Thread: What reputable caliper manufacturers are out there?

Starrett or Mitutoyo are good as suggested, otherwise with digital I just wouldn't with the cheaper brands. Although to be fair I have two sets here that I ended up with as part of bulk lot tool purchases, and I do use them for their convenience as +/- to a measurement when I'm machining something in the lathe. Otherwise I have a pair of cheaper 'nobrand' vernier calipers which I use for my measuring jobs, and if I have something that needs to be accurate I have a set of Starrett micrometers in a lovely rosewood box. They are really quite nice...

Some of the digital verniers have a bit of an issue with repeatability with how you move the slider, if you move them slowly you can sometimes get one measurement but move the slider quickly and you get a different measurement of the same part. It's something I find a little frustrating, and I ended up with a set of measuring standards that I use as consistency testing for the calipers while using them. I select one that's close to what I'm needing to measure, and between measurements I can close them and make sure they are zero'd OK then hit the standard and make sure they are accurate there as well. Its quite surprising how often they fail on one or other measurement and need to be either turned off and on again or rezero'd at max and then closed and rezero'd there to get them back on song. Often it's as simple as leaving them in the sun after being in the shade and that's enough to knock them out of whack.

The more expensive brands just don't have that issue. It's nice knowing that they are good to go straight off...

Originally Posted by Kimber 7mm-08

re-zero every time I use them. The numbers keep randomly generating, or showing clearly false readings. I've tried to use it manually, but the measurement graduations don't match zero to begin with.Attachment 199814

I’ve got one of these. Heap of shit!

You can have mine for parts!��

I've got a Mitutoyo dial vernier I won for the 5th form engineering prize at Ruapehu College in 1983.
They are still in use in the machine shop, and still check against gauge blocks.
Buy once..... something profound - I forget

I used a kinchrome one at work for 8 years which was still good. Have now got a Starrett one which works fine.
Mitutoyo if you can afford them.

MY Mitutoyo set sits in the garage for measureing random stuff.....I must be a heathen LOL....

Originally Posted by Sideshow

+1 for these as they say buy once cry once! You won’t go wrong!

My one is never accurate, I must send it back

Got a kingchrome that shit so Im going to set at 125.1 mm and weld in position as a Paua measure

Originally Posted by m101a1

Got a kingchrome that shit so Im going to set at 125.1 mm and weld in position as a Paua measure

17.5 is a great bottle opener........don't ask me how I know....?

Knockoffs etc to beware of.
https://youtu.be/UdsurNbGRI8

And to verify genuine. This chap also compares expendive vs cheap models.
https://youtu.be/D-YvG_BVfnU

Actually I think that's one of my manual ones - a Kinchrome. It's actually pretty good for a cheap brand, not sure how a digital vernier of theirs would go but the manual has done many years of lathe work and a small amount of abuse thrown in like marking out circles for gas cutting. Still sharp on the tips haha too...

Originally Posted by Ross Nolan

I've got a Mitutoyo dial vernier I won for the 5th form engineering prize at Ruapehu College in 1983.
They are still in use in the machine shop, and still check against gauge blocks.
Buy once..... something profound - I forget

I have one of those too, came in a red box. wonderful instrument. i just switched to digital so i can flick over to imperial easily

Originally Posted by Kimber 7mm-08

re-zero every time I use them. The numbers keep randomly generating, or showing clearly false readings. I've tried to use it manually, but the measurement graduations don't match zero to begin with.Attachment 199814

Not trying to tell you how to suck eggs, but check your battery contacts and scrub the battery where it contacts.
Spray contact liberally on the sliding piece while sliding back and forth…..

Worked for mine.

I wouldn't go for anything other than Mitutoyo. Keep in mind though that they do a coolant proof version which is twice the price of the normal ones and quite often the model advertised in brochures