Micrometer/Digital Caliper recommedations

[Charles Wilson]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced, accurate micrometer/digital caliper? Is there a difference between a caliper and micrometer?

Thanks,
Chuck

[Jim Becker]

Lee Valley just introduced a new digital caliper that reads in fractions (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=56741&cat=1,43513) as well as decimal inches and mm...and it's priced very nicely. The intro price of $26.50 is good until the end of May.

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/markmeasure/88n6260s5.jpg

[Grant Wilkinson]

Charles

Living, as I do, in Ottawa, head office of Lee, I have the mic that Jim mentioned. I love it! I can even read it with my old eyes.

[Lou Morrissette]

Chuck,
There are digital micrometers and calipers available in price ranges from $20. to $200. Depending on what your intended use, the quality and price range is up to you. As a precision mechanical inspector for 30+ years, I used Starrett, Brown & Sharpe or Mitituo. These are all high end (read high priced) instruments. For woodworking, I personally use a 6" digital caliper I bought from HF for $24. and it serves my needs very well.
A micrometer is an instrument used primarily for measuring round objects. The size range is in 1" increments such as 0-1", 1"-2", 2"-3". If you wanted to measure a piece that was 1" wide by 3" thick by 6" long, you would need three seperate micrometers.
A caliper is an instrument used primarily for measuring all shapes. It can be used to measure flat, round or irregular shapes. It also has the advantage of being able to measure heights and depths and inside measurements such as widths and depths of dados. For woodshop use, a 6" digital caliper will be all you need for "fine work" around the shop. Hope this helps.

Lou

[Don Bullock]

I really like the one that Jim has and do plan to buy one. The only problem that I have with them is they're battery operated. It is always my luck that just when I need a tool that requires a battery, the battery is dead when I need it. For that reason I got this one from Highland Woodworking.

62984
It's marked down from $36.99 to $29.99. I find it very east to read and it shows fractions as well as decimals. I used it to check out my new Incra fence and was surprised how accurate the fence is.:D

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=56593

[Roy McQuay]

I bought my digital caliper from HF for about $15. It works fine for me. My woodworking doesn't require machinists precision, mine has character:) .

[Everette Harmon]

I found this one on line yesterday and went to HF to look at it. It appears to be good tool. It has auto on and auto off. It is heavy and feels good. The only down side I see so far is it is not SS. So it may rust at some time. But I have some of those bags that pick up the moisture. But for $16 I can take the chance.
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Reviews/HF_digital_caliper/caliper.htm

which led me to this

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47257

Everette

[Brad Townsend]

I have three different digital ones, but the one I use all the time is the analog one Don recommended from Highland. He didn't mention that it is available in either 4" or 6" for the same price. I prefer the 4", as it fits nicely in an apron vest pocket and I rarely need anything larger anyway.

[Don Bullock]

Brad, thanks for the correction. I didn't realize that they have a 4" model. I may have to pick one of those up for the same reason you mention.



In addition to our fine 6" Woodworker's Dial Caliper, we are now offering a 4" model.�This smaller 4" caliper fits nicely in your apron pocket.�Just like the 6", we call it a woodworker's caliper because it is calibrated in 64ths of an inch, with major divisions marked in the terms you're most familiar with: 1/16, 1/8, 3/16, 1/4 and so on around the dial. The face is large (1-3/8" dia.) and exceptionally easy to read; dimensions as small as 1/128" are visible at a glance. The inner scale reads in hundredths of an inch, which is useful for machine work and serves as a handy conversion table as well. Stainless steel.

[Andrew Williams]

Here's a pic of a micrometer. They are more precise but not as useful for WWing appications. I use both.

[Barry Anderson]

I've both a digital caliper and a dial caliper marked off in 1/64's. I find I pick up the dial caliper most often. Although the digital caliper reads off in fractions, I find that I can interpret the dial caliper quicker and make calculations ( how much more to plane, etc) quicker with the scale right in front of me. Go another 1/32, etc. They are both way more accurate than I need. I bought my dial caliper from woodcraft.

Barry in WV

(PS - I still wear an analog watch!! :o) )

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'll give you one bit of advice about what not to buy. I bought a cheap $29 recently. The little wheel you use for moving it was made of plastic. It lasted about 3 weeks before it broke...not th wheel but the little plastic bracket that mounts it to the body. If you can...get one that's all metal!

[Corey Hallagan]

Oooh that's a nice one, thanks for posting that Jim!

Corey

[Richard Butler]

The Fowler EZ-Read is my micrometer of choice.

[Rob Blaustein]

Lee Valley just introduced a new digital caliper that reads in fractions (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=56741&cat=1,43513) as well as decimal inches and mm...and it's priced very nicely. The intro price of $26.50 is good until the end of May.

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/markmeasure/88n6260s5.jpg

Thanks for the heads up--I've been planning to get one of these. I just put an order to LV Sat and they were kind enough to let me add it today. Even though they will ship it a little later, they didn't charge me shipping. Such a great company to do business with.

[Jim Becker]

Yea, Rob...it's on my list for my next Lee Valley order. Hopefully, I will not have to replace our hot water heater (sump pump float failed Sunday morning) and if so, I'll try to catch the sale price before the end of May.

[Andrew Williams]

I have to admit that I prefer a dial caliper. You can get very accurate dial calipers from shooter's reloading supply places. Digital is nice, but I feel that it is one more complex electronic gizmo to possibly go out of alignment or maybe be damaged more easily than a mechanical one.

My micrometer reads on a similar scale of 1000ths, but it is far less prone to any type of read error or flexing because of the design of the jaws (and it takes much longer to set up). It is much more suited to measuring small machined metal parts and I rarely use it.

[Al Willits]

I have the digital Mitutoyo for precision work.
I also have a plastic one, brand unknown that I used in the shop for general purpose use, its about 6 or 7 years old and works great, just got to be gentle with it.
I also don't go many places to the right of the decimal with it...:)

I had a dial indicator unit from Starette, but after borrowing it to a friend it came back broken, he paid for a replacement, but I think I might get the one from Lee valley, as with these old eyes its getting harder and harder to see them little lines...:)

Al

[Charles Wilson]

Thanks for all of the responses. Your help, as always, has been VERY helpful.

Regards,
Chuck

[Don Bullock]

Harbor Freight cupon:

63324

[David Weaver]

You can also check reloading supply houses. Micrometers have a lot more usefulness for reloaders where precision below 0.001" can really mean a lot for accuracy. They have calipers, too, though the more calipers I see from the more different places (tool houses, machine supply, reloading supply, etc.), the more I'm convinced that everything except for the best (the mitutoyos and Starrets of the world) are made in one or two places and branded either there or somewhere else.

If you look at the HF caliper, you can identify the exact same one in about a bazillion other catalogs with different brand names in different places.

I have the HF one, as well as some analog dial calipers, and I will check the HF digital caliper for repeatability and accuracy against a good mitutoyo or RCBS caliper before trusting it.

I'd be willing to bet the digitals are more shock resistant than the analogs - I've broken those pretty easily just dropping them 2 or 3 feet - they're a delicate thing.

[glenn bradley]

BTW, thanks Jim. I love my dial fractional caliper and just ordered a couple of the Lee Valley's as well. I use them alot.

[Steven J Corpstein]

One thing to keep in mind when deciding on digital vs. dial for shop tools is the dust. Digitals are not affected nearly as much as the rack that is necessary on the dial types.