Fractional Calipers - Good Idea, Terrible Product

You might try bending the battery contacts slightly. The holders for those button cells are crap and the weak plastic case lets them move just a little. Lose contact with the battery and it's game over. I have some decimal calipers from HF that this helped with.

It might help to shim the top of the battery to the lid with something non conducting. Plastic, paper, etc.. Pushing them down a little bit helps a lot in some cases.

I'll have to look into this. In fact, I was thinking about that as I was posting. I have noticed that it seems like if handle them roughly they reset easier.
 
I bought a small pair of digital calipers on sale from H Freight. They really felt cheap in the hand, but they were easier to get into tight spots than my dial or verniers. Decided to keep ‘em because they were so cheap. Every time I went to use them, the batteries had died. They were “auto off” supposedly. I do keep a large stash of the little pill-like batteries around, but who wants to put batteries in their calipers every couple of weeks. I thought that I would like the metric-inch and fraction capability, but it’s just as easy to convert them in my head or use look up at the wall at one of my conversion posters. I guess I am just old school, give me a decent vernier or dial caliper any day. HF did take it back after more than 2 months.
I have a Starrett digital caliper, and share the dead battery problem; now, I slide the battery cover back when I'm done with it, it disconnects the battery; next use, just slide it back into position, and you're good to go. I thought it was going to be handy to have the inch/metric capability, but dislike the "hunting" tendency where it does not want to settle down to only one stable measurement. I find myself mostly using a SPI dial caliper; I have had Starrett and Mitutoyo dial calipers over the years, but I think I like the SPI best so far. Another thing that I noticed is that the ID and OD measurements have been different on most calipers; if you set the OD on a standard measurement and mike the ID nibs, you get a larger measurement by a thou or two; I suppose they made them that way to allow for wear on the nibs, I have just stoned the nibs until they agree with the OD size. Actually, I think that digital or dial calipers should not be relied upon for measurements closer than a couple of thou anyway ------
 
I have an Igaging set, they read to 1/128, they are absolute readers, they are a good quality. When I need accuracy, I take out a mic.
++1

And even though I forget to turn them off all the time, I have yet to replace a battery after close to 2yrs.
 
A lot of the Amazon reviews mention that these are fakes. Just a heads up. If you want to be sure of authenticity it would be wise to buy from authorized dealer.
That is for items sold by other dealers, not necessarily AMAZON, but it would be a good idea to support a tool vendor of repute.
 
I bought an electronic height gauge for the cabinet shop, works in fractions and decimals. Thought the fractions would be great, BUT when your setting a saw height to say 3/8 ths and your at 47/128 the which way do you go. It stays in decimal mode.

Greg
 
I Thought the fractions would be great, BUT when your setting a saw height to say 3/8 ths and your at 47/128 the which way do you go. It stays in decimal mode.

Greg

You set the gage to 3/8ths, zero it, then do your height setting. Just watch the sign of the reading,
it'll tell you which way to adjust. Decimal mode is optional, but would give better feedback,
AFTER you do the rezeroing.

Fractional vernier calipers, on the other hand: those are just a nuisance. I've got
a set, only useful for transfer of dimensions, IMHO.
 
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A lot of the Amazon reviews mention that these are fakes. Just a heads up. If you want to be sure of authenticity it would be wise to buy from authorized dealer.
I do not think the fakes are sold by Amazon. But if they are fake, they're typically easy to identify. A call to Mitutoyo customer service and they will help you. It is in their interest to weed the fakes out.
 
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