Digital Calipers vs Analog

[Jacob Snow]

What should a person look for in calipers? Digital seem like they would be easier, but are they as accurate? Are these good http://www.amazon.com/STAINLESS-STEEL-Display-Digital-Caliper/dp/B000GSLKIW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/102-6761596-2133717?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1182447964&sr=8-2

[Jim Becker]

How accurate do you need? Digitals certainly are only as accurate as they are set to be relative to "smallest units". That's likely just fine for most woodworking uses and if you need an analog for "really critical" measurements of some kind, they are not really expensive. I use an analog, but one that reads in fractions...it was about $30 when I bought it.

[Brad Naylor]

I use a digital set just like those every day and they're great. I paid a lot more than that, too.

Snap em up!

Cheers
Brad

[glenn bradley]

I have a dial in 64ths that I really like (about $45) and this one that I love as its 3 in one; frac, dec inch and dec mm:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=56741&cat=1,43513,49782

I also keep some plastic cheap-o units here and there for quick 'better than rough' measurements. Mine are HF but LV has them as well:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=52906&cat=1,43513,43546

[Mike Cutler]

Jacob.

Accuracy of the mechanical caliper is a function of mechanical hysterisis, tolerance of the machined parts, and the accuracy of space between divisions on the scale.
The accuracy of the digital caliper, will encompass the same physical attribute properties as the mechanical version, without the attributes of the dial. The dial will be replaced by the digital readout, which will have a tolerance based on it's unique input device,and the digital microprocessor based word equivalent of the input device as read on the LCD display.

Bottom line. Thye're both fine for woodworking. That ad lists the accuracy as +/- 0.001. This is a misnomer. That is the resolution of the display. not the accuracy.
If you need more inherent accuracy than those provide, you would need to look at inside and outside micrometers.

[Aaron Beaver]

I have a dial in 64ths that I really like (about $45) and this one that I love as its 3 in one; frac, dec inch and dec mm:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=56741&cat=1,43513,49782


That First one you posted from Lee Valley is on my soon to get list, first digital fractional calipers that I have seen go to 128th's. Know a few that have that one and love it.

[Mike Cutler]

That First one you posted is on my soon to get list, first digital fractional calipers that I have seen go to 128th's.

Don't rule out Glenn's "El Cheapo's". Those are very much suited for alot of woodworking related tasks, and you don't feel nearly so bad when you drop 'em and step on them.:eek: damhikt.;) They also won't tear the seats in your car, like the metal ones will, when you forget they are in your back pocket. damhikt either.

[Tom Henderson2]

Dial calipers never need batteries. And they are often cheaper.

Any recent-vintage dial caliper will be plenty accurate enough for woodworking. Harbor Freight, Enco, etc all sell pretty good asian calipers for cheap.

-Tom H.

[Ken Werner]

I've had a fairly cheap [Asian - $30] digital caliper for about 5 years. It is plenty accurate for me. The 2 shortcomings are the need to replace batteries, and the flimsy plastic parts. The small steel wheel which helps one perform very fine adjustments was held in place with a small peice of plastic - which did break off. I know I'm too cheap, but I get annoyed that every year I have to spend $4 for a new battery. All in all, I'd like to pick up a better quality dial caliper. My. $.02.

[Bruce Page]

Dial calipers never need batteries. And they are often cheaper.
-Tom H.

Ditto

I have never found a digital caliper that had the 'feel' that I like.
My favorite is made by Brown & Sharp - been using them for years.

[Kim Spence]

For me, the real question isn't digital vs. analog as both will work just fine, but rather fractional vs. decimal. And the answer to this will depend on the way you're used to working

I have a decimal digital readout on my planer, the Wixey digital readout on my table saw, and a digital fractional caliper, so for small things I generally work in decimals. I've found these 3 readouts to work very well together and are accurate to each other within maybe a hundredth, plenty accurate for woodworking in my opinion.

I've also found the decimal caliper very convenient for converting small measurements to metric mm. Just measure the piece and hit the mm button. Very useful for use with a Domino which is all metric.

[Dan Clark]

I have the Wixey 6" digital fractional caliper. I reads decimal metric and imperial plus fractional imperial. It works great, does instant conversions and is very accurate.

Dan.

[Al Willits]

I tend to use digital Mitutoyo when I'm setting up tools, whether its the adjustment of the tool or its cutting depth, and a analog for most of the other basic stuff.
Like others, it kinda depends on what I'm measuring and comfortable with.

Al

[Mike Henderson]

I use analog mainly because I then don't have to worry about the battery.

Mike

[Montgomery Scott]

I bought a 6" Mitutoyo for $125 back in 1989 when I was working in a machine shop. The nice thing about having a high end set is that it is accurate enough for everything, not just "good enough for woodworking". In that time I've gone through three sets of batteries. Not quite as good as the batteried that lasted 18 years on my HP15C, but still darn good.

[David DeCristoforo]

I'm "old school" on this one. Who needs a digital measuring device in a woodshop anyway? You can't work wood to thousandths of an inch. Well maybe you can but there's not much point in it. 64ths is "close enough" for even the finest work (except maybe in inlay work). And like the guy said, "analog" devices don't need batteries. The only issue I have ever had with calipers is having to convert from decimal which really is not the hard and after so many years, I have memorized most of the equivalents. But here's my favorite caliper:

http://www.woodcraft.com//family.aspx?familyid=4440&HomePageDeal=True

Very well made, all steel (no plastic!) and reads in 64ths!

[Gary Keedwell]

I bought a 6" Mitutoyo for $125 back in 1989 when I was working in a machine shop. The nice thing about having a high end set is that it is accurate enough for everything, not just "good enough for woodworking". In that time I've gone through three sets of batteries. Not quite as good as the batteried that lasted 18 years on my HP15C, but still darn good.
I also purchased a 6" Mitutoyo digital caliper in the early 90's when I was an inspector in machine shop. I brought them to my part time job as a machinist last year and found them over-kill. I brought them home and picked up a couple of cheap china dial calipers and they are accurate enough for machinist work. I also use the cheap dial calipers for my woodworking.....haven't taken my digitals out in over a year.
Gary K.

[Brad Townsend]

This one is my favorite:
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5412

It's inexpensive ($30) and at 4", it fits nicely in the vest pocket of the apron.

[Allen Petty]

I love digital. Almost all of the cabinet and drawer hardware that I use is Blum, so all the dimensions are metric, the digital calipers convert instantly between metric and decimal inches. Wixey.com has digital calipers that show decimal iches w/ fractions for $50.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Just avoid dial calipers in a wood shop. The dust ruins 'em.

I have yet to get a ditigal set but if I get so I can't read the vernier scale on my 12" SST mitutoyo, I'll go digital set.

Vernier scale is bullet proof. You can't ruin 'em short of bending the tool or beating it with a hammer. Digital is subject to dropping and water. My brown and Sharp dial calipers almost never get out of their box 'cause a wood shop ( unlike the machine shop) is a dusty place and dust will lodge in the micro track and make it unusable till I take it apart and clean it - a real PITA.

[Harry Goodwin]

I have both but after looking at caliper tips on small machine site the 0 on my digital has been getting lots of work. http://www.littlemachineshop.com/
Harry

[Kurt Aebi]

I have both digital (Mititoyo) and dial (analog) [Brown & Sharpe, Mititpto and el-cheapo Harbor Freight) calipers.

They are 6" and I use the digital at work where the parts we use are measured - some in metric and some in inch, so the quick change between imperial & metric makes them a good fit. The digital is a battery hog, but I use salvaged batteries rescued from those fancy dog toys that bark, moo or otherwise make noise that my wife likes to get for the dogs and they promptly rip the guts out of in a day or 2.

I don't worry too much about conversion, because I have numerous decimal equivalent charts that salesmen just love to give away when they are trying to sell you something.

I use the el-cheapo HF's when the enviromnetn is dusty, otherwise it's the B&S one's that get the most use. I keep the Mititoyo's in the house for design work.

If something is real critical (work or home) I break out my trusty Starrett Micrometer set (vernier scale, not electronic digital) and measure to the "Tenth" (0.0001"). I learned my machining on machines w/o DRO (digital readout) and learned to read "mic's" when I was around 5 yrs old.

My advice! Get the BEST Set you can afford, Digital or Analog and if you go Analog - get the style (decimal or fraction [64th's]) YOU feel the most comfortable with and treat them as you would any other fine measuring instrument and you will have them for a lifetime>

[Bruce Page]

Just avoid dial calipers in a wood shop. The dust ruins 'em.

I have yet to get a ditigal set but if I get so I can't read the vernier scale on my 12" SST mitutoyo, I'll go digital set.

Vernier scale is bullet proof. You can't ruin 'em short of bending the tool or beating it with a hammer. Digital is subject to dropping and water. My brown and Sharp dial calipers almost never get out of their box 'cause a wood shop ( unlike the machine shop) is a dusty place and dust will lodge in the micro track and make it unusable till I take it apart and clean it - a real PITA.
I've been using B&S and Tesa dial calipers in the wood shop for years. I haven't had a problem, I just blow them out every once in a while. Of course I don't bury them in saw dust either.

[Kurt Aebi]

I've been using B&S and Tesa dial calipers in the wood shop for years. I haven't had a problem, I just blow them out every once in a while. Of course I don't bury them in saw dust either.

Don't forget the little bit of light machine oil on the gear teeth also.

[Gary Keedwell]

I've been using B&S and Tesa dial calipers in the wood shop for years. I haven't had a problem, I just blow them out every once in a while. Of course I don't bury them in saw dust either.

Same here...I have no problem with dust. They stay where they belong (drawer) until I need them.
Gary K.

[Don Bullock]

Dial calipers never need batteries. And they are often cheaper.

Any recent-vintage dial caliper will be plenty accurate enough for woodworking. Harbor Freight, Enco, etc all sell pretty good asian calipers for cheap.

-Tom H.

Tom, I agree. It seems that whenever I need my tools, like a caliper ot my tire pressure guage, that use those little round batteries, that the batteries are dead. I don't have to worry about that with my dial caliper. Just foo for thought.

[Bill Huber]

I have 3, a none dial, a dial with fractions and a digital fractions. They are all in the same drawer and are all just as easy to get to and I find myself getting the digital out every time.
As to the battery I have a spare right there in the drawer with the calipers and its just not a big thing. My unit does shot off after 5 min.

I find the digital is much easier for me to read without my glasses on.

[Reg Mitchell]

I'm "old school" on this one. Who needs a digital measuring device in a woodshop anyway? You can't work wood to thousandths of an inch. Well maybe you can but there's not much point in it. 64ths is "close enough" for even the finest work (except maybe in inlay work). And like the guy said, "analog" devices don't need batteries. The only issue I have ever had with calipers is having to convert from decimal which really is not the hard and after so many years, I have memorized most of the equivalents. But here's my favorite caliper:

http://www.woodcraft.com//family.aspx?familyid=4440&HomePageDeal=True

Very well made, all steel (no plastic!) and reads in 64ths!
What he said.
I have the expensive type mainly because I am a machinets. Metal will move quiet a bit when your trying to hold .0005 tol.
I use them to get close in wood working. I can check something today and it will read this. Tomorrow it will read .03 to .06 differance.
Use eighter one and it will do fine for you, its a pref thing
Reg

[Tony Haukap]

The thing that sold me on switching to digital calipers was the zero reset button. Say you want to match the thickness of a piece you already planed.... just measure the existing piece, press the zero reset button, then plane away unit it reaches "0".

[Richard Butler]

Here is an interesting article on precision measuring tools.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/8/20.html

[Joe Chritz]

I use analog because that is what I have.

A half door sized Starrett chart with all the decimal conversions makes any fractions that I don't know pretty simple.

All should be plenty accurate for woodworking. You could technically read .0005 by sticking the needle between the numbers, but what is a 1/2 thousandth between friends.

Joe

[Jack Morrow]

I'm "old school" on this one. Who needs a digital measuring device in a woodshop anyway? You can't work wood to thousandths of an inch. Well maybe you can but there's not much point in it. 64ths is "close enough" for even the finest work (except maybe in inlay work). And like the guy said, "analog" devices don't need batteries. The only issue I have ever had with calipers is having to convert from decimal which really is not the hard and after so many years, I have memorized most of the equivalents. But here's my favorite caliper:

http://www.woodcraft.com//family.aspx?familyid=4440&HomePageDeal=True

Very well made, all steel (no plastic!) and reads in 64ths!

I'll be the second person to chime in and say "What he said".

[Lee Schierer]

I started out with a pair of dial calipers in my shop. After having the gears get gummed up with sawdust, I switched to digital which doesn't have gears and is accurate enough for wood working. I currently have a pair that were on sale at Harbor Freight for under $20 and they have been working for several years with no problems. In calipers, you get what you pay for in terms of accuracy. The price will follow accuracy, higher accuracy = higher price. You can also damage the highly accurate ones more easily if they are dropped.

[Bruce Page]

You can also damage the highly accurate ones more easily if they are dropped.

I don't know if they damage any more easily but it's a lot more painful.
DAMHIKT!

[Jason Beam]

Digital vs. Analog - for me, it's analog, all the way. I have both. The battery died in my digital a year ago and I haven't missed it. My fractional dial is perfect. I don't put it where sawdust can get to it, becuase I believe it to be a precision tool that should be treated with greater care than my speed square. It sits with my machinst squares and dial indicator in a drawer that's almost always closed.

The reason for my preference has to do with the digital nature of a digital readout. When you're looking at the readout of any digital measuring device, you don't know if you're on the fat or thin side of that number and sometimes it's important. Especially if you are actually shooting for .001" accuracy. You could measure a tenon that reads .252" and a mortise that also reads .252" but they won't fit together. Puzzling, isn't it? Well if the mortise is actually .2520001" and the tenon is actually .25299993, the fit will be more snug than you want.

With a dial caliper, you have an idea of the "heaviness" of a measurement. the 1/4" mark on a dial caliper has some room between it and the 15/64 and 17/64 marks and if the mortise is reading a little under 1/4 and the tenon is a little over, you can tell because the different position of the needle will be apparent.

Nevermind if going down to the .001th is worth it. Nevermind if wood moves too much to care. When it's just a question of digital vs. analog i'll probably pick analog in this case. Other cases, maybe not.

[Gary Curtis]

I have both. For us older types, some digital screens offer enlarged numbers for tired old eyes.:)

My digital caliper also provides English fractional measures. Most of the time I use those numbers. The resolution goes down to 1/64th. For anything smaller, I hit a button and use the decimals.

I think besides the large readouts, the second biggest factor was stated here: zeroing out a measure with the jaws slightly open, although a lot of analog calipers allow you to rotate the bezel and accomplish the same thing.

Gary Curtis:)

[Gary Curtis]

Back in 1990, commercial aviation had the same question about cockpit gauges. Digital or analog, which is best? Some pilots, mostly those with long experience, had trouble transitioning over from the so-called "steam gauges". To them, the relative position of a needle was a quick and reliable indication of danger.

The big incentive for change was to get away from the malfunctions and error inherent in mechanical gauges. A 747 has about 150+ indicator dials, so maintenance is a big issue. So when they began manufacturing the "glass cockpit", they actually took both approaches. Such prominent read-outs as airspeed and altitude are recreated on the CRT screen as both a round dial gauge with a needle, and a sliding scale with digital numbers.

The eye prefers one of these over the other, depending on the time and conditions. Just thought I'd let you know that others, aside from woodworkers, have puzzled over the same matter.

Gary Curtis

[Barry Anderson]

I've both the digital and an analog caliper. I find that I pickup the analog more often. It is much quicker to look at the analog dial for relative reference than use the digital and have to actually read the dial.

Barry in WV

[Bruce Wrenn]

I have both from HF. They read in fractions- thousandths. On top of dial caliper case is glued one of those conversion charts from tooling suppliers. For batteries, my first HF lived to eat batteries. My second doesn't. Mentioned this to local store manager, and he said bring back org. one with reciept from second one and he would trade me out. (Out of warrenty by about a month.) Said that some bad ones got into stores a couple years back. For batteries, DOLLAR TREE stores often have a card of eight for- you guessed it- a buck! When I get down to two, I start looking, as they don't always have then in stock. They are usually hanging near cash registers.