries go, they last forever. I think Mitutoyo says the batteries are good for 3 years of use. I know mine have gone over a year of frequent use with no change of batteries.

The claim that the wheels break and things like that strikes me as odd. Calipers are an engineering tool, so treat them as such and they will last forever. If you treat them like a common tool (think hammer) they wont last you as long as you would hope.

Get a good pair, and learn how to use them.

 

[dicer]

10 different people will get 10 different readings using digital calipers. If you need to maintain that accuracy you would need a micrometer.