On Mon, 2 Mar 2015 08:36:14 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:


Digital calipers need batteries -- and those tend to die just
before you need them on a weekend evening. (Yes -- keep spare cells with
them, but still ... . :-)

Dial calipers are sensitive to fine chips, which cause the
pinion to jump teeth on the rack. They are a real pain to get reset
properly, though it can be done.

Vernier have neither of these problems -- and larger ones have
enough spacing on the vernier scales so you can usually do without
serious glasses. (I've got a nice 24" one by Scherr-Tumico, FWIW. Got
it at a hamfest a couple of years ago, in a fitted wooden box.)

And -- the vernier can have both metric and imperial scales --
as can the digital. I've seen *attempts* at a bi-system dial caliper,
but it is ugly and hard to read -- and I don't want to know how long it
takes to get both pointers properly re-zeroed after a chip skip. :-)

Granted -- I usually grab for the digital calipers -- but the
vernier is always there as a backup. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
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I find it interesting that here in Germany I've never seen a dial caliper. Mostly verniers in actual shops, and digitals in design studios and such. I still have my trusty 6" Browne & Sharp dial, but don't have much use for it in Metric land. I did find a 15cm dial online which I use most of the time.

Dial indicators and calipers became mostly an American thing after
digitals became popular. Mitutoyo built their dial-indicator factory
in Illinois 25 years ago because there was no substantial market for
them outside of the U.S.


As to scoring a bargain, EURO 25 at a Dresden flea market got me this:
http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/...3/102_1714.jpg
Extra points to anyone who knows the make.