Fractional Calipers - Good Idea, Terrible Product

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
Posted above to the wrong post. Yep, I had the same issue. So mine stays in decimal, or metric. But I wound up buying a igaging fractional dial gauge for the WW shop. Love that. I also have a HF of the same (actually before I bought the igaging). It too is nice. Anytime I get a dial caliper, I take it apart, and stone the edges and round over the corners, and stone the rack to remove burrs. They run so much nicer after the work. They go from rough to smooth as silk. The digitals don't require that much work if any.
 
The Igaging Absolute calipers do have fractional measurements, and they always retain their position. I have had mine for several years after my Euro-cal (Fowler) started to give erroneous readings and was falling apart after 2 years of use. Been very happy with the Igaging Absolute, durable and reliable. The readings match my Mitutoyo and gauge blocks. At $40, well worth it. https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-ABSOLUTE-Digital-Electronic-Caliper/dp/B00INL0BTS

I do have a Mitutoyo 12" caliper, also very nice but much more expensive. The number of fakes on eBay and Amazon seem to dominate the sites. There are a lot of telltale difference between the real deal and the fakes if you know what you are looking for, but the fakes are very good even down to the signed paperwork.
 
The Igaging Absolute calipers do have fractional measurements, and they always retain their position. I have had mine for several years after my Euro-cal (Fowler) started to give erroneous readings and was falling apart after 2 years of use. Been very happy with the Igaging Absolute, durable and reliable. The readings match my Mitutoyo and gauge blocks. At $40, well worth it. https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-ABSOLUTE-Digital-Electronic-Caliper/dp/B00INL0BTS

I do have a Mitutoyo 12" caliper, also very nice but much more expensive. The number of fakes on eBay and Amazon seem to dominate the sites. There are a lot of telltale difference between the real deal and the fakes if you know what you are looking for, but the fakes are very good even down to the signed paperwork.

What's interesting to me about the iGaging calipers is that the display is entirely different from the one in either of mine, so I assume they use a different chip.

I might have to give them a try. I have their angle gauge cube and a depth reading caliper; never a moment's trouble with any iGaging tools.
 
Mitutoyo Fakes: This is why I wrote to buy from Amazon and not other sellers, unless they're known good sellers,, like Travers Tool Co. and some others.
The fakes are being sold by lesser known sellers. Amazon responds quickly to any problem. I support the vendors that have good customer service and good prices/shipping.
 
Posted above to the wrong post. Yep, I had the same issue. So mine stays in decimal, or metric. But I wound up buying a igaging fractional dial gauge for the WW shop. Love that. I also have a HF of the same (actually before I bought the igaging). It too is nice. Anytime I get a dial caliper, I take it apart, and stone the edges and round over the corners, and stone the rack to remove burrs. They run so much nicer after the work. They go from rough to smooth as silk. The digitals don't require that much work if any.

I use a dial caliber in fractions that Lee Valley sell. Love them, great for the planer. Think Im on my 3rd one over way too many years. They seam to work smooth with no work

Greg
 
The Harbor Freight digital calipers have been working well for me. I did a bit of fine-tuning on the points to make them sharp and consistent. They cost about $10 each a year ago. The prices have since increased to about $20 (before the 20% discount). The batteries have lasted for at least a year. I would definitely buy them again. I also have an HF digital micrometer with resolution to .0001. It works well, but it goes through the battery quickly so I leave it out while not using it.
 
+2 votes for the igaging calipers. I have 2 pairs, are getting beat up a bit, and even dropped occasioally onto the floor. (I'm not the only one in my shop).

They have never let me down. One uses 1 battery/year, the other I haven't replaced the battery (yet). Best purchase I've made for my shop, and one of the cheapest - pair 1 $16CDN (on clearance) and one at $29CDN on sale.
 
I purchased these EAGems Digital Calipers and have been very happy with them. Not as cheap as HF, but a temperamental measuring device is useless IMO...Actually worse than that really. Only thing to add is that these are stainless yet are also magnetic. So occasionally I demagnetize the caliper jaws. Swarf sticking to the jaws will prevent them from fully closing and zeroing out. Amazon - EAGems Digital Caliper
 
I just purchased my 3rd iGaging digital absolute caliper. They all are smooth and accurate, a real pleasure to use. I save the Mitutoyo's for reloading and find the iGaging calipers are just as accurate. The mits are still the best feeling digitals I've used but the iGaging calipers come very close. I also have a 12" Aventor from Shars that is very smooth and accurate. Now my HF $10.00 digitals are used for scribing and measuring on greasy dirty stuff.

Roy
 
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