Digital Caliper

What's a good, accurate, reasonably priced digital caliper to buy? 6" to 8" under $100

For $20 more you can get this

https://www.globaltestsupply.com/product/starrett-ec799a-6-150-electronic-calliper?gclid=Cj0KCQjwn_OlBhDhARIsAG2y6zMXJERE2pByWc4tpjVFVUYqvw46MtfG2j3dBHyTZWwUWZy5wHX5h0waAq3UEALw_wcB

+1 and if you’re patient with Marketplace, you will get them under your price threshold. You’ll see a bunch of Browne and Sharp Digit-Cal Plus model 599’s ( light grey housing)- stay away.

Not sure on current prices but, I like Mitutoyo and my Brown and Sharpe twin cal.  If you want an 8" specifically I seem to recall a significant price jump. I probably would seek out a a used dial caliper if I had a ridged budget. Good tools are worth the money.

6” definitely cheaper than 8”!

I have been using one of these for about 10 years.  Worked on helicopter's for 20 years, so I have used the Very High End equipment, but for what we measure this has worked fine for me.

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-digital-caliper-57460.html

I have Starrett and Mitutoyo and a cheap Neiko that will do fractions. Problem I find with digital calipers they ALL are not accurate. If you want to measure to .000 you need a Micrometer, .0000 definitely a Micrometer with tenths vernier! Digital calipers get more inaccurate as size increases so 2" measure is less accurate than 1", 3 is less than 2 and so on! I use digital caliper for rough measurement. They are in my Desk draw at home and office not in the shop! Vernier Caliper is more accurate because the frame has more steel! I have Srarrett 123 in 6, 12, 24, 36  and 48". Just a note Digital Vernier Caliper as listed many times on ebay is incorrect, there are NO Digital Vernier Calipers, they are one or the other not both!!!

Just a little above your range: Amazon has Mitutoyo 6" calipers starting at $ 113, free prime delivery.

Take a look at ebay and you might get used ones for cheaper than that.  I guess Starrett and B&S make nice ones as well, but to me, Mitutoyo are the gold standard in digital.

Froneck wrote:I have Starrett and Mitutoyo and a cheap Neiko that will do fractions. Problem I find with digital calipers they ALL are not accurate. If you want to measure to .000 you need a Micrometer, .0000 definitely a Micrometer with tenths vernier! Digital calipers get more inaccurate as size increases so 2" measure is less accurate than 1", 3 is less than 2 and so on! I use digital caliper for rough measurement. They are in my Desk draw at home and office not in the shop! Vernier Caliper is more accurate because the frame has more steel! I have Srarrett 123 in 6, 12, 24, 36  and 48". Just a note Digital Vernier Caliper as listed many times on ebay is incorrect, there are NO Digital Vernier Calipers, they are one or the other not both!!!

Calipers are indeed not metrology equipment, they are an inspection tool. Most people do not use them correctly either. Depends one what type of tolerances you need to hold, for quite a bit of things digital calipers are just fine.

Digital calipers and metrology tools are very often misunderstood even with lifelong QA inspectors.  In the case of a “tenths-reading” micrometer as an example, it measures to a thousandth and resolves about. +/- two tenths, not the “one” you “read” on the vernier.  A micrometer is accurate to the “thou” +/- a half but in reality most users get +/- one full thou.  A digital caliper is more accurate than a dial and about equal to a vernier which is +/- 1.5 thou or 2.  But it’s also a bunch faster and requires less brainpower to decipher.  So get a good digital and don’t worry about it.

Depends on the dial caliper. I had a Tesa that read dead on with any combination of gauge blocks I put in it. But they do wear ... never mind what dust and chips do to them. It's on my reloading bench now. At least 40 years old.

I have a few Mit' digital. 6, 8, and 12". Love them.

chiz1180 wrote:Calipers are indeed not metrology equipment, they are an inspection tool. Most people do not use them correctly either. Depends one what type of tolerances you need to hold, for quite a bit of things digital calipers are just fine.

 I agree and why I have 3 of them. However I see too many videos of people using them for very accurate measurement! Like any tool they have their use and limits. If measurement accuracy of a thousandth or 3 is needed the the Digital caliper is not what is needed! Though most have displays in 4 decimal places they will not measure that accurately! As I mentioned the larger the measurement the less accurate it is but it the same as smaller measurements. .100" is more accurate than .200", .200" better than .300" and so on! Another is "feel" it's easy to get just about any reading desired with a digital caliper yet a micrometer will require a greater force! If you want to measure the slide stop pin hole diameter then select the pin that will fit the best a digital caliper will not do it! Micrometers are cheap and accurate, a 1" micrometer will do just about everything needed to work on a 1911, add a 2" and you'll have all that is needed from just about all pistols. Combine that with a Digital Caliper you will be in good shape. Inspection tool for the average Joe maybe but most companies will not use one for precision inspection of parts. But then again it depends on the accuracy needed!
  Digital caliper is easy to use and quick! I have a Starrett 123 6" Vernier that is more accurate than the Digital Starrett and Mitutoyo 6" I use the 6" Vernier on my lathes then if accuracy is required finish with a micrometer! From time to time I use my gauge pins and have a few that require replacement in their storage box, I would never use a Digital caliper! A tenths reading Micrometer does have a Vernier so that .0001 readings are available. Furthermore as per Starrett the mechanical .0001 reading micrometer is accurate to .00005, yet the digital Micrometer that has .00005 reading is accurate only to .0001! I have a set of Starrett 238 (1") and 238 (2"thru 7") as well as my 226 .0001" that will easily measure .0001" accurately,  in addition to all my other micrometers easily measure to .001!!! Digital Caliper Never Will!!!
 I do quite a bit of high precision work in my shop, I have 3 Jig Bores that are capable of .0000 accuracy! I do this every day!

Problem on id with calipers is 'tangent error', the flats on the jaws giving a smaller reading by holding the flat off the surface. I've heard of toolmakers stoning a radius on the jaws to correct this, for reasonable sized holes. Touchy work. Too far and ...

Gauge pins, I've got 1/2 thou up to 1/2". Meyer, more than close enough for anything I need to do. Deltronic would be nice .. maybe if I win a lottery.

Oh, I have a vernier ... Mauser ...
It's been peened on the backside to close up the fixed jaw, another fix for wear.

Both sides have knife edge that creates problems in measurement. Other problem is the Digital Caliper metal is quite thin! The correct amount to pressure is hard to determine yet with a micrometer it's easy even for the inexperienced. 3 clicks on a ratchet stop or slipping of the friction thimble allows anyone to make accurate measurements. I use feel! I have a set of Deltronic .050" to .625" But have 2 sets both + and - of Chinese that I use most of the time. Love to have a few sets of tenths pins but I too didn't win the lottery! For small holes I use the Starrett small hole gauges or pins, larger holes I have Starrett telescope gauge, micrometer caliper, dial bore gauges and inside micrometers. Have standards for all my mics (up to 24") and a set of Starrett gauge blocks so if necessary I can check my mic at the size needed to be measured.
 I've seen guys use gauge blocks or feeler gauge to show me how accurate their digital caliper was but they knew the size being measured! I handed one guy a handful of unmarked gauge pins, he didn't get one correct! Then gave him a digital mic and he got them all right (he didn't know how to read a mechanical mic, after teaching him he was able to get them measure correctly too)
  Starrett 123 Vernier Caliper is quite a bit thicker, no knife edges, they are quite accurate and being 50 line easier to read.

Froneck,
Completely understand, right tool for the job is the best way. If I am cutting stock to size on a bandsaw, caliper is way over kill, getting final high tolerance dimension on a surface grinder? Yeah a caliper (digital, Vernier, or dial) is not the right tool at all. The funny thing is that people wonder why quality work is so expensive.

Chiz, your correct, Digital caliper is the tool for you. Don't get a Dial type! Chips especially from a saw will make the gear jump the rack and readings keep moving! I do have a Dial type, seen it new on ebay! Purchased it, put in one of the 5 Oak tool boxes just so I have one! That Neiko Digital Caliper is probably as accurate as you need, has Inch, Metric and Fractional reading. Turns on as soon as the slide is moved. I don't think it self turns off but it was cheap on ebay. Have it in my home desk draw!

I have an assortment, I have a dial I keep in my desk (minimal use, no batteries needed) and a few nice digital sets in various other locations depending on the tasks that may require their use. The pricier digital (brown and sharpe/tesa, mitutoyo, ect.) sets do not kill batteries as fast as the cheap sets though.

We did a test of the assemblers in the factory and found measurements varied due to how much pressure each assembler used to press the jaws together.
Most don't know how to use a test indicator correctly either.

The split ball gauges ... never used them enough to be confident. The smaller dial bore gauges go that way, and I've never seen any issue. Small holes naturally center the gauge better. Telescoping gauge, or plunger dial gauge on a 4"+ bore, better make sure you're on center..

I remember a demo, or maybe playing with a
Sunnen bore gauge for large holes. Far superior to what would be marketed to a machinist ... DESIGNED FOR automotive cylinder work.

About ten years ago I bought a Mitutoyo digital caliper from MSC for several reasons.

First, I work for a large company with a metrology shop and I visited them first. They liked the Mitutoyo digital calipers a lot and their experience was they held up well in service of knuckleheads on the floor using them. They also thought some other brands were running on name only now.

Second, I bought from MSC so I had more confidence I wasn't getting a knock-off from the internet. I didn't buy a certified one but I trusted the seller more than what I may find on the internet. (At the time there were counterfeits being sold online.)

I like mine a lot but if I need it I have a 1980's Mitutoyo caliper on my workbench and telescoping gauges too. The digital caliper works well in its range of measuring.

...and sometimes it is geek fun to make sure everything is measuring the same, my technique is solid and nothing is lying to me.

Friends of mine have gotten together in the past to compare powder scales too.

Dorsey gages.
For measuring precision balls +- .000020

Starrett is one of the best! At least one of the most expensive! 6" Digital caliper is about $200 yet their 6" Vernier caliper is $1,000. That has to say something about accuracy! As I have said the tool needs to match the job. 0 to 6" set of Starrett micrometers will cost about $1,900. Simply put you pay for accuracy!

Can I assume all the Mitutoyo 500-196-30 models on E-Bay in the $50 range are counterfeits?

Well, yes, I would assume that.