Sad tool day...

[Raymond Fries]

I seem to have lost my Starrett fractional calipers. Cannot find them anywhere.


Not sure if I want to spend another $100 for a replacement.

Any recommendations for a less expensive set. I am not interested in digital though.

Thanks

[lowell holmes]

Check Home Depot, they have nice selection to choose from.

[lowell holmes]

For inexpensive temporary replacements

[Mike Henderson]

Wow, that's a bummer. I had no idea the prices on the fractional caliper had gone up that much. I paid about $55 from Craftsman Studio a few years ago.

The Harbor Freight one is not bad. I don't know the price these days but I'm sure it's a lot less than the Starrett.

Mike

366737366736366738

[John K Jordan]

I seem to have lost my Starrett fractional calipers. Cannot find them anywhere.
...
Any recommendations for a less expensive set. I am not interested in digital though.


I've had this dial caliper for a couple of years and use it a lot. I like this far better than digital fractional calipers for many tasks.

iGaging 6" Fractional & Decimal Inch Combination Dial Caliper
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FRGF1Q

In fact, I think I'll order another. I'd hate to lose it and be without.

JKJ

[Adam Herman]

I have the Pittsburgh from HF and it is functional, but I would buy a good one if I used it all the time. maybe try the bay? or craigslist.

[Bruce Page]

Ray, you know that as soon as you buy another pair the Starrett will reappear. The best dial caliper made are made by Brown & Sharp.

[Mike Henderson]

That iGaging one that John posted looks like a good choice. You could buy three or almost four of those compared to the Starrett.

Here's one by Shop Fox (https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Fox-D3208-Fractional-Caliper/dp/B00012XCR0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1503689989&sr=8-2&keywords=fractional+caliper)that looks identical. Probably made by iGaging.

Also, you can find that iGaging caliper on eBay for a few less $.

Mike

[Nick Decker]

I have the Shop Fox one, works fine. I imagine many of them come out of the same Chiwanese factory with slightly different looks/badges.

For wood, I do far prefer fractional.

[Robert Hayward]

iGaging 6" Fractional & Decimal Inch Combination Dial Caliper

JKJ

That is the one I have also. Two of them to be exact. I also find them more useful than the digital models.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I have the Shop Fox one, works fine. I imagine many of them come out of the same Chiwanese factory with slightly different looks/badges.

For wood, I do far prefer fractional.All my dial calipers read in fractions: tenths, hundredths, and thousandths, all of which are fractions.

[Lee Schierer]

According to Murphy's Law: You'll find your old one, after you purchase the new one.

[Don Jarvie]

Unless you took them somewhere their not lost. Might be time for a nice shop clean up.

[Mike Henderson]

All my dial calipers read in fractions: tenths, hundredths, and thousandths, all of which are fractions.

Ah, yes, but we need calipers that show fractions that are a power of 2, not a power of 10.:)

Mike

[3/4 = 3 * 2^(-2)
3/8 = 3 * 2^(-3)
3/16 = 3 * 2^(-4)
3/32 = 3 * 2^(-5)
3/64 = 3 * 2^(-6)]

[Nick Decker]

What Mike said. I think.

[John K Jordan]

Ah, yes, but we need calipers that show fractions that are a power of 2, not a power of 10.:)

I often use mine to give me the approximate dimension, for example when checking a drill bit. I can instantly see this one is about 11/16" rather than have to interpret .6897 if I'm not holding the caliper precisely. I suspect many of us "jogged" a digital fractional caliper a bit to have the fraction pop up in the display to see the closest fraction of an inch. The fractional analog dial caliper eliminates all that (AND doesn't need batteries!)

Just for fun, according to my mathematics dictionary, a fraction consists of a numerator and denominator, describing numbers with decimal points as "decimal equivalents to common fractions." Everyone keeps a mathematics dictionary handy, right? For those who have been desperately searching for a good one I recommend James and James.

JKJ

[Curt Harms]

According to Murphy's Law: You'll find your old one, after you purchase the new one.

Not before though. I could wait a month to purchase a replacement, expecting the lost to be found. Nope, not until there's a new one for the one in hiding to check out.

[Nick Decker]

I often use mine to give me the approximate dimension, for example when checking a drill bit. I can instantly see this one is about 11/16" rather than have to interpret .6897 if I'm not holding the caliper precisely. I suspect many of us "jogged" a digital fractional caliper a bit to have the fraction pop up in the display to see the closest fraction of an inch. The fractional analog dial caliper eliminates all that (AND doesn't need batteries!)

Just for fun, according to my mathematics dictionary, a fraction consists of a numerator and denominator, describing numbers with decimal points as "decimal equivalents to common fractions." Everyone keeps a mathematics dictionary handy, right? For those who have been desperately searching for a good one I recommend James and James.

JKJ

All I know is that I was taught (at a formative age) about "common fractions", and that's how I continue to visualize their equivalent distances. (The part about not needing batteries is a big bonus.)

[Steve Demuth]

Equally just for fun, how do you say .035? Most people who deal in numbers like that to measure something say "35 thousandths" - thus articulating the implied denominator. People who say "point zero three five" are probably not craftsmen or women thinking about a measurement, but someone to whom the number is more of an abstraction.

I like the power of 2 fractions for woodworking, until I have to space out hinges or other regular repeating features. Then I reach for the metric rule with its very conveniently dividable decimal fractions.

[Steve Demuth]

I have two Starretts, because one started slipping it's gears and was no longer usable. So I bought a new one, which gave me the courage to fully disassemble the first, which turned out to need only cleaning and adjustment.

But my favorite awl has been missing for three weeks. I know it's in the shop. I can even remember putting it down and thinking, "I'll never find it there if I don't pick it up when I'm done with this hinge." I was right.

[Raymond Fries]

Thanks for all of the comments everyone.

My caliper is still MIA. I think it may be gone as I sometimes take it to the big box stores. I thought my last use was here working on my house.


Igaging owners - Does it have smooth operations? My first caliper, Amtos, is not all that smooth. It is really hard to move it like 1/64". Maybe not as good of gears as the Starrett, I would miss that operation. I just want an accurate tool with quality built in.

If I replace it, I might consider a nice used one.

Can anyone give feedback on Oshlun calipers?

[Bill Dufour]

I went to HF about 6 months ago when I wanted to buy a 6" digital caliper. I opened up 8 boxes to find the best one. about 1/3 were good enough. the others too sticky or sloppy to feel right. it came down to two that felt just as good as one another. all the rest felt much worse.
HF digital calipers actually get good accuracy reviews but Mitoyo calipers batteries last a year or two longer. HF batteries last 6-12 months.
Bill D.

[Ryan J Carpenter]

I have used many pairs of the ~$20 napa auto parts / harbor freight / amazon calipers and find them to be quite adequate and smooth enough for woodworking at home and machine design at work. I have taken many pairs to our gage calibration department and found them to be +/- 0.001." I have also trashed a few pairs in the field and find it way to easy to throw them away compared with sending my similarly damaged Mitutoyo set back for an expensive repair.

[Charles Lent]

Mine is a Wixey digital and I have had it for about 5 years. It has been very reliable and I would buy another if it died or walked away. It displays the fraction if you are within a few thousandths of it, so it helps to know the decimal equivalent of the fraction if you need it to be exact. https://www.amazon.com/Wixey-WR100-Digital-Calipers-Fractions/dp/B001PTGBR6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503842659&sr=8-1&keywords=wixey+caliper

Charley

[John K Jordan]

Equally just for fun, how do you say .035? Most people who deal in numbers like that to measure something say "35 thousandths" - thus articulating the implied denominator. People who say "point zero three five" are probably not craftsmen or women thinking about a measurement, but someone to whom the number is more of an abstraction.


In my head I actually usually say "point oh three five"; out loud I might say "point zero three five". But when working on the metal lathe or mill or on vehicles or mechanical things, I usually find it easier to think in thousandths.

I once I had a couple of guys laugh at me at a facility where we were building uranium-bearing elements for nuclear test reactors. When asked a measurement I said "three point zero inches", as precise as I could get it with the scale in my hand. They thought it was so dumb to add the zero. Apparently they did not have digits of precision pounded into the brain in science and engineering classes. In the wood and machine shop, we do favor the English fractions and "thousandths".

Powers of two, of course, are the norm in software engineering. At one time I was able to convert between binary/hex and decimal - that is long gone!

I also find myself measuring in metric far more than I used to. I've gotten where I have started to think in metric for smaller things and can make a pretty good eyeball estimate in millimeters and centimeters. Milliliters/cc's for sure, from giving shots to livestock. Kilograms and kilometers, not so much although I continue to try. I think my brain is starting to solidify.

JKJ

[Mike Henderson]

Thanks for all of the comments everyone.

My caliper is still MIA. I think it may be gone as I sometimes take it to the big box stores. I thought my last use was here working on my house.


Igaging owners - Does it have smooth operations? My first caliper, Amtos, is not all that smooth. It is really hard to move it like 1/64". Maybe not as good of gears as the Starrett, I would miss that operation. I just want an accurate tool with quality built in.

If I replace it, I might consider a nice used one.

Can anyone give feedback on Oshlun calipers?

The PEC is smoother than the iGaging.

Mike

[Raymond Fries]

Happy tool day!!

Some people are awesome!

Went to Menards tonight and someone had turned in my caliper to the lost and found.

Got it back in the shop YAY!

[John K Jordan]

Happy tool day!!
Some people are awesome!
Went to Menards tonight and someone had turned in my caliper to the lost and found.
Got it back in the shop YAY!

Woo Hoo! Bless the honest man, Diogenes can go home now! :)

I'm excited for you. I think I'd kiss that baby and put it to bed in a little wooden box. Stay up late to make the box if needed. Maybe get a cheap caliper to take to Menards!

JKJ

[Frankie Hunt]

I'm really glad you got your calipers back!!

Just a little miffed that you lost them though, it cost me 20 bucks!
(reading the string I couldn't help but order the iGaging one that was mentioned) :)

[Raymond Fries]

Woo Hoo! Bless the honest man, Diogenes can go home now! :)

I'm excited for you. I think I'd kiss that baby and put it to bed in a little wooden box. Stay up late to make the box if needed. Maybe get a cheap caliper to take to Menards!

JKJ

Thanks John. I feel very lucky to get it back. I will be using my old one for future shopping.

[Raymond Fries]

I'm really glad you got your calipers back!!

Just a little miffed that you lost them though, it cost me 20 bucks!
(reading the string I couldn't help but order the iGaging one that was mentioned) :)



Nice choice. I was looking at that one as a replacement. Do you need anything else? I might have something here I could lose for ya. LOL!

[Steve Demuth]

Powers of two, of course, are the norm in software engineering. At one time I was able to convert between binary/hex and decimal - that is long gone!

I also find myself measuring in metric far more than I used to. I've gotten where I have started to think in metric for smaller things and can make a pretty good eyeball estimate in millimeters and centimeters. Milliliters/cc's for sure, from giving shots to livestock. Kilograms and kilometers, not so much although I continue to try. I think my brain is starting to solidify.


I could never get hex, but I could do octal to decimal in my head, up to 16 bits or so. Nowadays I only program in PowerPoint ...