Cheap dial calipers.....

T Bredehoft said:
I've got for or five "Pittsburgh" brand digital calipers, brought from Harbor Freight many years ago, I'd buy one whenever they were under @10.00 on special. I think I've replaced two batteries in the batch since new, but they all work adequately, return to zero whenever I check. I can't imagine Starret being any more accurate.
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The Starretts's aren't more accurate, at least in my experience. They were nicer made. I have a Pittsburgh which gives adequate performance and a "Bald Eagle" which I picked up on clearance for $5. The Starrett simply feels better and smoother, for what ever that is worth. The Pittsburgh is a little battery hungry, but ok. It keeps on working. Bought several on one of the 9.99 specials. Only one has survived. The Bald Eagle was a Grizzly clearance item. Occasionally the Bald Eagle likes to add 6mm to a measurement! Doesn't happen often, but I have to watch out for that. Suspect that's why it was on clearance. However, it has a nice large readable display, so I keep on using it. If I really need to measure more accurately, then I use the micrometers.
 
First off I was taught that most dial calipers were only accurate within .003" Do a gauge R&R (reliability & repeatability) study on your caliper and you may not be so quick to claim accurate to a .001".
And for the OP.
If you made the gear jump dropping it, toss it. Doesn't take much booger up that gear.
 
T Bredehoft said:
I've got for or five "Pittsburgh" brand digital calipers, brought from Harbor Freight many years ago, I'd buy one whenever they were under @10.00 on special. I think I've replaced two batteries in the batch since new, but they all work adequately, return to zero whenever I check. I can't imagine Starret being any more accurate.
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I have an igaging, over 10 years I believe, replaced the second battery the other day.
For analog I have another Igaging that shows fractions, and a HF that I dropped recently.. it still works, but after setting it back to where I want to read it, it's off it's no longer at 12 oclock, more like 12:05 for zero. I use the igaging for all metal work, and the fractional, for most wood working.
 
Bone Head said:
First off I was taught that most dial calipers were only accurate within .003" Do a gauge R&R (reliability & repeatability) study on your caliper and you may not be so quick to claim accurate to a .001".
And for the OP.
If you made the gear jump dropping it, toss it. Doesn't take much booger up that gear.
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I get my claim from getting close turning something on the lathe then getting final spec with either my old Starrett or Etalon mics and so far the three have been within .001 much to my surprise. I use the caliper for roughing and only drag the mics out when absolutely necessary. Calipers and mics are all so feel dependent it’s crazy we can get any R&R.

I also toss ‘em they ever skip. That’s why the Mit got tossed. Kills me to throw away what looks brand new but if it’s not reliable I’ve not found another use for it. I did have an funky 0-1mic I used to use for a clamp just to drive my instructor’s crazy in college :)
 
I'll only toss them if they don't work.
Mine is pretty on, after fixing it. You can see the 50 doesn't line up with the screw at the bottom, it's slightly off. But its fine.. that's what the adjustment is for.
I check it with my blocks, and if it's not accurate enough, then I strip them for parts.
But I only use an analog for rough work. Fine work digital, and fully precise is my mics.PXL_20230807_200601228.jpgPXL_20230807_200628194.jpgPXL_20230807_200740107.jpg
 
T Bredehoft said:
I've got for or five "Pittsburgh" brand digital calipers, brought from Harbor Freight many years ago, I'd buy one whenever they were under @10.00 on special. I think I've replaced two batteries in the batch since new, but they all work adequately, return to zero whenever I check. I can't imagine Starret being any more accurate.
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I have 2 , gifted to me, eat batteries like crazy.
 
I use a 30 yo set from Starrett at work everyday, General Digital gets little use.
Mityo with the .200 dial are in storage with the Pittsburgh ones.
 
mmcmdl said:
I have a set of Mititoyos 12" that I bought when starting the shop . Never used much as I had the verniers , but the Mits for some reason will jump .020 on the dial quite often . They slide great and I feel nothing in the gears when it slips . They sit in a box unused to this day . I'm afraid if I took them apart I would do more harm than good . :(
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Dial calipers often jump because of crud in the rack. When you move past that tooth, the pinon skips a tooth. Tey can be cleaned but it is a pita due to the fine pitch of the rack. I use something like a sharp tipped Exacto blade to get at the bottom of the rack teeth. The insidious thing about jumping teeth is that they jump back as you close the to calipers so if you're not observant, you won't notice that you have a systemic error. I still have my first pair, A Craftsman and a friend gave me a B & S pair. Both sit in their cases.
 
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