Several years ago I picked up a Central Machine (Harbor Fright) caliper. It
was and still is good enough for most things. More recently I picked up an
8" dial caliper and a digital one at the same Chinese import store with a
PIttsburgh label. They are not as good. In fact I have thrown the 8" away.
The digital even when perfectly clean drifts a little from measure to
measure. If I need to "know" what a measurement is I take out a micrometer,
make the measurement, and put it right back in the case in the tool box, but
calipers get left on the work bench. What is out there on the lower end of
the spectrum that is atleast as good as the Central machine and definitely
better than the Pittsburgh?

For convenience I'd like to leave one on each work bench, and one on my
desk.

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Several years ago I picked up a Central Machine (Harbor Fright) caliper.
It was and still is good enough for most things. More recently I picked
up an 8" dial caliper and a digital one at the same Chinese import store
with a PIttsburgh label. They are not as good. In fact I have thrown the
8" away. The digital even when perfectly clean drifts a little from
measure to measure. If I need to "know" what a measurement is I take out
a micrometer, make the measurement, and put it right back in the case in
the tool box, but calipers get left on the work bench. What is out there
on the lower end of the spectrum that is atleast as good as the Central
machine and definitely better than the Pittsburgh?

For convenience I'd like to leave one on each work bench, and one on my
desk.





I think there are only a couple of factories in China that make these cheap
ones. 2 or 3 years ago I bought ones that looked just like these in that
same style case. I bought them because they were cheap, but they are
surprisingly good:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2012Brand-ne...-/251116151174

Note these have the black-on-silver laminated scale instead of the
yellow-on-black in case that indicates a different source.

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:52:56 -0700, "anorton"
wrote:


"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Several years ago I picked up a Central Machine (Harbor Fright) caliper.
It was and still is good enough for most things. More recently I picked
up an 8" dial caliper and a digital one at the same Chinese import store
with a PIttsburgh label. They are not as good. In fact I have thrown the
8" away. The digital even when perfectly clean drifts a little from
measure to measure. If I need to "know" what a measurement is I take out
a micrometer, make the measurement, and put it right back in the case in
the tool box, but calipers get left on the work bench. What is out there
on the lower end of the spectrum that is atleast as good as the Central
machine and definitely better than the Pittsburgh?

For convenience I'd like to leave one on each work bench, and one on my
desk.





I think there are only a couple of factories in China that make these cheap
ones. 2 or 3 years ago I bought ones that looked just like these in that
same style case. I bought them because they were cheap, but they are
surprisingly good:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2012Brand-ne...-/251116151174

Note these have the black-on-silver laminated scale instead of the
yellow-on-black in case that indicates a different source.

Even the stuff from the same vendor varies: I have been buying
calipers from Canadian Tire when they go on sale for $14. They have
been universally very good until the last purchase which was awful.

I suspect they changed from one Chinese factory to another.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Several years ago I picked up a Central Machine (Harbor Fright) caliper.
It was and still is good enough for most things. More recently I picked
up an 8" dial caliper and a digital one at the same Chinese import store
with a PIttsburgh label. They are not as good. In fact I have thrown the
8" away. The digital even when perfectly clean drifts a little from
measure to measure. If I need to "know" what a measurement is I take out
a micrometer, make the measurement, and put it right back in the case in
the tool box, but calipers get left on the work bench. What is out there
on the lower end of the spectrum that is atleast as good as the Central
machine and definitely better than the Pittsburgh?

For convenience I'd like to leave one on each work bench, and one on my
desk.


I quit buying those cheap digital calipers quite a few years back, and
started buying quality, used dial calipers off of ebay instead...

--today, there is a pair pretty much within arms reach of anyplace where the
need for one might arise.

"PrecisionmachinisT" wrote in message
...

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Several years ago I picked up a Central Machine (Harbor Fright) caliper.
It was and still is good enough for most things. More recently I picked
up an 8" dial caliper and a digital one at the same Chinese import store
with a PIttsburgh label. They are not as good. In fact I have thrown
the 8" away. The digital even when perfectly clean drifts a little from
measure to measure. If I need to "know" what a measurement is I take out
a micrometer, make the measurement, and put it right back in the case in
the tool box, but calipers get left on the work bench. What is out there
on the lower end of the spectrum that is atleast as good as the Central
machine and definitely better than the Pittsburgh?

For convenience I'd like to leave one on each work bench, and one on my
desk.


I quit buying those cheap digital calipers quite a few years back, and
started buying quality, used dial calipers off of ebay instead...

--today, there is a pair pretty much within arms reach of anyplace where
the need for one might arise.

Actually, I agree about the dial calipers. Mine seem to be more consistent
than the digital. I bought the digital because I needed a metric caliper
for checking bearing sizes right away. It works ok...