I have several of the $14 dial calipers laying around. I consider them
disposable. Accurate to around .001", seem to work fine. I do need to
get a better one for working around my lathe but a cheapr riding in the
truck to go to the steel yard is a good deal.

I also use some of the cheaper ($15 to $25) digital calipers. On the
plus side they have a built in inch/metric capability, VERY nice. But I
find them to be a bit more fragile than the dial versions.

Bill Schwab wrote:

Hello all,

Are the Enco $14 calipers worth having? They have a 12 inch for under
$30! The Fowler prices are less attractive, but strike me as a lot more
realistic. Recommendations??

Given how dependent I have become on my current calipers, it occurs to
me that I might want to have a spare, and I might buy something bigger
than 6 inches if the price isn't too scary.

One bit of good news is that I finally have a steel rule marked in
tenths, etc.

Bill