Darn shop graemlins got my calipers!!!!

[Greg Muller]

I went out to the shop last night to continue my current project, and I found my digital fractional caliper on the ground with the display shattered.

Don't know how it happened. The kids didn't go out there and the wife wasn't home. There are only 2 rational explanations. Either I am sleep -woodworking, or the shop graemlins got to me again.

I think it's the graemlins. They are always in there moving my tools around so I can't find them! Little b*stards!!!

Anyway. i need a new digital fractional caliper. Any good suggestions? Which do you use and why? I like a smooth moving wheel, knurled if available. i looked at Amazon, but nothing there looks very good for under $50.
;)
Greg

[Bob Hallowell]

MCS is having a sale for yesterday and today 30% off measuring devices this set is on sale for 48.97 after the code is put in. you can use this code on any of the calipers MEASWEBM30

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMAKA=91098491&id=promo062308&link=chart91098491

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=1286&PMITEM=91098491&PMCTLG=00

I have those gremlins visit my shop too but most of the time they just hide things not break them.

Bob

[Cary Falk]

I have this one from HF. I bought it on sale with a coupon. I probably have about $12 into it. It works just fine.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95846

[Lee Schierer]

I agree with Cary, for woodworking, the accuracy of the Harbor freight calipers should work just fine and if the shop gremlins knock it on the floor again you are only out $12 of your tool budget. I use the HF model in my shop. The sawdust destroyed a conventional dial indicator type before I got the digital.

[Sam Layton]

I just purchased a digital caliper made by Wixey at Woodcraft. I paid $49.00. After my purchase I discovered that Wixey offers the caliper online for $39.00, free shiping. I have not used it yet, so I can not comment on how good it is. However, first impression, I like it.

Sam

[Kevin Davis]

I bought mine online at Wixey and love it. Delivery was fast. It comes with an extra battery and displays in MM, decimal and fractions.

[Cary Swoveland]

I expect you are looking to buy a 6" digital caliper, Greg. Consider also a 4". I have both, but mainly use the shorter one.

Cary

[glenn bradley]

I have the Lee Valley and wish it didn't go to 128ths. 64ths would be fine. I also wish it was only 4" long. I have the HF as well and it is more than adequate for almost all my shop needs. I also have a dail fractional (in 64ths) that works great. Woodcraft for $30 I think(?).

[Chris Barnett]

Have the HF also, but found on sale for around $8. Works as well as my Starrett except for the name :D.

[David DeCristoforo]

My favorite though not "digital". Reads in 64ths, all steel, very nice for thirty bucks....
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=4440

[William Addison]

I have a digital HF and a Starett dial caliper and have compared readings from them numerous times. They have always provoded the same reading and the the Staretts cost about ten times as much.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

The stainless steel Craftsmans that 30 years ago I paid $75. The gremlins stole glass lens off......They still work but I'm careful not to touch the needle. There not digital or fractional. The new one I bought from WoodCraft the big OGRE in the shop broke the cheap plastic indexing wheel off of. The big OGRE just uses his thumb to index it.

There are gremlins.....then there is the shop ogre!

[Mike Goetzke]

I just purchased a digital caliper made by Wixey at Woodcraft. I paid $49.00. After my purchase I discovered that Wixey offers the caliper online for $39.00, free shipping. I have not used it yet, so I can not comment on how good it is. However, first impression, I like it.

Sam

I love my planer gauge, and TS gauges from Wixey but just like the calipers. Maybe I'm just used to the old set I have. On my old set once it's zeroed you could take a measurement and push the off button. Next time you pick it up just move the caliper or push the on button and it remembers where it was. On the Wixey whenever you push the on button it re-zeroes. If you take a measurement lay it down and let the display auto-power down it will remember it's position once you move it. This "old-dog" hasn't learned to do it this way yet (I'm used to turning it off after a measurement) and it probably reduces the battery life a fair amount.

Other calipers may function similar to the Wixey. My experience has only been with a Starrett and Wixey.

Mike

[jason lambert]

My only advice is they are all about the same, the decent ones anyhow, get one that reads decmals and actual fractions makes life easer. Mind switches modes by pressing a button I think it might even do metric.